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.

Ironically, you have just described my employer. Miss a shift and they take one thing you need - your wages. Funny that, huh?! I’m peri meno, have aches and pains and I still turn up for work every single bloody morning. Because if I don’t, there will be consequences. So I think it’s only fair that you do your bit too, no?! I understand that I will be eaten alive now for this comment but get a bloody grip! I can’t believe you actually complain that they ask you for a bloody photo?! Let’s swap places, I let you be on your feet for 12 hours a day, 4 days a week working in A&E as a nurse. And on a top of that being a foreigner, getting abuse from English people saying that you steal their job, but at the same time paying a hefty amount of ££££ in tax to support those same people who claim UC 😂

Children savings are not counted as yours if they are the beneficial owner of the money. It does not matter what type of account the money is in and if you can access it or it although if there are regular transactions/withdrawals which cannot be evidenced as being specifically for the benefit of the child, then this money may then be counted as part of the claimants capital.

The guide for Decision Makers states:

H1077 Capital owned either legally or beneficially by a dependent child or qualifying young person is not
to be included in the capital of the claimant. However, the DM may still need to make enquiries about such capital if it appears to be owned by the claimant but is actually beneficially owned by a child or young person for whom they are responsible.

To be brutally frank it's free money- they can ask for whatever information and documents they like if they feel it's necessary for fraud prevention, or whatever.
The first responsibility of every DWP employee is to protect the taxpayer- that comes ahead of helping you, ahead of meeting targets, ahead of everything.

I know someone who was widowed in their 30s and had to claim benefits. She still has has her late husband's clothing hung up in wardrobes. The DWP would think a man was still living there.

What about same sex couples? Can someone have too much clothing that they would suspect someone else was living there? Have they ever met a shopping addict? 😁

It will be when people can’t live comfortably on a full time wage.

Exactly so if you are in charge of those savings, even if in the child’s name etc, they could count it as your income too.

This all sounds rather odd.
Standard reviews pretty much just consist of sending in 4 months worth of statements of all your accounts, and they you have a call to discuss incomings.
They should not be questioning what you spend your money on, although I have seen that happen. One person was asked "what Tesco was", another was asked what they actually bought in a particular shop.
Some reviews are being carried out by outsourced staff and they are the ones that are overstepping somewhat and asking for more information that is needed. That is due to lack of proper training.

I would suggest posting one of the 2 big benefits sub Reddits, as you will get zero judgement on there about being a claimant, and there are staff there that know their stuff.

I think if we have not already reached this point we are coming very close to it!

Exactly - easy to get this photo to the requirements.
Not so easy to get a full-length photo of yourself standing at your front door with the key in the lock, if you don't have someone available to take the photo.

Only if it's proven that you are using it for your own personal spending. Being able to access it doesn't automatically mean it is counted as your capital.

I checked my address on Google Maps and it's not my house!

The solution is surely going back to a cheque through the post every fortnight. To be cashed as the local post office.

Only a couple of flaws in that plan.

But we lost a great sense of community when we stopped the giro. And I suppose child benefit cashed at the post office.

Didn't they used to do home visits to check housing benefit eligibility that you were living there?

You really work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Total hyperbole. OP has said she is a full time carer for her mum.

This does seem like overreach but would think this is all about ensuring no fraudulent claims are made.
Given the amount of benefit fraud that's happened in recent years I would expect tighter controls.

I imagine most people claiming this 'free money' have paid taxes at some point.
Not that it should matter. We live in a country that supports those in need.
Of course people make fraudulent claims, but (as with many things) it's the few bad eggs that make it so much harder for the majority.

During my (thankfully) short period of unemployment, I was made to feel like I was money-grabbing, lazy scum. I was only wanting to claim £94 JSA a week to help my redundancy money go a bit further so that I could run my modest home and support myself and my son. Feeling like the default position is that you are trying to cheat the system made an already very stressful situation even worse and I was sinking into depression. Most people are honest and decent and want to earn a living.

