UC and deducting pension contributions

[Hankunamatata]

So we have been moved from tax credits to UC.

I pay into a private pension by direct debit each month as I work reduced hours due to caring responsibilities and can't top up work pension.

Under TC the money I put into my provate pension was deducted from my earnings. So for example I earned £500 a month and put £100 into my private pension, TC would declare my income as £400 a month. Ob did this declaration yearly with TC

Now supposedly I can do the same with UC but I have to declare on my journal each month how much a paid into my priavte pension by dirext debit. The tricky bit. No advisor seems to know how to do this on their system to chnage my earnings

Anyone any advice

I'd just religiously note it on the journal and tell them it needs calculating. You'll have covered your back. (Can you tell I'm not very tolerant of the UC system).

I stopped my private pension when I went over to UC and just increased how much I pay into my work pension. I've never declared that.

A guess here but could it be a case of making sure the money is paid out once per assessment period so they can calculate what you are entitled to each time?(which will be the same each month if nothing changes). I suppose most people on UC credit don't have much to put away so it might not be a common question.

Is that a thing in UC? So I could pay most of my salary into a private pension and then claim UC?

It's far easier if you can contribute more to your work pension - then it is reported by HMRC through rti and UC just accept the reported figure net of pension contributions. That's what I did when I was on UC.

The private pension is supposed to be treated equally according to the regulations but in practice it's a headache.

How come you can't top up your work pension? Are you sure it won't let you?