UC not sure what to do

[MairSS]

My husband and I applied for UC. We are both self employed and our earnings are up and down from one month to the next.
We completed all the relevant information but then were told being self employed we would have to complete this information on a regular basis (I think it was monthly).

We then both decided it was not worth the amount of time and effort and withdrew the claim. It’s all online.

we then both received text messages telling us to attend the local job centre for our UC ‘interview’. We both went back into our account and cancelled the appointments.

We then received a further text to say our appointment had been rescheduled. Again we logged in to cancel.

The third time we received text messages about another rescheduled appointment we ignored it.

on checking our bank statement we have received 3 payments of UC. Each one £500 - £600.

we are unable to communicate with a person and have tried communicating online through our UC accounts and email.

We keep getting payments. I realise at some point someone will realise the error and we will need to pay the money back.

my husband thinks it’s highly amusing at how incompetent this system and thinks we should not worry about it, whilst I find it frustrating that I now have to keep an eye on funds that keep appearing in our account aren’t really ours.

Anybody else been in this ridiculous situation? There’s probably plenty of people who really need the money and aren’t receiving payments.

For a grand a month maybe it is worth the time and effort?

Call them and explain?

Just go to the appointment and discuss it? I can’t believe you don’t think reporting your monthly expenses is worth 600 though! It takes me about 20 mins a month and helps me keep my books in order instead of being a disorganised mess and leaving it all until tax return time

Ask thru your journal thru your online account, I have always found them very quick and helpful this way. Did you formally close your claim? If you didn’t then they will still pay you, you need to report a change or cancel the claim

But I don’t think we would / should be awarded anything, I can’t remember the threshold but we're not exactly on the breadline which is presumably what this help is for?

I'll have it if you don't want it. 👍

I just can’t believe . Clearly the system needs reforming as they are just throwing money at people ! Thank goodness recently there have been so many threads started on here to alert us taxpayers …..!🤔

You can’t “not worry about it”. They will want you to pay it ALL back as soon as they realise.

If you aren't on the breadline and don't feel you need it why did you bother applying for it?

Don’t spend the money.
Contact them through the online journal.
Attend the next interview if they arrange one.

If they stop paying someone because they don’t attend interviews or keep their records up to date the DWP is panned for being too hasty and not understanding that people need money to eat, heat etc. Now we are criticising them for going on paying people!
This does seem inefficient but you did make a claim so presumably thought you might be entitled?
If you can’t get this sorted soon CAB might be able to help.

Then why did you apply?

Do you have children?

If you think you shouldn’t have received this payment you need to query it and obviously not spend it or you’ll have to pay it back.

Go to the next appointment they send you. Then you will be able to speak to a person.

Call them and ask them to escalate it to a case manager and tell them you’ve been paid incorrectly that’s what I had to do when I realised my husband's payslip hadn’t registered on my statement.

The threshold for UC is much higher than most people realise, and of course multiple factors play into how much is awarded. You certainly don’t have to be on the bread line. Salaries are low in this country, we have a system where government assistance is required for large numbers of people but they call it capitalism. If you’re being given money I’d assume you’re entitled to it, and if you’re getting £1000+ a month between you, your income is probably lower relatively to others than you think

Unless you’ve got kids with childcare costs or are renting I’m not sure two adults would be entitled to 1k a month UC?

Former UC adviser here. Am I right in saying you haven’t attended your first appointment which is known as your identity and commitments meeting? As normally you don’t get a payment until this has been completed so it’s very strange that you have managed to get a payment. Do you have any payment statements on your account? Like others have said leave a message on your journal or you can call the UC helpline, keep the money aside as if you have been paid in error (even if it’s UCs fault) you WILL have to pay it back. If they have paid correctly and all is well then you can keep the claim going.