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.

We live in a world where people receiving free money (to them) complain about a system that is designed to weed out fraud. Yes some of them also pay tax but that doesn't negate the need for balances and check.

Is it inconvenient and inconsistent? Probably. Is it worse than the tax system in general at the moment? No.

Fair point, sorry I can see that with your DH passing away, and then you being evicted you would have been under a lot of stress anyway so I can understand why it would feel overwhelming.

In some jobs. In many once youve actually got the job you just turn up and work.

Thanks. As I said, not just overwhelming, but impossible. I can't take a full-length photo next to a street sign, I have no one to take it for me. Also, being on a lower wage than I could live on, and having to take the bus several times to the jobcentre, I was literally living on a slice of bread a day to make it stretch. This went on for five months, I was told it was a completely random fraud check. My DM thought it was because I have a very French sounding name, I don't know.

Exactly!!! Our screwed up neoliberal society has bought into the idea that the wealthy in general and even wealthy tax avoiders are morally superior and have no societal obligations.

There is a level of threat, intimidation and shame associated with claiming UC that you don't have to deal with when job seeking.

Claiming benefits has always been frustrating and difficult- it used to be humiliating as well, I don't see the point in whining-either you need (not want ) the money and get on with it or you don't .
There is help for the most vulnerable if they seek it out- but I wouldn't advocate lifting fraud checks because it makes it harder for vulnerable people.
A generation ago the only people eligible to claim were vulnerable or unemployed or both.
I'm not going to spend much time feeling sorry for perfectly capable people with jobs and children, and at least 2 incomes having to supply some documents to protect the taxpayer from fraud.

Well yes. But do any of us “taxpayers” even feel “protected” by someone having to take a photo of their front door and cupboards, or can we acknowledge that it isn’t a protection and it’s actually silly.

People claim from multiple addresses which they don't live at- millions would have been saved in benefit fraud if asking for a picture from your phone, with you with a key in the door was a thing years ago.
They used to actually visit you, to check if you lived with somebody- far more intrusive than a photo. People also claim for child from multiple addresses.
It is not silly it is attempting to prevent fraud which actually happens.

Do you have evidence that millions is claimed fraudulently by people claiming to live at multiple addresses (along with their children).

If someone has nothing to hide (which is most people) then a visit would be quite fine, I'm sure. Knock on the door - here I am - bye.
People are not complaining about the intrusiveness so much, it's how complicated it is. I mean, just talking to someone at a GP practice takes patience, resilience, some free time and possibly money (to pay for whatever UC are asking for).

Please use some common sense.

I could quite easily claim benefits from say my mums address, where I don’t live but do have a key for, and could just go and stand there while someone takes a photo. That photo would just prove I was at that door with a key.

I could remove my partners toiletries from a cupboard, and pretend he’s not here, and then put them back.

Those measures prove literally nothing, and protect nobody. They’re a ticky box nonsense exercise.

Not exactly, it will also depend if you get rent element in that benefit, for example. Because then you will also need a tenancy for that address. But yes I can see how it could otherwise be possible for some to get around it..

I had to do one smiling with a thumbs up...cringe.

I would prefer that to being asked to upload things I can't, or to travel by bus to the jobcentre three times when I'm living on a slice of bread a day, except the days I work when I can get a free meal.

Millions is lost to fraud every year- multiple addresses are used in several types of fraud, ask anyone who has worked on a fraud team for DWP. The GP thing is also to check people are registered where they say they live- and that their children live there. No doing fraud checks because "most people have nothing to hide" is not a viable idea-some claims go on for years and run to many thousands of pounds, doing checks is what has to happen- if you don't want the inconvenient complication of checks, don't claim.

Any checks can be got round (but they would spot you claiming from your Mum's pretty quick if she's on the electoral roll) but that is no argument not to have checks, that is completely counter to the common sense you seem to think you are using.

I just think it's a very sad indictment of our society that many honest and vulnerable people may lose out on the welfare our country claims to offer them because it has become too complicated to make that claim. That they have to prove they are not making a fraudulent claim.
"Don't claim then" seems such a dismissive response.

Again, it's being asked for things it's impossible for me to provide that I object to. That and having to get the bus to the jobcentre several times, all while my only income is about £200 a month.

There are resources to help vulnerable people claim- many charities, Citizen's Advice etc- suggesting claims should not be checked for fraud because people might fall through the net is mad- people always fall through the net of any system. If you feel so strongly volunteer at your local library to help people with their claims.

I do actually volunteer at a local charity. I know how desperate and defeated vulnerable people can feel.

And I’m not saying there shouldn’t be checks, I understand fraud is a huge problem. I’m saying the checks (as OP describes) cause increased stress, delays and a feeling of worthlessness in many.

When mine were younger, we used to get a letter every time the payment amount changed, so most years when they gave their little increase.

This does not sound normal did they call you? sounds like a scam be careful

has it been recorded on your journal ? i would post on that and ask for an explanation you should never show anyone your front door with a key in it!

To be honest UC continued to pay me money after I had told them I was moving house on a certain date. I would also no longer be eligible for UC and my account was closed

I was told to wait and they would get back in touch for repayment. Which they did 2 years later. Except instead of using the dates I had given they made up their own about a week earlier and they wrote to me saying that they were going to take payments directly from my salary
The amount I supposedly owed was so much more than I thought it would be. I am not convinced that there isn’t a scam going on.and instead of around the £450 I had worked out I owed the amount was £1000 more.

I called them to put right the dates and amounts but apparently they had put a notice on my journal a month after I had lost access to it 2 years before and was told I should have replied to that notice.
It was a bizarre conversation this woman repeating that I owed this money and as I didn’t dispute the letter sent to my journal and refused to pay back the money then they were taking it from my salary

When asked how I was supposed to read a letter sent to my inaccessible journal . How was I even supposed to know that a letter had been sent. She repeated that I owed the money etc etc

Sent a SAR request and have not heard back from them for over a month. Going to have to give them a follow up letter

Whilst some people might be going on UC to commit fraud I am not sure if there isn’t an internal problem as well.

Years ago I received a letter telling me I had been overpaid by over £8000 in child tax credits and could I repay it.

Sent a SAR request to find out how I owed them anything given we never claimed tax credits or any other benefits.

I got an email back with what looked like a photo of a computer with my name written on the computer and a line which said CHILD TAX CREDITS OVERPAYMENT £8000

I ignored it

I do wonder if someone who worked for the Tax Credit Department just used my name to claim money then to balance the books put it down as an overpayment.

I'm not complaining about the system existing, I'm complaining about them asking for things it's impossible for me to provide, like a full-length selfie next to the name of my street. I live on my own and didn't know anyone here at the time, as I'd just moved in. Also about the cost in bus fares to me when my UC had been suspended and I was living on my wages of around £250 a month, because of all the appointments. I was living on a slice of bread a day, apart from one free meal at work a week.