Page 9 | To be absolutely fking sick of Universal Credit

scorpiogirly · 2025-02-07T09:26:26+00:00

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?

TheOnionEyes · 08/02/2025 20:21

Bryonyberries · 07/02/2025 22:55

Not financial net contributors but we are all labour contributors. Without those in low income jobs doing very necessary roles in society there wouldn't be a society. It isn't the workers fault that their role isn't valued highly enough that they aren't paid enough to live on without help from UC.

Covid showed that many of the most vital roles are also low paid roles. The people who care for others be that children or the elderly are paid far less than their role deserves. They are definitely contributors in every other way for society. Nursery workers allow everyone else to work, elderly carers allow their families to work. Without people in roles such as these there would be a very different dynamic.

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Beautifully stated 👏🏻

thisfilmisboring123 · 08/02/2025 20:25

Lollipop81 · 08/02/2025 20:12

Why do you have to see a work coach when you have a job? I work 21 hours a week, claim UC for wraparound fees, I don’t have to attend appointments.

At 21 hours a week, even if you’re on NMW you’re earning enough as it puts you over the earnings threshold.
If yours is a single claim and you’re earning over £892 per AP, you won’t be called for apts

TheOnionEyes · 08/02/2025 20:26

Lollipop81 · 08/02/2025 20:14

You don’t immediately qualify if you are on UC. You need to earn less than a certain amount, and it is low, I can’t remember off the top of my head.

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Yes, that is correct! I am not sure of how much that is either. However, everyone should check and not just assume that they are not entitled to it. They would love people to pay for what they should freely be entitled to.

Original poster

scorpiogirly · 08/02/2025 20:29

CatComments · 08/02/2025 20:03

I hope your side hustle isn't some sort of MLM is it? That's usually doomed to get you deeper in problems rather than helping you out. If it isn't an MLM then good luck with it, and I hope it helps you!

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No, thanks for the concerned though. Heard some horror stories about those.

It's a business I've sort or resurrected from years ago. Basically selling printed goods like cards and invitations. At one point years ago it was making a fair amount. Have also branched out into other items.

OP posts:

Mumto42005 · 08/02/2025 20:31

DrCoconut · 07/02/2025 10:30

Another thing with it is that it's less money than tax credits but you lose free prescriptions and dentist when you're moved over. How does having a reduced income make these more affordable? I'm skimping on dental work that I need due to long term issues because I can't justify the cost.

I've just moved over from TC to UC as I had a migration letter, and I think it's wrong that we now lose dental and prescription help. Working doesn't mean that it costs less and I was entitled to help on TC. Doesn't make sense!

JohnofWessex · 08/02/2025 20:32

To paraphrase a well known saying, 'Who then is they benefits scrounger'

Might we start with employers and landlords/landowners?

Moving on, surely the role of job centres should be to help people move nogt only into employment but better paid employment so if you run a business relying on minimum wage zero hours contracts you will find that the Job centre wont make people apply for your jobs.

I remember talking to JC staff about 30 years ago, and it chimes with what people on the other side of the counter said, they were looking to send quality applicants to employers because if they didnt then they would never get jobs advertised through them again. Not this performative cruelty of forcing people to apply for totally unsuitable jobs and P*g everybody off

TempNameUC · 08/02/2025 20:33

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You're not making perfect sense but I think I see what you're getting at and as far as I know companies are not going bankrupt due to staffing costs.

If the government wants to subsidise companies they should do it direct to the companies rather then vilifying those on low wages.

We currently are at almost full employment, all this shit about getting people into work is just to satisfy the arseholes who vote based on who they are encouraged to hate/blame for all the shit they keep bringing on themselves by voting against their own interests.

CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 20:41

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CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 20:54

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Deeperthantheocean · 08/02/2025 21:10

Like most council matters, it's all about filling in forms, passing on, everyone does their own job.

With the UC dept it's a huge task to keep on top of it all as so many online forms to fill in while talking to the client, while being monitored and need to move on. It's a thankless job, same repeating of scripts, plus the amount of people on UC with complaints, never ending.

They can do their best to note every rant and pass on, facing the brunt, then the higher decisions are made. And again, back to workers to pick up the dissatisfaction and the cycle begins again.

That's why it's important to make notes on your journal for everything and those dealing with it will respond as quickly as they can.

Deeperthantheocean · 08/02/2025 21:15

In the end though, yes it is all about being given free money to help and with things like tax credits etc which I don't know much about, so reminding for a few seconds on a journal, or even ringing to explain it, I would be very happy to give my time?

IVFmumoftwo · 08/02/2025 21:22

Deeperthantheocean · 08/02/2025 21:15

In the end though, yes it is all about being given free money to help and with things like tax credits etc which I don't know much about, so reminding for a few seconds on a journal, or even ringing to explain it, I would be very happy to give my time?

Am appointment when she said she was at work you would be happy about?

Nospringchix · 08/02/2025 22:28

80smonster · 07/02/2025 15:55

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.

Well maybe if employers paid a living wage not so many would need to claim UC and there would be more appointments for those that need them. Just a thought....

CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 22:49

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Nospringchix · 08/02/2025 22:57

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Or housing/ energy costs need to come down. But that's not going to happen.

CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 22:58

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CdcRuben · 08/02/2025 23:53

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BooneyBeautiful · 09/02/2025 03:10

DrCoconut · 07/02/2025 10:30

Another thing with it is that it's less money than tax credits but you lose free prescriptions and dentist when you're moved over. How does having a reduced income make these more affordable? I'm skimping on dental work that I need due to long term issues because I can't justify the cost.

