Universal credit review

[ByGreyPlayer]

I’ve made myself ill over having my universal credit review. I never look at my bank statements but in one month I had £4,500 going in to my account. I have 2 children im on LCWRA and PIP. My children’s dad sends me money for them each month and I lend money off family due to the debt I’ve racked up over the years. Will they stop in when they see this amount going in on bank statement 😫😫

Do you mean they overpaid you and you received £4500 from them? Or that you had that amount of money go into your account from elsewhere? I would imagine they'll ask you to pay it back if it's an overpayment from them. I'm unsure what they'll say if it's come from elsewhere though. Sorry not to be of more help x

No sorry I should have explained it better. Ingoing on my statement for a month period was 4.500

No of course not , there is no limit to child maintenance just explain that is what it is. All that matters is that on the last day of your assessment period the money you have left in your account not including any benefits or wages received in that AP are below £6000 or if higher you have declared the balance to UC.

In all honesty it was ingoing £4500 in and outgoing £4500. So end balance was £0. I receive about £2400 a month over all from including all benefits I receive. I’m not sure how it looks like I’ve had that amount going in the only thing I do is I transfer the rent they give me to a separate account and then i send it back in every week it’s due. I just thought they would stop it if they seen I had that much going in is there a limit on how much you can have going in and coming out each month?

It depends where it’s from as to whether it’s disregarded or not. Where was the 4500 from?

It includes all the money I receive from UC and DWP my children’s dad gave £400 in that month and the rest was money I lent off family members

I'm aware that there are parts of the UK where the words lend and borrow are interchanged. A good friend of mine, for example, asked me for a lend of my bike.

For clarity can you confirm that, when you say lend money off family, you mean money given to you by them and with the intention it be repaid.

Just give DWP an open and honest account of where the money came from and where it went.

Yes that’s correct it’s always payed back I’m just panicking they will have a problem with that

@ByGreyPlayer thank you.

As above it they question you about it just put your cards on the table and explain.

I don't think you'll have any trouble but if you do come here, or better to an advice agency like CAB, and ask for help.

Thank you I appreciate your advice on the matter

It won’t be a problem as it’s not undeclared income etc. it’s maintenance which is disregarded and cash gifts off family so don’t worry

These comments are ridiculous there are no “cards to be laid on the table” there are no limits to the amount of money someone can give you as long as your total amount of money owned is under 16k and if it’s over £6k it’s declared so deductions can be made.

You're totally fine, don't panic.

As long as it isn't earned income that the DWP haven't been made aware of then you have nothing to worry about. By that I mean income from employment.

Your total monthly incomings can be quite high and made up of various benefits, child maintenance (as long as it's clearly child maintenance not spousal), gifts from friends/family although they may question regular large payments but that still doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. They're just wondering what it is and are mainly concerned about undeclared employment income.

There are no set limits for money going in and out of your account. If you reach the threshold of having over £6k across all accounts you hold then deductions (£4.35 for every £250 over £6k) will be made from your UC award until the amount is below £6k again. If at any point it reaches £16k your UC will stop completely. Benefit payments or earned income don't count towards the savings total until the end of the next assessment period which follows after they are received.

Hope that helps!

Not necessarily that simple if your account is reviewed and it's perfectly clear from posts her passim that claimants find them stressful.

Obviously DWO are not worried about what you use your money for, even if you have an Only Fans subscription, but if you have unexplained income on a regular basis they may question it.

The 'cards on table' advice is that I'd always use if people are questioned by officialdom (or management!!) over their activity.

It means explain it honestly in plain language and whatever you do don't conceal anything.

If it helps, I work, get DLA for my eldest, and maintenance for my children, plus I earn a little extra at different points in the year through one off work (as an examiner). I had a review about this time last year , uploaded all my accounts, had a phone call where he just asked about a few payments to clarify, asked about PayPal (so I had to upload those statements) and that was that, no issues at all. The UC worker was fine, very nice and told me I was managing my claim well. I even had some issues when I had extra examiner work that was paid and went through HMRC, I didn't realise but for some reason they didn't notify UC, even though they had the year before...this was also fine, I had an overpayment but it just got sorted out through messages and uploading totals etc, had to pay back an amount, all fine. Please try not to stress, as long as you have declared anything over 6k (and I've always been a bit hazy on this as I'm never sure if it's by the assessment date etc, but asked and was told I add up everything in my accounts, savings and current, then take off my last salary, child benefit and DLA for my child, if it's over 6k then, I have to declare it and then they take off a few pounds for every £250) and they deduct the right amount then it's fine. You'll probably get a phone call, I've just had mine and it was really simple.

How did your review go? I've been Informed we're getting one this morning and I'm panicking 😱

Honestly I wouldn’t panic I was on the phone 4 minutes. He just asked who certain people were that I sent money too or they sent money to me. They then said all is fine it will be every 6 months checks now for everyone that’s had review

Mine was also very short.

I have to say that I didn't appreciate the stress or the Intrusion. But the actual process itself was pretty much a non event.

Ok thanks. Don't think i can help worrying though lol

I don't like the fact that they need to call. I absolutely hate talking on the phone 🤢

No, I get it. A lot of people feel like that about talking on the phone.

They asked me about three transactions. One was my rent - so it really is very easy questions.