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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this just getting ridiculous! UNIVERSAL CREDIT

488 replies

ChristmasTime2023 · 05/02/2026 16:06

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.

OP posts:
Laurmolonlabe · 20/02/2026 10:17

FairKoala · 20/02/2026 01:55

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.

Show quote history

The truth is the benefit system is hugely complex and very generous to those in work these days- as more and more people have been eligible to claim DWP has employed no new workers- and they were thin on the ground in the first place. I don't doubt you have had overpayments through no fault of your own- but, and it's a very big but, if you take their money you have to keep a very good track of it- you should know exactly what you have been paid and when- then it is just a discussion about whether there is an overpayment, if you have no records then you have to rely on theirs, feeling they might be wrong isn't going to cut any ice. You should ensure you have access to your journal- or whatever records there are and keep track of it in your bank account .
This is true of any money situation- it's like telling your employer you have a feeling you have been underpaid- you have to have amount and dates and timesheets- a felling is not enough.

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 11:17

Penelope23145 · 07/02/2026 12:10

I think you'd need to have a quite a high rent and a few kids on the claim to get UC at earnings of 50k. When you have kids or someone on LCWRA it becomes quite a generous benefit with the work allowances and taper rates.
I came across a couple this week. No kids .One of the couple couldn't work due to health. The other working part time earning £1200 a month with a social housing rent of around £400 a month. They were getting around £1000 UC per month UC plus PIP etc.
It's the single people with no work allowances that struggle. For them it's a very basic amount to live on or a small top up to help with rent. If you are single and have a mortage and lose your job you are pretty stuffed.

Show quote history

This couple were on UC, one of them works part time, the other is on PIP (don't know what the 'etc' is?) Why don't they make the part time one do more hours/get second job?

How do you know so much about other people's benefits? I find it weird that people discuss it. When they would never discuss their salary.

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 11:20

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 11:17

This couple were on UC, one of them works part time, the other is on PIP (don't know what the 'etc' is?) Why don't they make the part time one do more hours/get second job?

How do you know so much about other people's benefits? I find it weird that people discuss it. When they would never discuss their salary.

Edited
Show quote history

Potentially because the one working part time may be the carer of the other. Carers on UC have no work related requirements. They can work but don't have to.

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 11:23

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 11:20

Potentially because the one working part time may be the carer of the other. Carers on UC have no work related requirements. They can work but don't have to.

Show quote history

Ah ok yeah that makes sense. Thank you.

DotAndCarryOne2 · 20/02/2026 12:08

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 11:17

This couple were on UC, one of them works part time, the other is on PIP (don't know what the 'etc' is?) Why don't they make the part time one do more hours/get second job?

How do you know so much about other people's benefits? I find it weird that people discuss it. When they would never discuss their salary.

Edited
Show quote history

PIP isn’t an out of work benefit, so it’s possible that they are not required to comply with UC related job search because of severe disability. And if one partner is on PIP, it’s very possible that the other is claiming the carers element of UC, in which case there is no compulsion to work, because to claim the carers element they are expected to be caring for the person for at least 35 hours a week. They’re probably doing well to hold down something part time because caring duties can be exhausting.

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 12:32

DotAndCarryOne2 · 20/02/2026 12:08

PIP isn’t an out of work benefit, so it’s possible that they are not required to comply with UC related job search because of severe disability. And if one partner is on PIP, it’s very possible that the other is claiming the carers element of UC, in which case there is no compulsion to work, because to claim the carers element they are expected to be caring for the person for at least 35 hours a week. They’re probably doing well to hold down something part time because caring duties can be exhausting.

Edited
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Oh yeah I know about PIP. But yeah you're right, I think it must be that they have carers element. They have a limit on what they can earn and are probably just on the higher end of that?

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 12:43

DotAndCarryOne2 · 20/02/2026 12:08

PIP isn’t an out of work benefit, so it’s possible that they are not required to comply with UC related job search because of severe disability. And if one partner is on PIP, it’s very possible that the other is claiming the carers element of UC, in which case there is no compulsion to work, because to claim the carers element they are expected to be caring for the person for at least 35 hours a week. They’re probably doing well to hold down something part time because caring duties can be exhausting.

Edited
Show quote history

The PIP entitlement alone won't remove the work related requirement for UC- the LCWWRA element of UC would also need to be in place for the person claiming PIP. I do have clients in receipt of PIP and on a UC claim who haven't been assessed as having LCWWRA and some who work in a role which fits around their disabilities/health conditions. The two don't go automatically together under the current rules. And I completely agree about the balance of working and caring as that's me- it is very challenging.

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 18:10

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 12:43

The PIP entitlement alone won't remove the work related requirement for UC- the LCWWRA element of UC would also need to be in place for the person claiming PIP. I do have clients in receipt of PIP and on a UC claim who haven't been assessed as having LCWWRA and some who work in a role which fits around their disabilities/health conditions. The two don't go automatically together under the current rules. And I completely agree about the balance of working and caring as that's me- it is very challenging.

Edited
Show quote history

Yeah pip and UC are totally separate. You're right the other person would also need to be in support group for UC or whatever it's called now. To be entitled to the caring from the other one? It does seem confusing. I still don't get why people discuss it as it seems to lead to ill will or misinterpretations.

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 18:14

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 18:10

Yeah pip and UC are totally separate. You're right the other person would also need to be in support group for UC or whatever it's called now. To be entitled to the caring from the other one? It does seem confusing. I still don't get why people discuss it as it seems to lead to ill will or misinterpretations.

Show quote history

The PIP entitlement alone will enable the other to be the carer as long as they're meeting the carer conditions. But yes ots a complex and sometimes difficult subject.

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 18:16

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 12:32

Oh yeah I know about PIP. But yeah you're right, I think it must be that they have carers element. They have a limit on what they can earn and are probably just on the higher end of that?

Show quote history

There's no earnings limit for someone receiving the carers element of UC- the UC overall award simply "erodes" the more earnings there are after any relevant work allowance; carers allowance is different and subject to an earnings cap. And obviously anyone claiming carers element, if earning, still has to be meeting the other requirements, ie 35hrs plus of regular and substantial care.

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 18:21

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 18:16

There's no earnings limit for someone receiving the carers element of UC- the UC overall award simply "erodes" the more earnings there are after any relevant work allowance; carers allowance is different and subject to an earnings cap. And obviously anyone claiming carers element, if earning, still has to be meeting the other requirements, ie 35hrs plus of regular and substantial care.

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Ah ok, thank you for explaining it a bit better! X

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 18:26

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 18:21

Ah ok, thank you for explaining it a bit better! X

Show quote history

No problem, its what I do as a job 😊

BillieWiper · 20/02/2026 18:30

LilyBunch25 · 20/02/2026 18:26

No problem, its what I do as a job 😊

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Ah ha! You have been very helpful so thank you again x

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