Universal credit checks

[aims86]

Bit of an odd one,

I split from my partner at the end of June and moved in with my parents and started a universal credit claim, I then moved back in with my partner last week and have since had a notification to say “We are undertaking some checks on your Universal Credit claim”

i was in the process of changing my address on things such as bank accounts etc but as it was only temporary me staying with my parents I kept my address at my partners address.

im worried now that these checks are because I never changed addresses for everything? Will I get into any trouble for this? I’m worried they may think that I never moved out in the first place? Or are these just general checks?

They are perhaps looking into whether you actually did split up properly if you never changed address on some things and are now making a joint claim again.

Have you reported a change on your UC journal now that you are no longer single?

Yeah I have changed it this morning

They don't care about you updating your address in n all your documents. They will be doing it because didn't update your claim as soon as you moved back. It's really fast for them to act if you only moved back a week ago so I reckon someone has reported you.

Do you think you will still qualify with your partner on the claim? If so I think he now needs to make a claim and you link the claims together.

No I don’t think we will. I’m really worried that they will think I was lying as I don’t really have any proof that we actually separated as it was for a short period. I’m worried I will get into some kind of trouble for fraud etc :(

Well yes I guess anyone could say they had split to claim extra money. Did you separate finances, bank accounts , take your name of bills at your home, register your car insurance at your new address etc ? These are things they are likely to consider, although i imagine they would allow some time for these to be done.

No I didn’t change anything, I was in the process of finding somewhere new to live while staying with my parents so it was easier to keep everything registered with his address while I found somewhere new to live rather than changing addresses on everything twice. It is only my first claim and the first month of claiming so im not sure if they would run an investigation so soon or if these are just general checks that they do

If it is only your first month of claiming then it's probably just additional ID checks? If you haven't received a payment already then you will be unlikely to as it is calculated on circumstances on the last day of your assessment period.

You said you made the claim when you moved in to your parents, so presumably you gave their address at the time? The issue there is even if they can somehow verify that you then moved back and didn't tell the DWP until a week after - possibly prompted by them saying they were going to investigate. So even if you can prove you did move out, you can't defend not telling them about moving back.