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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this a reasonable complaint? Universal credit shit show related

26 replies

Waxxy · 07/12/2022 13:40

I was meant to get my universal credit payment on the 15th November, so just over 3 weeks ago now. I submitted my childcare and housing expenses on time (7th November) but made a mistake so put (as an example) £950.67 instead of £950.76 so it didn't match the invoice/bank statement.

They messaged on 10th to say it had been rejected, which was fair enough. I didn't see this until the 13th but redeclared straight away on 13th November. I then sent a journal update on the 14th to ask if someone could update the payment. On 14th November I had a message saying they had verified the payment, however I was only being awarded around £100 as opposed to the £600 I was due.

I sent another journal update on 14th asking for this to be looked at, then another on the 16th to chase. I then sent another message on the 21st as they still hadn't looked at it. I then phoned on the 23rd as they still hadn't looked at it and the person on the phone put a note on saying my cade manager has to respond by 6pm on 24th. I phoned again on 30th November as still hadn't heard from anyone.

They put another message on saying someone would contact me on 1st December, which they did via the journal. They then asked me re declare the childcare cost again. I put a message on the journal stating I had already done this on the 13th, but still re declared the cost anyway as I needed the payment.

I then left a further message on 3rd December and 6th December, and still haven't heard anything. I'm owed £500. I know I made a mistake initially but I am close to tears in my overdraft and just want someone to sort this for me. AIBU or do I need to just suck it up? I can't even work out anymore if I'm expecting too much from them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 13:42

Waxxy · 07/12/2022 13:40

I was meant to get my universal credit payment on the 15th November, so just over 3 weeks ago now. I submitted my childcare and housing expenses on time (7th November) but made a mistake so put (as an example) £950.67 instead of £950.76 so it didn't match the invoice/bank statement.

They messaged on 10th to say it had been rejected, which was fair enough. I didn't see this until the 13th but redeclared straight away on 13th November. I then sent a journal update on the 14th to ask if someone could update the payment. On 14th November I had a message saying they had verified the payment, however I was only being awarded around £100 as opposed to the £600 I was due.

I sent another journal update on 14th asking for this to be looked at, then another on the 16th to chase. I then sent another message on the 21st as they still hadn't looked at it. I then phoned on the 23rd as they still hadn't looked at it and the person on the phone put a note on saying my cade manager has to respond by 6pm on 24th. I phoned again on 30th November as still hadn't heard from anyone.

They put another message on saying someone would contact me on 1st December, which they did via the journal. They then asked me re declare the childcare cost again. I put a message on the journal stating I had already done this on the 13th, but still re declared the cost anyway as I needed the payment.

I then left a further message on 3rd December and 6th December, and still haven't heard anything. I'm owed £500. I know I made a mistake initially but I am close to tears in my overdraft and just want someone to sort this for me. AIBU or do I need to just suck it up? I can't even work out anymore if I'm expecting too much from them.

*childcare expenses not housing expenses. Housing expenses were all fine.

OP posts:
Mischance · 07/12/2022 13:43

If you have a Citizens Advice Bureau near you, then contact them with all the paperwork. Good luck.

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 13:45

Mischance · 07/12/2022 13:43

If you have a Citizens Advice Bureau near you, then contact them with all the paperwork. Good luck.

Thanks. Will do that now but suspect they will tell me to make a complaint to DWP which I have already done.

OP posts:
Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 13:57

On hold to CAB now. I'm just kicking myself for getting those digits wrong and am so stressed re my overdraft charges.

OP posts:
Ihatethenewlook · 07/12/2022 14:05

I’m sorry to stress you out more op but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. I’m still owed £700 from when I made a claim 3 years ago when my oh left. I’d never done it before, and my work coach (or whatever they’re called) didn’t explain during our first meeting when I put the claim in that I had to to go onto my online journal and click a button that says ‘I accept my commitments’. She just said it’s all done, you’ll get your first payment in approx 6 weeks. After 6 weeks I found out my claim had been withdrawn. I know the circumstances are a bit different to yours, but everyone I spoke to online, over the phone and in the office said that shouldn’t have been enough to cancel the claim and I’d be reimbursed, but I never was. I went around in circles for 2 months until I gave up :/

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:16

Ihatethenewlook · 07/12/2022 14:05

I’m sorry to stress you out more op but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. I’m still owed £700 from when I made a claim 3 years ago when my oh left. I’d never done it before, and my work coach (or whatever they’re called) didn’t explain during our first meeting when I put the claim in that I had to to go onto my online journal and click a button that says ‘I accept my commitments’. She just said it’s all done, you’ll get your first payment in approx 6 weeks. After 6 weeks I found out my claim had been withdrawn. I know the circumstances are a bit different to yours, but everyone I spoke to online, over the phone and in the office said that shouldn’t have been enough to cancel the claim and I’d be reimbursed, but I never was. I went around in circles for 2 months until I gave up :/

Gosh, did you re claim?

