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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Left in the lurch by Universal Credit

40 replies

SuchAnEmotionalMess · 19/02/2023 11:40

Just venting here. Name changed, too. It reflects how I feel right now.
Today I should have had my UC payment. It’s not here. No messages from UC. I’ve done everything the same: reported my income on time.
The only difference is I started an OU course which I’m not eligible for any maintenance loan from, just the tuition fee loan which is paid straight to the OU. It’s not been processed (6 weeks in) yet so I have no information to pass on to UC. I’ve kept them informed, had confirmation UC will not be affected, everything sounded OK. No one has ever said “oh, by the way, your payments will stop” And now…no payment. Bills due. Wages are two weeks away. I wish I had never applied to further my education and life chances. This is a disaster. I have nobody to beg from. I can’t speak to anyone from SFE or UC because they don’t work Sundays. So for the next 12 hours I’m a sobbing mess. This is such a first world problem and I feel rubbish for not coping but it’s just ONE MORE THING. I can’t cope with this as well. I’m going to have to quit my course if this is going to happen every loan renewal. The stress is unbelievable. All I wanted to do was be able to be a better mum for my girl, for her to be proud of me, for her to see that education is a path to better things for us. And now I’m crying cos I can’t pay my bills. I work hard, I manage to get by. But this pain of stress is hurting so bad right now.
AIBU on myself?

OP posts:
Fixed · 19/02/2023 11:44

Do you get payments on a Sunday?

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 19/02/2023 11:47

Payments aren’t made at the weekend or bank holidays - check tomorrow before you start ranting

Fixed · 19/02/2023 11:47

Their website says you don't get paid on a weekend, it should have been the working day before. So was it due Friday? That's a shame if it was as you could have called them on Friday.

popcornfrenzy · 19/02/2023 11:48

Have you logged into your UC account and had a look at your statement? Mine always gets paid on the Friday if due on a weekend/bank holiday.

cocksstrideintheevening · 19/02/2023 11:49

It's Sunday

Holaaa · 19/02/2023 11:51

It is Sunday but if your payment date falls on the weekend then it will usually arrive on the Friday. Log on to your account and look at your statement under payments and it should tell you if you are due a payment this month

OriginalUsername2 · 19/02/2023 11:51

Hopefully you’ve just got your days wrong? It’s Sunday.

Original poster
SuchAnEmotionalMess · 19/02/2023 11:51

I didn’t know weekend payments were made the working day before 😥

I’ll call them both tomorrow and find out what is going on.

Rant/vent. Sometimes it’s just so hard keeping everything together and putting on a brave face to the world, isn’t it.

OP posts:
StopStartStop · 19/02/2023 11:55

Keep going. It's bloody hard but you'll make it. I got through university, teacher training and twenty-one hellish years of teaching to support my dd and show it could be done. You'll do it.

yestheyhavethesamedad · 19/02/2023 11:56

Strange question , but are u paid monthly or 4 weekly , i was switched from tax credit to universal credit , and because i get paid 4 weekly there is a month i get no universal credit , they dont tell u this when put onto it and only realised when i didnt receive one month and ended up a month in arrears for rent

Holaaa · 19/02/2023 11:57

@SuchAnEmotionalMess Hopefully it is just a mistake on their end and you will get your missing payment. I had to appeal once as my housing element was missed out of my payment and they quickly sent me a letter to say they had made a mistake and that it would be paid shortly.

if you can access your account it should definitely tell you on there if you’re due a payment and when. There should be a break down of the payment you receive as well as any reductions(if there is any). Hope you manage to get it sorted, it must be worrying for you

Fixed · 19/02/2023 11:57

Have you logged on to your account to see when your next payment is showing?

yestheyhavethesamedad · 19/02/2023 11:57

Oh and if u log into your uc account it should tell u what your payment will be , mine the month i received nothing said zero

Rooroobear · 19/02/2023 11:59

Have you not been able to check your statement….it should be available a few days before your payment. It also depends what bank your with….mine was due in on a Monday and I received it the Saturday before

Willyoujustbequiet · 19/02/2023 12:05

No one gets a payment on a Sunday.

Original poster
SuchAnEmotionalMess · 19/02/2023 12:09

My statement has nothing recorded for February, not even a nil payment. It’s like it’s on hold. I wish I’d known. I’ve spent months checking info, weighing things up, confirming info with UC, before making the final decision to go ahead and basing that on the “all ok our end” from UC.
It’s helping to hear other people have made it through this patch. Thank you for your kindness and gentle prompts to pull myself together and work it through 🙂

OP posts:
Holaaa · 19/02/2023 12:17

I’ve just had a quick look online and the shelter website says that universal credit payments may be stopped for the time being while the DWP looks into a change in your situation but it seems strange that they would do this without telling you. Hopefully you will be able to resolve it with them tomorrow

radiatorflush · 19/02/2023 12:24

I didn't think any benefits got paid on a Sunday?

radiatorflush · 19/02/2023 12:25

Tax credits used to show in my account on a Saturday but that was a thing to do with my bank, and the way stopped doing that but informed account holders before hand?

That was NatWest years ago.

TheWitchersWife · 19/02/2023 12:31

What date does your assessment period end?
It doesn't help you now, but they specifically put a statement on your account about 3 to 5 days before you are paid so that if there are any errors you have a few days to try and sort it out with them.
If your statement normally shows on say the 14th of every month, and it was zeroed down or wasn't showing up at all, that is when you should have phoned them.
And yes, any payments due on a weekend or bank holiday are paid on the closest working day before the payment date.

radiatorflush · 19/02/2023 12:33

When does your ou term start?

Icanbetherubberband · 19/02/2023 12:38

They are terrible for doing this to people, hopefully you can get it sorted on Monday and get an immediate payment, it's happened to me a couple of times and always resolved once I spoke to a real person. There is a problem in the computer system with stuff like this. They also don't seem to understand that OU there is no maintenance grant so doesn't effect your income in any way. Hopefully it will be sorted for you on Monday.

Littleroundsponge · 19/02/2023 12:41

Is your statement showing for this months payment? No statement usually means no payment. Hopefully it's just an error on their part and they'll resolve it quickly tomorrow!

Babyroobs · 19/02/2023 12:42

Your statement is usually there to view a couple of days after the end of your assessment period and up to a week before your expected pay date. Are you sure there is nothing outstanding in your ' to do' list that would block payment?

Babyroobs · 19/02/2023 12:44

SuchAnEmotionalMess · 19/02/2023 12:09

My statement has nothing recorded for February, not even a nil payment. It’s like it’s on hold. I wish I’d known. I’ve spent months checking info, weighing things up, confirming info with UC, before making the final decision to go ahead and basing that on the “all ok our end” from UC.
It’s helping to hear other people have made it through this patch. Thank you for your kindness and gentle prompts to pull myself together and work it through 🙂

Ring them tomorrow. It will get sorted.

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