To think Universal Credit are a bunch of cunts

[StarbucksStraw]

I work full time but also claim Universal Credit.

They have awarded me £0 this month because two of my wages have fallen within one assessment period therefore to them, it looks like I have earned twice as much.

This happens several times a year because of how my wages are paid, each time I have to raise a dispute, they then "move" one lot of wages to a different assessment period and adjust my statement and pay me the outstanding amount. This is usually sorted within a few days but sometimes takes longer.

This time my payment is nearly three weeks overdue. I have no money left, all of my wages have been spent on rent, direct debits etc. Every time I ask them for an update I get fuck all.

How can they leave someone in this situation? They told me to ask the local authority for help but I've had no luck.

They already have the information from HMRC/ my employer showing when I was paid and how much. What the actual fuck do the expect people to do? I can't run my car to get to work on fresh air and I doubt my son wants to live off whatever stale shite is left in the cupboard for the next fuck knows how long.

I don't know what I'm hoping for from this post... anyone else had success in getting them to hurry up?

Or perhaps it is your employer who does not pay you a living wage and instead relies upon a subsidy from the social safety net to balance their books. An employer who must know about the assessment period issue and could easily adjust the pay schedule to prevent this situation, but instead keeps leaving their employees to deal with the problem.

When you call 'universal credit a bunch of cunts', who are you actually talking about?

I get paid earlier some months for example twice in December as we are on holiday ..it happens

This

What a vile heading . There are better ways to say things honestly.

It's the government who make the rules, the appropriate department who.implement them.

be angry, by all means, but be angry at those responsible.

Who do you work for?

Yes, I'm aware it happens. I'm left in this position several times a year, what's your point?

If their system can't cope with the fact that not everyone is paid on the same day each month, they need to come up with a better way of dealing with it that doesn't involve leaving people skint, vulenerable and powerless to do anything about it.

But if it happens several times a year then you can plan for it?

My point is the system they have takes it that you have earned this much double …you done have to come across as rude …it happens to me a couple of times a year for example twice in December so in January it makes up for itself…swings and roundabouts sweetie

Well exactly!

Is this because your normal pay day fell on a bank holiday, OP, and you got paid a few days early?

If so, it's not UC that are at fault, but your employer. Approx 4 years ago, HMRC issued guidance to employers telling to show the pay date as the usual date even in months when they are paid early, to stop this happening.

Afterthought: it was more than 4 years ago, because it was pre-covid.

Employers should not be allowed to pay a wage that people cannot live on. Tax payers money should not be used to bolster corporations' profits

Hope it gets sorted for you op. In Ireland so don’t understand the system but is it an employer thing? Can you ask them to change the way they pay you?

By doing what? Saving all the money I don't have left at the end of each month?

Telling them in advance for them to respond that they wont do anything until I'm already up shit creek?

It happens several times a year, I understand the system and can work out in advance when it'll happen but I can't save up enough to make up the short fall.

And yes, I'm aware that the real problem is crap wages, but that's not something that's going to change any time soon, so until it does, this is what people are left with to make up the shortfall.

The UC staff are correct, because of the way your wages are paid. You are fortunate to be able to claim benefits, on top of working, so why not just average out the money and keep some back to cover the times of shortfall? Or get a new job that pays better, so you won't have to claim UC at all.......

💯

I know someone who was paid 3 weeks late... so almost due the next payment. No change in circumstance so makes no sense!

I get it OP. They owed me around 7 months childcare payments because they kept changing what proof they wanted. I had to go on and on at them for sooo long, in the end I told them my mental health was affected and I had anxiety and it is on them and that I would be contacting the local MP for support. I'd try and get work to sort it sorry not read the full thread

How is a person supposed to average out their money if they don't have any spare each month?

As for getting a better paid job, I'm sure the op would do so if she could. It's a stupid suggestion.

When I’ve had difficulty before with them not getting back to me I’ve called them up and asked the person on the phone to escalate it to a case manager and they leave a note on your journal they will say something like ‘your case manager has until 6pm on the 18th of May to respond to your query’ something along those lines and I’ve always found that they have gotten back to me within 24/48 hours and reimbursed the money they owed.
hope that makes sense best of luck OP

Oh yes, people with very tight budgets have loads of spare cash to 'plan' for these issues.

Honestly.

I'm obviously not understanding the issue. I used to get paid every 4 weeks. So 13 pay days per year.
UC is paid 12x per year.
So once per year I earned double and didn't get as much UC. But my overall income was the same. I just had to remember it was happening and budget accordingly.

Admittedly it was much easier when I switched to monthly pay and knew exactly how much I'd get and which day.

Gosh Mumsnet is full of sympathetic people this evening

And those saying get a better job, do you realise just how many workers in this country rely on UC top ups to be able to afford to live?