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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Universal Credit are cunts.

109 replies

CatCave · 30/09/2019 20:56

To cut a long story short, I broke up with my partner and moved out of our home to rent on my own. This happened in July.

Last year when I was still with him and did not claim benefits I had two part time jobs and was taxed double on Job 1 and nothing on Job 2.

Job 1 offered me full time so I quit Job 2 but was still being taxed far too much.

I received a refund of this tax in my August wage. Universal Credit have counted it as my earnings and are not paying me anything this month.

I don't think this is fair. I have already paid for the tax once, had it refunded and now I'm effectively paying for it again through losing a payment which I would normally be entitled to?

I have to go to an appointment to appeal to a "decision maker" but have been told its very unlikely that they will change their minds.

When I received the tax rebate I used the money to pay off arrears I had fallen into by being taxed too much in the first place so its not as thought I spunked the money on crap when I should have saved it - I had no idea they would do this!

AIBU to think I should have been paid UC as normal?

What's more is that I have to attend the bloody job centre, I'm a single parent and work full time, its humiliating.

OP posts:
TheQueef · 30/09/2019 20:58

No YANBU

amy85 · 30/09/2019 21:02

It's classed as income as that is what it is unfortunately

0ooo0 · 30/09/2019 21:05

YANBU

snowball28 · 30/09/2019 21:06

YANBU. I hate them, they’ve made life so much harder for people.

Iggly · 30/09/2019 21:09

Yanbu

Receiving means tested benefit has to be the most intrusive, awful experience.

I’d rather they just gave the money with fewer conditions and stop, patronisingly, messing about with nonsense such as waiting five weeks etc

Or reintroduce child benefit and plough money into cheap social housing then everyone can live a decent life with security.

SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge · 30/09/2019 21:11

YANBU
The system is medievally cruel to people who don’t deserve it.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 30/09/2019 21:13

YANBU they are for this and many other reasons.

samb80 · 30/09/2019 21:14

I am still waiting on a decision for an appeal back in April. There policy is 21 days but no one will take ownership of the situation. They point blank refused a back payment unless relevant evidence was provided. A pile of evidence was submitted in May and still nothing!!

ChloeDecker · 30/09/2019 21:14

It’s not just UC. Bloody HMRC! If you overpay tax, they take ages to refund you. When they do, you end up paying extra tax to cover it.
A scandal all round. YANBU.

guest2013 · 30/09/2019 21:15

My sister is a case manager for UC. She's just like you, a single mum trying to give her children a good life. She's often on the receiving end of abuse and regularly called things like cunts. Please think about where you're directing your anger. It certainly shouldn't be at anyone you speak to or see regarding UC. It's not their fault.

Digitalash · 30/09/2019 21:21

The whole system is a mess and makes me so angry. I get paid weekly so as there was five pay days in August I got my UC docked by £200, it doesn't sound like a lot and I'm not comparing it to your situation which is much worse but when you are just making ends meet to lose £200 simply because there is five Fridays in a month is ridiculous, where as I just getting by I'm now up shit creek. Oh and it will happen again in November.

Uptheshard · 30/09/2019 21:26

It is shit. And humiliating.
I've been on it a couple of months. Constant emails ..threats to not pay you. The staff in the job centre are great... kind..its the system that's fucked.

Original poster
CatCave · 30/09/2019 21:31

I never abused anyone guest Hmm

I'm quite aware that the people in the job centre and on the phone are not the people to blame for these decisions. The woman I spoke to today was very understanding and said she had been in the same position.

Sadly though, empathy from either side wont pay my bills.

OP posts:
SavageFenty · 30/09/2019 21:31

@guest2013 oh please give over, bet your sister and the rest of the DWP are all part of the problem.

Walkacrossthesand · 30/09/2019 21:33

Also, how does UC work in these days of zero hours contracts? If you pick up a few hours' work here & there, do you then have to wait weeks until they reinstate the payments - by which time you may have worked some more hours? And so on...

guest2013 · 30/09/2019 21:34

How so @SavageFenty? I'm genuinely interested to hear how you feel like she might be to blame?

Thereblegeopart · 30/09/2019 21:37

#reasonswhyIwontvoteTory

EmeraldShamrock · 30/09/2019 21:38

Yanbu. It is a disgraceful set up.
I saw a poster on a different thread UC was taking their student loan as income.
It is a scummy set up designed to push people off UC.
There is no consideration for the people who aren't skilled enough to get off UC.

miaCara · 30/09/2019 21:40

I work alongside UC case managers and work coaches. I too would love to know how these low waged working people are responsible for the laws and system of Universal credit.
You do know many of them are also receiving UC dont you? And have the same problems due to the system . Even when they work within the DWP they are not exempt from the rules.

chasegirl · 30/09/2019 21:40

Savagefenty I work on UC. Much as I would love to change the law I can't. We only administer the benefit in line with the laws and regulations set by the government.

Catcave unfortunately that is correct under UC tax rebates are included. Totally unfair. Also if you work full time you should not have to attend the jobcentre you should be classed as 'working enough'.

EmeraldShamrock · 30/09/2019 21:42

I don't think OP is calling the staff names she is calling the system names.
She is right it is horrendous.

PencilsInSpace · 30/09/2019 21:43

YANBU they are cunts.

Take a written statement with you of why the decision is wrong. Include the words Mandatory Reconsideration Request at the top. Include details of the dates you overpaid tax - 'This tax rebate is for work I did between xx and yy dates and not for work I did during this assessment period'. Include copies of all relevant letters from HMRC. Make sure they take copies of everything and get receipts.

There's possibly relevant case law going through at the moment - the courts have ruled that pay should be treated as income for the assessment period when you did the work, not when it arrived in your account. DWP are appealing this so it's all up in the air.

www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2019/23.html

Get proper advice from CAB or similar.

Original poster
CatCave · 30/09/2019 21:44

Emerald I would love to be off it. I physically can't work any more hours than I already do unless I wanted to hand my son over full time to someone else and work evenings/ nights. Even if I wanted to I couldn't bloody afford to!

My job is one that offers some career progression so I do hope to earn more in the future but it can't happen overnight.

I have worked all my life, since I was a young teen, I'm not a lazy person trying to get out of fending for myself.

If I had earned this money by working extra hours I would have expected my UC payment to be reduced and put some of my extra wage aside. I had no idea they would whip a tax refund off me when I've already paid the bloody tax!

OP posts:
guest2013 · 30/09/2019 21:44

@CatCave apologies, I get that you're frustrated with the system.

NewMe2019 · 30/09/2019 21:45

YANBU!

I'm currently taking this through my MP and I have had the complaints department put a note on my file due to their fucked up system.

My assessment period is 27th-26th. I'm starting a new job where my pay days are the last working Friday of the month. 4 months next year will mean I am paid twice in that assessment period which means my UC gets reduced by over £500 each time and only increased by £200 in the month I apparently earn nothing. New job can't change pay days. UC apparently can't change assessment dates. It's all a fucking joke. If they just looked at a monthly payslip and saw I earn the same each month, not sodding 'double' I (and many many others) wouldn't have this issue.