Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Original poster

Universal credit

9 replies

user1486133359 · 08/12/2023 10:30

Any help. Universal credit are trying to take money back from me because my husband died within the assessment month. His child lived with us but returned to the other parent following his death. They are saying the child didn't live with me that month (3 weeks out of 4 they did) and also charging me bedroom tax saying it was a spare room.

OP posts:
Bromptotoo · 08/12/2023 10:41

I'm really sorry for you but I think that's how it works.

If you have a change of circs within an Assessment Period then it applies for the whole of it. Nothing is apportioned.

Part of the design of UC was 'thick red lines' so that the rules are clear. This is one of them.

Original poster
user1486133359 · 08/12/2023 10:50

Even with a death?. So I'm being penalised for my partner dying a week early !

OP posts:
IDoLikeToBeByTheSea · 08/12/2023 10:58

Have you had the three bereavement month run on?

Original poster
user1486133359 · 08/12/2023 11:06

Yes, but the first month is when they say they overpaid for a child.
If I have to pay back I will, it's the fact the child did actually live here and now they've added bedroom tax.

OP posts:
IDoLikeToBeByTheSea · 08/12/2023 11:11

Unfortunately because the change was made after the end of assessment period then the overpayment would be recovered.

Babyroobs · 08/12/2023 12:35

It depends on the situation on the last day of the assessment period so if the child leaving was reported before the last day of the AP then you won't be paid for the child for that month.

Babyroobs · 08/12/2023 12:39

It works both ways though. If a child had moved in with you a week before the end of the assessment period, you would have been paid for the child for the whole assessment period even though they had only lived with you for a week. Unfortunately the rules have just not gone in your favour this time which I completely understand is difficult. I assume you are aware of bereavement support payments and as pp says three month run on of them treating you as a couple so if you were getting carers element and LCWRA elements they will continue for 3 months. Sorry to hear of your loss.

Original poster
user1486133359 · 08/12/2023 13:52

Thanks for your help.

OP posts:
toddlermam · 08/12/2023 15:28

I'm so sorry for what you're going through. Unfortunately this is how universal credit works, so it isn't a mistake. Sorry 😔

New posts on this thread. Refresh page