Not necessarily. You can still get help with prescriptions and dental costs, but it does depend on your income.

MusicMakesItAllBetter · 09/02/2025 12:18

NettleTea · 07/02/2025 10:53

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.

God that's a big reduction!

One year (2021 I think), I was working as a long term temp and was being paid by an agency. Their payroll department had made an error one month and so one of my payslips looked like I'd received more money than usual. It was like a double payslip, 2 slips in one.
I hadn't and proved it with bank statements and also highlighting the zero figure on the top payslip.
It was clear as day that I hadn't earned double.
I received no UC in the December that year and we're as over £400 out of pocket.
I was told that they could see that I hadn't received the double pay but because it was entered as so, it wasn't rectifiable.
They basically just robbed me of my money and that fucked me up so badly but of course they didn't give a shit.
Took weeks to get to that end result and I was going to appeal and fight it but it was making me mentally unwell so I'm I decided for my own health to stop the process.
Over £400. Cunts.

Alltheyearround · 09/02/2025 15:07

TheOnionEyes · 08/02/2025 20:10

You are still entitled to free dentistry and prescriptions. There is even a tick box on the prescription for Universal Credit claimants, which nullifies you from paying.

Someone from the DWP probably gave that incorrect information to someone, and of course it would spread like wildfire 🔥 out of horror. Tbh, it is believable. It is something they would do. I just wouldn't put anything past the government. Our pockets get more empty, whilst theirs get more full! However, on this case, it's still free "for now."

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I never knew we could get free dentistry or prescriptions on tax credits.

We have always paid.

NettleTea · 09/02/2025 15:12

MusicMakesItAllBetter · 09/02/2025 12:18

God that's a big reduction!

One year (2021 I think), I was working as a long term temp and was being paid by an agency. Their payroll department had made an error one month and so one of my payslips looked like I'd received more money than usual. It was like a double payslip, 2 slips in one.
I hadn't and proved it with bank statements and also highlighting the zero figure on the top payslip.
It was clear as day that I hadn't earned double.
I received no UC in the December that year and we're as over £400 out of pocket.
I was told that they could see that I hadn't received the double pay but because it was entered as so, it wasn't rectifiable.
They basically just robbed me of my money and that fucked me up so badly but of course they didn't give a shit.
Took weeks to get to that end result and I was going to appeal and fight it but it was making me mentally unwell so I'm I decided for my own health to stop the process.
Over £400. Cunts.

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yes, Im just too tired to argue or fight with them. Their rules (hidden in the smallprint) say that your first months wages are your baseline, if they are more than the AET. Or more that MIF(minimum wage at 35 hrs a week). and if you fail to match that level for the next 3 months you lose the protection payment.

That is irrespective of whether you have any work commitments normally - so if you are a carer, or are disabled and receiving LCWRA, but may have managed to do some work that month.

I imagine a whole lot of seasonal workers, or contractors, get caught out on this too as I thought I was on the ball with it all - I had done alot of research before I migrated about when in the month to apply to reduce the wait for payments to the minimum, but this never crossed my radar.

But mainly Im just peed off because the grant wanted you to pay yourself at the proper rate for the work you did - it was one of its aims - but with the loss of TP and the needing to cover full rent and council tax in month one, Im ending up doing 60 days work at £46 a day, not including travelling expenses. And of course had I known, I would have delayed the request to the Arts Council for a week, and not even be having this discussion.

Im not even sure of the reasoning behind it - if you worked less the TP doesnt go up, you wouldnt get more money, it just feels like a trick.

TheOnionEyes · 09/02/2025 17:18

Alltheyearround · 09/02/2025 15:07

I never knew we could get free dentistry or prescriptions on tax credits.

We have always paid.

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If you earn under a certain amount then you are entitled. Please check what that amount is.

MusicMakesItAllBetter · 09/02/2025 17:33

NettleTea · 09/02/2025 15:12

yes, Im just too tired to argue or fight with them. Their rules (hidden in the smallprint) say that your first months wages are your baseline, if they are more than the AET. Or more that MIF(minimum wage at 35 hrs a week). and if you fail to match that level for the next 3 months you lose the protection payment.

That is irrespective of whether you have any work commitments normally - so if you are a carer, or are disabled and receiving LCWRA, but may have managed to do some work that month.

I imagine a whole lot of seasonal workers, or contractors, get caught out on this too as I thought I was on the ball with it all - I had done alot of research before I migrated about when in the month to apply to reduce the wait for payments to the minimum, but this never crossed my radar.

But mainly Im just peed off because the grant wanted you to pay yourself at the proper rate for the work you did - it was one of its aims - but with the loss of TP and the needing to cover full rent and council tax in month one, Im ending up doing 60 days work at £46 a day, not including travelling expenses. And of course had I known, I would have delayed the request to the Arts Council for a week, and not even be having this discussion.

Im not even sure of the reasoning behind it - if you worked less the TP doesnt go up, you wouldnt get more money, it just feels like a trick.

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I'm gutted for you on the timing

Alltheyearround · 09/02/2025 17:34

TheOnionEyes · 09/02/2025 17:18

If you earn under a certain amount then you are entitled. Please check what that amount is.

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Too late now. We don't have anything other than DLA for DS.

Alltheyearround · 09/02/2025 17:34

@TheOnionEyes but thank you anyway!