Is this just getting ridiculous! UNIVERSAL CREDIT

[ChristmasTime2023]

So had a review with UC today phone call she stated she would up date the journal with what I need to provide.
A full length photo of myself standing outside my front door with the key in the lock!?
Then a letter from the children's school & nursery saying they attend there
A letter from the children's gp
Passport photos
Child benefit award letter
Birth certificates (they have had birth certificates before )

This isn't a new claim either I dont understand why gp letters are needed they want one for me and my partner too.

Also on the phone call asked who I use for my gas and electricity
Ive never been asked these things before seems strange to ask?
Anyone else had a review lately what did they ask for.

Partner works full time if that matters.

I will pass that on to some of my clients, particularly those with terminal cancer who can no longer pay rent because they can no longer work. Thanks for your sweeping solution.

Yeah common sense isn’t necessary a defining quality in some of the people I work with.

no, there's no justification for the way that the DWP treat people - they don't need to degrade and humiliate people at all, but they do.

A you have to show your passport to do an online graded music exam I don't think it's unreasonable to expect people claiming benefits to do the same.

Asking for ID is degrading? Expecting the system to have balances and checks is degrading?

Don't claim then.

I think it's similar to the changes in self assessment. The people who are filing their taxes honestly now have to do 4x as much work while the people who manage to get away without paying will continue on.

That sounds insane.
I had my review recently and all they asked were some questions about my bank statements and for receipts from childcare (which they already had on record but wanted the same ones again.
So no, OP, I would say what you were asked is most unusual.
Is the letter from the GP related to claiming limited capability for work or carer's element?

I had my review recently and it literally took 20 mins. Had to upload my bank statements and tenancy which I had to hand anyway. Then a chat where she asked about two transactions, one from my dad and another from a friend after we'd booked a holiday. This sounds like massive overkill unless they are suspicious of something!

Well actually I was referring to the post where a disabled woman was forced to go to the job centre or risk losing her benefits.

But having worked with benefits claimants I am aware that there are too many incidents of claimants being treated in inhuman ways that go way beyond "checks".

I don’t think OP is a beggar ? Nice choice of words NOT

Not everyone claiming benefits will have a passport.

OK. So do we just ignore and move on?

I think you've missed my point.

I think the problem is so many fraudulent claims, many of which are people who don't even reside in the UK full time.

Its a scandal, but sadly they have to tighten up.

I think most people would prefer the system to have checks, to minimise fraud etc etc.

But surely you can accept that requiring a photo of someone putting a key in a door isn’t a sensible check, because it’s nonsense and could easily be someone putting a key in the door of somewhere they don’t live.

I’m all for making sure benefits are going to people who need them and qualify for them, and only those people - but let’s keep it sensible, which “show me your cupboards/front door” is not.

Not the same, but the same…

to have an authorised absence from school, I hand to send a picture of a paracetamol pack!

If they were investigating OP for fraud she wouldn’t know anything about it until they were ready to invite her in for an interview under caution.

Which DWP issue so why are they asking OP for it ?

Your Hubby works full time and your on universal credit, so why arent you working? Be greatful for the handouts,folk like me working 24/7 to fund you

I've had two claim reviews and they both just wanted bank statements, and for the most recent one it was a utility bill and tenancy agreement also.

No nothing like that, just carers allowance as im now a full time carer for my mom. (had to quit my part time job) I only started claiming last year and I had to give them bank statments, tenancy agreements and all that sort of stuff then but now they want all this! It was so stressful trying to make a claim last year and now I have to provide all this again this year
Also haven't asked for anything to do with carers allowance as I think thats separate from UC

Yes my partner works full time! Unfortunately I had to give up my job to look after my 82 year old mother. God forbid i hope you never find yourself in a situation where you need any help.

They compare your house to google maps, it's meant to help prove you live where you say you live.

It's frustrating and annoying but if you want the money you have to follow the rules.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Trish probably doesn’t pay for you to care for your mum, just like she doesn’t pay my son’s DLA or anyone’s UC.

Last time I checked, the net contributor salary was rising to £41k. So unless someone earns that, they’re not paying for anyone to do anything.

I had the same for my sons dentist appointment he was only off for an hour or so and had to prove he had a dentist appointment luckily I had the appointment reminder text to show them