Universal credit

[Emem13]

hi just got this should I be worried about it ?
really worried I’m going to get in trouble for benefit fraud

It appears that you've failed to report a change in your guy
circumstances promptly. You need to tell us by 12 September
2025, the reason for not telling us sooner and what you've done
to correct this. You did not remove your daughter from your claim when
she left your household on 10 June 2024 .
Reporting changes is something you committed to do in return
for receiving Universal Credit. If you don't do this and you're paid
too much Universal Credit, you'll have to repay any overpayment
and may also have to pay a £50 Civil Penalty.
You can get more information about a Civil Penalty
We'll decide whether you'll have to pay a Civil Penalty based on
the information you give us. If we don't hear from you by
12 September 2025, we'll make our decision based on the

Absaloutly not op!! Try not to worry too much they’re not monsters. Just ring them, be honest, and set up a small affordable deduction from any ongoing benefit. It may take a while but that’s a manageable way to repay. You WILL have to repay, it’s not that you just can’t, but they’ll make it as easy as they can for you.

That's the best advice yet. Please OP, work out how to PM me. This is what Mumsnet is here for. You're in a bit of a pickle so we'll work through it.

Well if they’re correct then you’ll need to repay it.

I doubt there would be any kind of criminal sentence though.

Have you actually been receiving the child element of UC for her? Because usually the system would stop it automatically. Have you checked your statements?

You should make any benefits aware of any changes, though, just in case.

It all depends on the circumstances whether it would change anything anyway, was you claiming for her? Was she down as in education?

Oh look. I've just found out that I can PM you first. Daft banana me. Anyway, look for me!

Forgive me for being confused but I’ve recently started a claim for UC as asked my husband to leave due to cocaine addiction . My eldest daughter (18 years old) is NOT on my claim as left sixth form as now doing uni this year ( but living at home). She is disregarded and not mentioned on claim unlike my 3 year old.
in answer to your question if you got extra money cos she was living with you then yes at the very least you will need to pay it back and there may be a penalty I guess it depends on why you didn’t update claim/ how they found out she doesn’t live with you etc 🤷‍♀️

No I don’t

Can you see Emem13 then three dots going in a line?

Or else, seeing as I've started the PM, there will be a little 1 to the left of the picture of a person thing at the top of the screen.

We'll get there in the end.

No. You have til 12 September.
Tell them by 12th and no harm done

You need to tell us by 12 September
2025, the reason for not telling us sooner and what you've done
to correct this.

I can imagine this thousands of people that “forget” to tell UC about a change of circumstance. Can you imagine if everybody got a prison sentence for it? They will have to start building more of them! Just tell them before the date stated, you’ll just have to pay the over payment back in instalments as other PPs have stated. I think the wording of it is intended to scare you enough to make sure you do it! You’ll be fine.

OP don’t panic.

I have some experience of the UC system as they have reviewed my claim recently (standard procedure). I was worried I had been overpaid at some point but it turned out I hadn’t, however before they worked out it was correct the woman was really helpful and completely non judgemental. The message you have received will be standard from a script.

I would reply on your journal saying something like “I am really sorry I didn’t realise I had to declare my daughter leaving because [reason here]. I accept I may have been overpaid and may incur a fine. Please let me know what you need me to do to proceed”.

You would only be prosecuted if they could prove you misled them deliberately.

You don't get any extra money for a 21 year old my housing element went from a non dependant deduction of £75 per month to bedroom tax of £71 per month when my daughter moved out technically I was about £4 better off 😀

So why are they saying I needed to declare it ?

Wouldn't have thought u could get a child element for a 21 year old

Do you get part of your rent paid for by UC ? If so the extra body would have counted towards house size entitlement.

So just you, 1 bed or even studio. You and her 2 bed.

How would I know this

Is a 21 year old a child?!

After 19 you wouldn’t get money for her as a child. You would get help for rent tho.

It will show on your statement I just googled and stole this one. So standard is what you’d get. Housing is rent obviously. And if you have children there will be a bit that says children. But a 20 year old wouldn’t be classed as a child.

If you’ve been getting housing. They will have been paying you the LHA rate including her body in the house. So 3 bed would require you, her and other children. Without her and the same sex under 16 would get you the 2 bed rate. Or if just you and her you’d drop form a 2 bed to a 1/studio rate.

will they ask for proof of where my daughter lived now as I don’t know as we fell out ? It doesn’t say that oh the letter

But as she is her child, op might not have thought anything of the language

Doesn't the child element stop automatically when they reach a certain age? If they aren't in full time education?

Or is the onus on the claimant to stop the claim?

Well you've been called out for making a mistake by not telling them. I don't think there are many circumstances you can give to excuse yourself from paying the fine. But tell them it was an oversight as there were lots of stressful things going on, that you intended to do it and you accept you were in the wrong.

Just do as they say and they'll probably take the money a bit at a time. Try not to dwell on it though and just don't get caught out again.

It stops automatically.

It should stop at the end of August after their 19th birthday. But things can go wrong. If @Emem13 checks her statement in her online account then she can see if she has been receiving the child element, and for how long, when she shouldn't have been