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 know that’s why I said those who ‘choose’. I was on UC because I didn’t earn enough with my job, I hated being on it because I felt they owned me.

No these posts we normally just jump to support people sick of universal credit. It in I see this thread is for people who think even having to do some admin to get the free money is too much effort.

I’m sure the DWP could be better, but running down a free money service is laughable. Maybe if so many didn’t rely on UC payments, there would be more appointments and greater flexibility for those who need the services.

Maybe some people on here can suggest ways to be in 2 places at once.

I would close the claim if I could. I have no problem with the appointments when they're needed. This was a work search appointment when I already have a suitable job. A job I've had for just over 10 years.

The lady discussed looking for work etc but told me that she just has to say this. My video appointment is 3 days before the earnings will be reported to UC which she laughed at as she knew it was also ridiculous.

The 'free money'? You are supposed to wait until you've at least posted 4 or 5 incoherent rambles before you drop free money in. You peaked too soon

It’s a pointless waste of resources though. For the work coach and the claimant.

It’s a shit show. I just like to write back really friendly and oblivious replies in my journal and let them think I’m a thick as they assume.

It’s not running them down. I used to think the same as you until I found myself unexpectedly on it.
They set people up to fail. It sounds ludicrous but it’s absolutely true.

'Free money'. 🙄 You clearly have no idea how the benefits system works.

It's a case of UC staff having to justify their existence by creating unnecessary admin. My friend told them she'd inherited a sum of money which would take her over the UC threshold, so she wanted to close her claim immediately.

They insisted via her journal, that she attend an appointment to discuss how a large sum of money would affect her UC and whether she would be able to continue the claim - it was quite obvious she couldn't. She politely declined and said just close the claim, which they did eventually without a word of apology.

Do you get a little thrill when you sit there bashing away at your keyboard, talking about "free money services"? Does it make you feel a bit rebellious?

Maybe…just maybe if wages had kept up with the cost of living people wouldn’t need to claim UC.

Pretty telling that a lot of UC claimants are in full time work!

No, but just like NHS bashing posts, the answer is too few being net contributors to the tax system, meaning public services (like the DWP) are run down and under-resourced. The debate is utterly kafkaesque.

Oh goody, another thread which attracts the benefit bashers.

YANBU op, I get a UC top up every month and I've never had any issues but I'm a member of some UC groups on Facebook and really feel for some of the posters, who in some cases have been left with zero money for weeks on end. The reasons are "your children haven't been verified yet", their employer has reported a salary of £80k for that month instead of £800, or some other admin issue which means their payments are held up. One woman was forced to make a long journey to her nearest job centre to provide paperwork a week after a c section. Another poster was overpaid significantly (no fault of their own) and struggles to pay it back. The amount of people who are marked as "not attending" for a telephone call that they never received, and sanctioned as a result. A lot of the time admin errors and issues aren't picked up until just before the UC is due to be paid, leaving very little time to rectify the situation and then the earliest appointment they are given to fix it isn't for another 3 weeks.

Some of these people CANNOT work because they are disabled, caring for a partner with terminal cancer, have a disabled child etc etc. it is simply not the case that they are sitting with their feet up trying to milk the system for all the money they can get. They are just trying to survive and feed their families.

But sure, carry on moaning about people needing their "free money". 🙄

No need.

I‘m already paying for your bills.

Why would they need to apologise?

In certain circumstances, capital can be disregarded so they were probably just following procedures to and sure that wouldn’t apply.

Your friend declined, they closed the claim- what’s the problem?

People can be awful. I never claimed until a year ago. I went from living in a 6 figure household to being left with two children and absolutely zero help from their dad.

I nearly break myself every week trying to work around school, swimming, the constant illnesses. Without the universal credit top up we literally couldn’t afford to live. I didn’t expect this to be my life but my gosh the way people stereotype. So many circumstances leave people requiring support. Some people’s ignorance is vile.

I would never make judgements on anyone and their wealth. I have friends from all backgrounds (council houses to living in several million pound homes) and I do not think any of them better than others based on their income.

And yes universal credit can be utterly ridiculous. I get video calls as I live an hour from the nearest office but they call me whilst I’m at work to ask how work is going?! The whole thing is a massive tick boxing exercise. Surely if my income is consistent (which it is) there is not much else to say!

Update to this, I got a message today. They have increased my payment but BUT despite being awarded disabled child element last month, my payment is still less than it private was as they have just removed my LCWRA and added back on my transitional protection, which has been eroded by my child’s disabled child element and at no point have they thought logically with their brain. It’s absolutely and totally AWFUL and now I’ve got to do a mandatory reconsideration as nobody is listening to me. Why would they just remove the LCWRA and adjust the tp without costing recent charges that may have occurred? It’s nonsensical.

For not reading the detail of the journal entry that stated the large sum of money, which really would not have not been disregarded! And for time wasting!

Doubt it. You do pay for me to sit on my arse whilst my toddler is at nursery. Cheers. 👍🍸

It's the same here. I've worked properly since leaving school and through uni. I had a weelend job at 16. I'm 43 now. Never claimed anything. I reduced my hours because i had no choice. I had no idea I would end up as a single parent with no help from her dad and no close family available to help with anything.