Universal Credit Confused

[Thesafetygeneral]

I am in receipt of UC and have had a telephone meeting today to check through bank statements. I’m only in receipt of my work salary and child maintenance from ex. I don’t have any savings at all but I try to manage my money well and know almost to the £1.00 what is in my account.
I get a salary every month and all of my bills come out of there and then I move my food shopping money into another account (so I always have food money) and into another account so I have spending money to take the kids out for the day / take them for a pizza / to take them camping during the holidays etc
will I get into trouble for that? For shuffling money into a separate account? I’m not getting any other income but like to keep money separate depending on what I need to use it for. I’m panicking that they’re going to think I’m up to no good when I’m just organised.

I work in benefits doing reviews checking bank statements (not uc but similar) and what youve described is incredibly normal. You'll be fine.

Why would you get into trouble? There are no rules saying you can’t have multiple accounts?

Thanks both, I’ve literally not put a foot wrong but I think going through them made me feel really guilty, like when you’re driving and there’s a copper behind you.

Thank you. Do you think when I send the other bank statements over I should explain why I move stuff around as otherwise it just all looks a bit messy?!

What do you think you’re going to be in trouble for?

They only care about undeclared income. You can have 15 bank accounts if you want.
No one cares. You can transfer your money wherever you want. And spend it on whatever you want.

No one cares. As long as they can see where the money being transferred in has come from, then it doesn’t matter. They’ll see money leave one account and arrive in the other. It’s fine.

Have you declared the existence of both accounts and their respective balances?

These checks are mainly around checking for undeclared income, eg from a side hustle, and compliance with £6/£16k capital limits.

They're not interested in how many accounts you have or how you use them. Neither are they bothered by how you spend money. They may ask about outgoings, for example if you buy a lot of stuff on Vinted and you might be selling it on for profit.

If you regularly transfer cash to relatives they might dig down in in case you're concealing capital but reimbursing stuff somebody has bought for you or gifts wouldn't raise an eyebrow.