Universal credit random ask

[Willows653]

ive just received a change in circumstances in my to do journal on universal credit, its asked me if I'm living with a partner and just to confirm other things, children living with me etc. has anyone else had this? Or is it just random? Just to confirm I’m not living with a partner and I filled everything in all correctly so just wondered why I would have received this?

I don't think you're the first person I've seen with a similar question either here or on one of the Facebook groups around UC. It seems to be part of a DWP move to more intervention, or perhaps less leaving people to their own devices.

Perhaps it was meant to be that way. A lot of changes/easements were made during the pandemic and only now being unwound.

My suggestion would just be to answer the questions honestly and don't over think it.

Move to more intervention? Can you elaborate please? I have answered honestly but I suffer with anxiety, I was on holiday last week and had my dad checking on the house and doing the garden etc so worried I’ve been reported for that

I don’t think you’ve been reported. They know that people’s circumstances change and often they don’t report the changes, so they’re just pre-emptively checking in the hope that if people’s circumstances have actually changed, they will tell them. If your circumstances haven’t changed you just tell them that. You’ve got nothing to worry about.

My savings have gone up a few hundred pounds but that’s it 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m still well below the limit for savings so hopefully don’t get in trouble for not reporting it sooner

@Willows653 just for perspective I'm a retired Welfare Rights person keeping my eye in. The comment about intervention is based on what I'm seeing here and what I think I've read into comments by DWP ministers.

Long term claimants, those without 'all work' conditionality, didn't hear much from DWP from one year's end to the next. Certainly those on ESA long term migrating to UC told us that.

Apart from the lack of any form of support that also allowed unreported changes to slip the net with people both missing out on cash and receiving it when they shouldn't. As @MrsPapillon says I think they're pre-emptively asking people questions to ensure fewer problems occur going forward.

I doubt a neighbour saying there was a man about the place is the trigger. Most likely it's just routine. Like the reviews with bank statements etc.

It seems to be a routine ask now, from what I've seen on the Facebook groups.
I was asked the same about a month ago, I answered the questions and nothing came of it. It was checking I am still single, yes; checking still 2 kids in my care, yes; checking my monthly pay is still X amount (yes, but no idea why seeing as they RTI), then checking the balances of my accounts- still vastly below £6k!

These are the exact things I was asked so probably just a routine thing then!

I know anxiety's a beggar to deal with but try not to let this stuff make you ill.

I expect it's so that it's easier to prove that some people have lied about their circumstances and make it harder for them to say 'oh I just forgot to notify you'. It may put some people off being dishonest and would make it easier to prosecute those that do lie and recoup the money.

You are living at governmental expense, therefore you report to them. What has anxiety has to do here

I get a small top up, I work five days a week.

And anxiety is anxiety, I don’t choose to have it. That’s what it’s doing here.

Makes sense, I haven’t lied about my savings but when I put money away each month I just haven’t updated it every time I’ve put it into my savings. Do you think this would be ok?

Christ almighty. Are you real?

FACT.

Many, maybe most claimants find dealing with the DWP induces anxiety.

Lucky them hey, never had to deal with it! They obviously don’t realise most people on uc and ‘living at governmental expense’ are actually in work.

They are ramping up on sending these requests more regularly. Also the one where they request four months of bank statements followed by a phone call to discuss those statements.

I got the first request after three months of starting UC, and the bank statements request after four and a half months. Some people have had three in a year, others have had none for five years so it's really random!

I haven’t had any of the bank statements asked for yet, I should suspect it’s coming soon though!

I had a check recently. The wanted tenancy agreement. 3 utility bills. 3 months of bank statements. Then we had an 30 minute appointment each which last 5 minutes to go through the bank statements and had to confirm all the details were correct online as well. It was just a standard random check.

Do they want to see what you’re spending your money on? Or is it more what you have coming in?

I think that, aside from just checking basic stuff - partner, kids etc - they're looking for undisclosed earnings e.g. from some sort of side hustle and policing the £6/£16k capital limits.

They're not trying to police your spending and you'd be perfectly entitled to tell them to sod off if they did.

I guess the exception might be if it looked as though you were sourcing/reselling on Vinted or similar.

What's going in. They want to see if your selling stuff online or making a income thats not declared. I do a lot of shopping for my mum and she transfers me the money . They didn't even query it. They also want to know about savings.

It seems to depend on who calls you. Mine was absolutely lovely and very reassuring but I know there are horrible people also doing this job. My first job centre coach was absolutely vile and she shouted at me with her very first sentence. Not even a hello but straight in to being berated for daring to apply for UC.

I'm on a Facebook group and it seems very random as to what questions are asked regarding statements. I don't post on it but I've found some of the answers there to be very reassuring, especially with all the changes that have happened. It's called Universal Credit and has 257K members if you are interested.