OP posts:
Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:22

Been on hold to CAB for 36 mins and counting...

OP posts:
urbanbuddha · 07/12/2022 14:22

Agree with pp - you should contact Citizens Advice asap for help with an appeal. Also Turn2Us should be able to help.

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:24

I'm not going mad am I in thinking this isn't just me being demanding?

OP posts:
urbanbuddha · 07/12/2022 14:27

You’re not going mad. You’re dealing with a “computer says no” situation. Stay calm and polite and get help to get through the system.

barneshome · 07/12/2022 14:29

Problem is I am sure most of these folk work from home so are no fully on it
It is also coming up to xmas so attention will be diverted
It is also a time of people taking holidays

Ihatethenewlook · 07/12/2022 14:29

Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:16

Gosh, did you re claim?

Show quote history

Yes that’s pretty much what I had to do. The only thing that saved me was that because I reclaimed they allowed me a second advance. Obviously it was double the money I had to pay them back then but at least I got the rent paid. I even had to push for that at first though as the first person I asked said it wasn’t possible, it doesn’t work that way. But the second person I spoke to said it was fine and had the money in my account a few hours later?
The whole system is screwed. They were only giving me half the rent I was entitled to as well as my ex was still on the tenancy and there was no way of me getting him off without me losing my house. Despite the landlord/housing agency and job centre staff aware that he’d actually left the country (so clearly wasn’t living with me), I was only entitled to half the rent because I couldn’t get his name off a bit of paper.

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:32

urbanbuddha · 07/12/2022 14:27

You’re not going mad. You’re dealing with a “computer says no” situation. Stay calm and polite and get help to get through the system.

Always always polite.

OP posts:
Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 14:42

56 mins on hold to CAB. Going to give up at an hour.

OP posts:
TiAmoTiAmo · 07/12/2022 15:13

What would CAB do but say make a complaint? You're wasting your time contacting them. You're able to make a complaint yourself, you don't need them to hand hold you and type it up for you.

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 15:22

TiAmoTiAmo · 07/12/2022 15:13

What would CAB do but say make a complaint? You're wasting your time contacting them. You're able to make a complaint yourself, you don't need them to hand hold you and type it up for you.

Obviously not because I've already sent a complaint. CAB can apparently help me learn my rights around asking them to compensate me for overdraft charges or similar hardship and how to do this, and can advise on the best ways to escalate quicker, who to contact etc. No need for snippy remark.

OP posts:
urbanbuddha · 07/12/2022 15:23

Try the online CAB service -
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/helptoclaim/

Grunch · 07/12/2022 15:50

How much of the childcare fell in your assessment period? If you pay from 1st of the month to last day of the month for childcare, but your claim assessment period is out of sync with that then there could only be £100 in the assessment period and you will get the rest next month. I fell sorry for the same issue with childcare, and when the childcare ended I got the money I had needed at the beginning, because it's paid in arrears and only for the percentage of the childcare that was in the assessment period, where as childcare is usually paid in advance and for a specific period which won't be the same as the Ic one

CoffeeLover90 · 07/12/2022 15:58

makeacomplaint.dwp.gov.uk/

CoffeeLover90 · 07/12/2022 16:00

CoffeeLover90 · 07/12/2022 15:58

Apologies if this is what you have already done. I'd had an issue with them for months and noting my journal expressing my wish to complain done nothing. I filled in this form and it was dealt with within a week. I was due an underpayment of over £700

Original poster
Waxxy · 07/12/2022 16:04

Grunch · 07/12/2022 15:50

How much of the childcare fell in your assessment period? If you pay from 1st of the month to last day of the month for childcare, but your claim assessment period is out of sync with that then there could only be £100 in the assessment period and you will get the rest next month. I fell sorry for the same issue with childcare, and when the childcare ended I got the money I had needed at the beginning, because it's paid in arrears and only for the percentage of the childcare that was in the assessment period, where as childcare is usually paid in advance and for a specific period which won't be the same as the Ic one

I've always get an underpayment for the small bit that falls without the assessment period and have accounted for that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Waxxy · 08/12/2022 14:05

They've just updated my journal to say they will complete it by the 15th December!!! I am so angry. Why can't they just pay me my fecking money!!!

OP posts:
ILOVECHEESE79 · 08/12/2022 14:07

Why have you not telephoned them?!

Original poster
Waxxy · 08/12/2022 14:24

ILOVECHEESE79 · 08/12/2022 14:07

Why have you not telephoned them?!

If you read my OP you'd see that I have telephoned them on more than one occasion. All the people on the phones can do is add messages on your journal.

OP posts:
MrNook · 08/12/2022 14:50

Always get told a case manager will ring/contact within 48 hours and never hear from them and never got responses in my journal either.

Have you made an official complaint (not on your journal but through the make a complaint website?) that sped things up for me as a complaints manager rang me and sorted it all out I think it took a week or two though