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Original poster

Universal credit - help please!

18 replies

Littlebluebird123 · 01/09/2018 18:32

Our area has recently changed to UC so I have no experience in this area.

My friend claimed UC as his employment finished 20th July. He was told he'd be paid on the 30th August.
He was given an advance payment on the 15th August as he had no money to pay rent. (Previously was paid weekly so had last income on 27th July.)
30th comes, his online thingy says 0 days to payment and says the amount he'll get. But nothing has arrived!

What can he do?

Also, further complication, he is due to move in with us as a lodger (as he can't afford the rent of his current place even with housing benefit allowance) and so he'll have to give a change of circumstances. Will this further mess up his payments as they'll need to assess again?

Any advice or support would be helpful. CAB have not been helpful, neither has his job coach and he spent 2 hours on the phone to UC without getting anyone.

OP posts:

WooYa · 01/09/2018 18:39

Join 'Universal Credit Help and Advice' on Facebook, they're really good for helping people x

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 19:40

Ok is there anything that could be preventing his payment going through? I think the problem here maybe that he received his last wages in his assessment period so that has cancelled out any UC payment.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 19:44

Sorry posted too soon -Maybe his earnings were reported to HMRC slightly after his payday in which case those earnings would fall within his assessment period and cancel out any payment as his total UC amount will not be much if he only gets the standard allowance and rent. He wont get any rent help if he lodges with you unless you have a proper tenancy agreement and even then I'm not sure he would get help, I may be wrong on this. I think for under 35's he would maybe get the shared room allowance for your area. UC isn't great for single people I'm afraid. Did he supply them with all documents - tenancy agreement, identity documents etc as if these are not received it can block any payment due.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 19:46

sorry just looked at the dates again - if he opened the claim say on 23rd July then his assessment period would be the 24- 23rd with payment on 30th. So July wages may have fallen in that assessment period and cancelled out his UC.

LeftRightCentre · 01/09/2018 19:53

UC is notorious for being crap at paying out. Be prepared for him to not be able to pay the rent.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 19:56

I think that the problem with Uc is that elements are missed off so people get less than they were expecting , this frequently happens with the first payment.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 20:01

Also the advance is to help pay rent - what happened to that - was it not explained to him that the advance payment is to help pay rent? He had that and a months wages ?

Mama2017 · 01/09/2018 20:33

The online payment should show if his wages have cancelled out the payment - it will literally spell out exactly how the calculations are done and if any income has been reported and how this has affected the payment .. by the pay date and when he applied the pay would fall within the assessment period .. however, universal credit are known for constant mistakes so just have him double check the payment due and if there is something due then call and chase

wafflyversatile · 01/09/2018 20:36

A weeks wages.
My friend hasn't had any money in July or August while they piss about. Can't even get a loan off them. Now they are saying they might send him to a health assessment which won't happen til maybe end if September. Meanwhile he's expected to live on fresh air I guess.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 20:40

waffly - that doesn't sound right, does he have income coming in from elsewhere ?

wafflyversatile · 01/09/2018 20:58

Of course it's not right! He's getting advice on Wednesday. Hopefully they will help him sort it out.

Original poster

Littlebluebird123 · 01/09/2018 22:32

Thank you all for your advice.
It just seems so rubbish!
Waffly- I'm sorry to hear about your friend. It's such a crap system.

He worked solidly for 22 years but was made redundant. Then got 5 weeks temp (agency) work and now is completely screwed!

Yeah, it was a week's wages so not much. And the advance paid his rent up to that point but as he now has no money coming in (and maybe won't be til end of Sept) he is basically living on fresh air! That's why we're taking him in. The rent is above the single person's allowance they'll pay so the advance was only enough for a short time period. (He agreed to the rental when he was earning so it was never a problem before.)

He's over 35 and will have a proper tenancy agreement with us. We can afford to have him here with no income from him (thankfully) but he wants to contribute and would certainly be contributing when employed. (He'll still have to stay with us while employed as he'll need to start saving again for deposit/rent/credit checks etc.)

He's just hoping the agency work will pick up now it's the end of summer holidays.

No wonder people end up homeless if this is the system they're working with. 😣

OP posts:

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 22:39

What an awful situation, hope he manages to get sorted. UC is really awful for single people and yes I can understand why people fall into rent arrears so quickly.

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 22:42

My friend is in a similar situation . her youngest child ( aged 16 ) has just started an apprentiship and she has had to go onto UC. She is lucky in that she owns her own house ( from divorce settlement) but is now having to claim UC and will be getting £317 a month. At the job centre yesterday she was told she has to job search for 35 hours a week or be sanctioned and told she has to ask her daughter for board from her apprentice wage .

Original poster

Littlebluebird123 · 01/09/2018 22:59

babyroobs

That's a rubbish situation too. :(

I'm sure apprentices earn a pittance. Isn't it £3 an hour or something? Any contribution would be minimal as they have to pay for travel costs etc. Poor woman. :(

OP posts:

Babyroobs · 01/09/2018 23:24

Yes it is awful. She knows she needs to find work and has been trying for years although her skills are very much out of date, but I think what upset her most was the way the work coach spoke to her.

Original poster

Littlebluebird123 · 03/09/2018 19:39

Thanks to those who replied.

It turns out that they didn't process a form at the same time so put it all on hold!
After a long phone call, he has now been paid.

OP posts:

Dayz0fft4 · 04/09/2018 10:39

Babyroobs - was your friend expecting some extra money until her child was 18 ? The terms of UC are clear, you have to show that you have been job hunting to continue to claim the money. Has your friend applied for some Christmas jobs ?

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