To be absolutely fking sick of Universal Credit

[scorpiogirly]

Posted a few days ago regarding being called in for an appointment after work messed my wages up.

Went through all pay slips and could see the mistake, also could then see the basic pay per month which is over the AET. This is after increasing my hours.

So I messaged the work coach and explained what happened and that going forward my pay would be over the AET and asked if I still needed to attend the meeting which is today.

I was told yes as it was under last month. And we can discuss this apparently when I go in. Discuss what? Possible reasons work made the mistake? This is a work search appointment. For which there will be nothing to discuss or put in place as I will be over the AET.

But no, let's still waste my time, their time and also taxpayers money.

I just hate it. The way they make you jump through hoops in order to get the help you're entitled to.

Just a rant really. Does anyone hate UC as much as me?

I can only conclude that the 29% voting YABU either work for the DWP or actually get their kicks from being treated like utter shit for asking for their entitlement. And before anyone starts, it is an entitlement because UC is founded on a system that encourages employers to depress wages so that labour is devalued and many workers and carers can't afford to participate in the economy without 'handouts'.

Oh, and there's a third option - that ever-increasing number of I'm-alright-Jack, BTL-commenting sadists who take great pleasure in punching down on those worse off than them 🙄

My last work coach was great. Very under etc whilst waiting weeks and weeks for my request for extra hours to go through at work. Here's hoping I can get my side hustle up to enough to bloody close it. Do then then close it immediately when you request this? Do they ask for a reason etc?

I've always worked full time and as a single parent paying childcare I used to get tax credits. Then was migrated over to universal credits. I hate universal credits as you pay for your childcare costs then have to send 2 loads of evidence that it's been paid and then they pay it back the next month. Also since I have migrated they ring me every 2 months for a catch up. They try to make appointments when I'm working. I had to go into the job centre last week for another catch up. She asked me my working hours, they havnt changed, told me if anything changes to let them know on my journal and she booked another appointment for March for a catch up. I earn above the AET for a 2 adult family never mind as a single parent. I just get help with my childcare costs as they are high. Tax credits never annoyed you just contacted you once a year. Rant over lol

I'm not sure what my work coach actually does.
I was moved to UC as they have now stopped child tax credits. When we were receiving the latter, our work/life situation was fine, but now, I am obliged to be job-seeking (I'm setting up a self-employed tutoring business but haven't yet had anyone to tutor).
I asked at my last appointment whether said work coach could help me by referring to to any sort of template 'letter of interest' or cover letter I could use as a starting point. Work coach said, "We don't do that, no. Sorry."

I have no idea what coaching they are doing. They haven't suggested any jobs other than teacher (I don't have a teaching qualification), haven't suggested any ways to modernise my CV or done any sort of review of my skillset to see if there are other roles I could be considering.

I believe that under the latest revision of hoops to jump through, that we won't qualify any longer anyway. But my gripe is that we were receiving a small amount which was used for our child. They've now changed the "rules" under which that amount may be received and we are going to be penalised for that.

Haha! I didn't even see the results as I didn't vote on my own poll, didn't even realise there was one there 😊

How is going to a work search appointment to look for work reasonable when I already have a job over the AET? Jusy due to an error made my HR for some reason one month. Maybe someone can tell me?

What the hell? I'd query this and bloody complain I think. If you're working full time and earning well over AET, you should be left alone. I was, all I had to do once a year was go onto my account and accept my commitments by clicking a button and that was it.

That is ridiculous.

I migrated from tax credits to Universal credits last year. As Im a carer I dont have work commitments or an AET, I am self employed but again, as a carer I just report the earnings and expenses each month - but as they say Im not Gainfully Employed (due to being a carer) I dont have a minimum income floor or a start up period.

During the month I migrated I was awarded a grant around the work I do - this was to cover expenses related to a project, and to pay me for about 60 days of work over the following 10 months. I made sure, because I was aware of how they work on a monthly cash basis, that all the expenses were pre-bought during that first month, and because I was aware of how Carers allowance have a maximim earning per week, I spoke to them and sent them all the details - and they were happy that the conditions of the grant would keep me under their limit for the period of the project.

That first month I obviously had a high 'earning' even though it was all my wages upfront for the next 10 months, once the expenses had been taken out. I think I ended up with about £20 UC for the month, so had to cover my full rent and council tax from this amount.

The following month I had a loss - obviously, because Id had all the pay, and there was a bit of travel I needed to do. The next couple of months I made a small profit.

Month 4 they removed my transitional protection. This is a top up they give, as they say nobody will be worse off on UC than they were on tax credits. It remains static, until UC ncreases to that level, or you have a change in circumstances. For me it was £300 a month. They said Id failed to reach the earnings in my work commitment, and yet I had no earning limit, or hour requirement. Then they said its because they take the first months earnings as your base, and if you fail to reach that same level for following 3 months, you lose your TP. Then they said that it was because I made a loss.