Oh and of course you need to apply for jobs, which in the current climate is dehumanising and brutal, yet you have to be positive and confident etc.

OP is clearly honest and is frustrated at how complicated it all is and I think it's reasonable for her to feel that way.

The reality is that it really isn't possible to live comfortably now on one full-time wage unless it's a high one. Both parents (unless ill) really ought to be working, even if one is just working part-time.
OP - are you in work at all?

What I meant is that poster Trishyb claims to work 24/7 in order to fund 'lazy' people like the OP.

Yes, sorry I know. I added the bit on about OP after as she did say why she was not working.

It is not a tiny inconvenience and your kisses at the end don't make your dismissive comments any less nasty. It's often not a one-off but an endless round of hoop-jumping that never really stops, just reduces for a while now and then. Especially for those who are unwell, who's time is mostly taken up with doing whatever is necessary for taking care of their health in many cases. Whether someone is unwell, a carer or employed, this is not "free time" they have available for constantly doing whatever the latest hair-brained-pointless-thing-that-proves-nothing-much the DWP have demanded they do. Even those who are healthy but unemployed are busy looking for a job. Nobody is sat around doing nothing at all, for the 9-ish hours a day that people typically work, with all this free time on their hands to jump through DWP hoops.

It's not a simple case of do-it-and-get-paid like you seem to think either. The DWP staff mess up, or things aren't processed in time, or they decide they want more and more and more. Every time one of these demands comes in, the claimant knows their money can be stopped, often for no real reason other than someone else's delay or fuck up or pointless box ticking exercise. The constant stress and worry about whether they'll be able to pay their bills, the debts people sometimes have to get into due to this if they can't pay their bills - it isn't nothing, it isn't a minor inconvenience. It's a toxic emotional rollercoaster of extreme stress that claimants can't escape, unless they're lucky enough that their life circumstances change such that they no longer need to claim benefits. The stress damages people's health, mentally and physically. "Depression and anxiety" might not be the reason for someone needing to claim benefits in the first place, but spending a while in the system almost certainly increases a person's likelihood of suffering from both.

Agree. I am a professional. My new role is a significant pay cut from the role I was made redundant from. I thankfully also have some freelance work which makes up for the short fall. It does mean I work 7 days a week though.
Lone parent with a 16 yo at home.
I don't have huge outgoings, but do want to live comfortably.

@BringBackCatsEyes Similar position here. I am married, but husband is not a high earner. I work weekdays and some evenings/Sundays to pay the rent and treat our little girl as much as I am able. I also worked when I became a single parent and my children were both very young to cover costs.

I’ve known several people this happened to and were unaware it was the case - thing is OP it’s horrible but it happens, I can’t blame the gvt if you are in receipt of money related to housing - it’s a known fraud

I do understand what you're saying and the UC procedures can seem to be intrusive but to continue to get benefits this is what everyone has to do.

As always, it's the minority who spoil it for everyone else.

It is actually easier now with online correspondence and providing evidence rather than going for weekly sign ons as in the 'olden days'.

If you get PIP or have a young child then you don't need to be actively looking for work. Reviews are part of the course so, sorry, I still don't see the issue?

When receiving UC everyone has to validate the reason for it. So, yes, I stand by filling in forms and taking a photo really isn't too much to ask.

It will only become a bombardment when concerns have been raised and more information needed. So just supply the documents?

It is that simple, to get entitled money from UC you've got to follow the rules, which takes a bit of time out of your normal schedule. Xxx

To add...
Please seek help and support from DLA if you're unwell. Once you can claim pip you won't have the pressure of the usual rigmarole.

Having reread your post I'm sorry for my reaction. I do get it but tend to feel defensive because I have my own crazy problems but still work. It's a struggle, would stop and claim benefits if I could but because of circumstances I can't.

Long story, just wanted to say sorry I do understand but at the end of the day you just have do these things. Xxx