I did explain that it wasnt 'earnings' that I was a carer and had no commitments. They acknowledged that I want told this in the migration letter. The really galling part is that the grant arrived 4 days before the end of the 1st month, and if I had been aware I could have held back requesting it for a week, and it would have gone into month 2 and I would still have kept the transitional protection. Fortunately I am due a change in circumstances this year as my son will be going to Uni in sept, so was always going to lose that protection payment anyway, but basically I will lose £3000 from my household income due to information I wasnt given, and wasnt aware of. It sometimes feels like they are trying to trip you up.

The appointments are 2 minute appointments checking to see my hours, ask how much I have in savings (way under the 6k limit) and anything you think we need to know. They can see how much I earn and it's always above the AET never been under. Waste of my time and their time. I even said to her tax credits never bothered you. Your ringing me every 2 months asking the same questions.

I think the online method of closing your claim asks for a reason (I seem to remember there were a few options to choose from rather than a free text box) but you don't need to give one. They're not going to argue with you about it. I'm not sure how quickly they close the claim, it might depend on your reason (ironically, considering what I wrote above!). So if you told them that you were starting a job in two months on a salary of £100,000, I don't think they would stop your claim until you actually started earning over the threshold (unless you asked them to).

I think I stopped my claim after one payment had been made but before the start of the next month, so they simply never paid me anything again (which was correct).

UC are a nightmare.
If they spent as much time helping those who aren’t in employment find suitable jobs as they do harassing those who do work over the sake of 38p a month then people would think differently about them.
I know couples who have broken up because of the pressure of the UC involvement and it’s been easier for the other parent to just leave.
Terribly sad.

I have been asked to attend a meeting before. They wanted to meet on my work day. I asked if they wanted me to take unpaid leave to attend, and they said no. I then gave them my working hours, and which areas I was working in. I asked I asked them to arrange an app around this. They then declined to call me in for a meeting. I was earning over the AET.

@NettleTea that is absolutely shocking. They really don't care. They care how people are struggling and trying to better themselves. People get away with not working for years, no disability and they still manage to get it, somehow.

@GiuliaTofana 38p? Is that 38p below the AET?

I'm self employed, I have to do my accounts for them every month on the specific day of the month. I can't do it early because they want that day's accounts too. So accounts up to the 4th submitted on the 4th.

I get left alone, I have a disability and two jobs, but it's super stressful.

Yup I have to do this too, on the 25th of the month. So in December I had to do it on bloody Christmas day!

typical government. I had a job which started the following month after I graduated. I was still expected to go to jobseeker meetings ect as I ‘might find something sooner’. This was a permanent, full time job, highly paid. Even if I found another job I would have only been available until it started and why would anyone want to give someone a job that is leaving in 3 weeks. Have never claimed anything since.

It's insane, isn't it? The only explanation is that they're trying to be awkward.

Im sure the majority of individuals working as job coaches are probably fine, but the system is not fit for purpose, and has no flexibility within it for managers to override things that flag up or are ridiculous due to individual circumstances. That is why they have moved all the easy cases over first, and why the most complicated, such as self employed, on carers or with disabilities or disabled children, were the last to be moved.
And as we are the last cohort, it seems we are flagging up all the issues in the system, and unfortunately paying for it.
Im just trying to work out whether I can be bothered to take it further to get things overturned. I think if it had been a few years ago and I was less exhausted, and that the impact of a £300 a month loss would have been ongoing for years, I would have done. But for only 10 months Im a bit wearied by the whole thing and just want to get on with my reduced life. £300 a month may not sound alot to those working, but its quite a big percentage when you are reliant on benefits due to lifelong and unpredictable caring responsibilities.
Plus I dont want to piss them off because you just never know. Ive always been good and reported everything, and kept meticulous records, but having been the victim of an unsubstantiated report and investigation in the past, I just want to keep my head down and get on with compliance. which is really sad tbh

Sorry - not on your topic OP but I absolutely hate posts like this declaring what mumsnet users will do 🙄

Phone and try to speak to someone else, explain you can't go due to work. Seems like someone's just not very bright so hopefully if you explain to a different person they'll cancel it as its clearly not necessary

I a working full time (self employed) with a post fractured foot. Simply isn't worth trying to go on the sick....

It just doesn't fit the self employed model, for instance if you are over the 1,500 threashold then one month expenses dip below that as they do sometimes with self employment you immediately need to look for work, sign on etc. even if your business is profitable, it is only looked at month to month, not year on year profits, so it must be very expensive to run as a system as well and you can't have a big expense one month or you are 'not allowed' to be self employed anymore.

@BunnyLake most people don't choose UC over earning, it's a top up because their salary is insufficient

Mine has started a new job which gets paid on the end of the month instead of the 28th. This meant it looked like he hadn't had a wage so he was given an appointment. Luckily they have cancelled it after he sent a message saying he wouldn't be able to attend as he would be at work.

I think it is a total lottery on what work coach you get!