Universal Credit claim review - PLEASE HELP!

[Mumof3gome]

I just want to start this message with saying - please no judgement..

So just for a bit of background I'm a 30 year old female, full time carer to my son and my grandmother. I have 3 children 1 boy aged 12, 2 girls aged 10 & 2. I live with my all my children and my partner.

We have a joint universal credit claim, I also receive High Rate DLA for my son and carers allowance. My partner works full time.

I have been helping out a family friend for around 2 years, just popping in when I'm nearby and doing some little household chores/ironing/helping with washing/picking up food etc for them, during this time I didn't receive any money from the family friend at all. But 6 months ago I passed my driving test and he insisted on sending me some money weekly for petrol/spend on the kids/get yourself something nice. I think the reason he wanted to start sending me some money is because I'm also doing his washing and drying and picking it up and taking it back so he's aware that is quite a bit to do without payment - I never ever asked for money I just wanted to help this family friend.

Now the problem is - UC have just asked for 4 months of banks statements from me and my partner for a claim review. I sent them all obviously, and I was speaking to a friend that also had a review and she has said that the money he sends me weekly (anywhere from £30-£60 never any more than that) is going to be seen as regular income 😭😭😭

I'm now absolutely petrified as I just didn't consider this to be a "job" or income, it's more a favour and a out the kindness of my heart type thing! I really don't know what to do but I can't eat, I can't sleep. I'm so scared 😭!!!

If anybody has ANY advice whatsoever on what the outcome of this is going to be or what I am going to say or do I'd be so grateful 😩

Thank you for reading xx

in fact substantially more - about £2500 more or less. It seems a lot for an unrelated person to send you out of the goodness of their heart, yes

Yes it is! Once I've sorted the review out I'll be sorting out everything else to do with HMRC etc, I'll have to be honest with them too and explain I didn't see it as income and I've been very silly!

Have you got business insurance on your car insurance?

Just be honest with them. I have recently had this check done on my account which covered Dec with a lot of money coming and going from my account. They asked about one payment. Not the ones I was worried about. I would explain you do a family members washing and it’s to cover costs and fuel for visits. Please don’t stress about the checks it is just a formality

I guess someone could just say you do a grocery shop regularly and pick up stuff for that person, as a favour and they are just paying you back for the shopping you did for them? Don't hold me to that though as it might be classed as dishonest.

If you do say you actually do regular tasks in exchange for money then yes, it would be classed as work/earnings I believe.

Take a deep breath.

its largely a way of him covering your out of pocket expenses - detergent, power, water, petrol etc aren't free.

listen to what Carrie has told you and stop referring to it yourself as 'income'. Think of it & call it 'covering his expenses'

there is NO WAY you will go to prison & its such a tiny amount they won't take you off UC, at most they'll tell you that you need to
pay some of it back.

Let's be honest, if you are doing all this for your friend on a regular basis you can and should get a part time job cleaning and ironing.

Your only "get out" is to say it's for expenses (petrol and bits of shopping you get for him).

Don't worry OP

I was asked, last Year, to provide 4 months of Statements, which I did.
I then got my appointed telephone call and answered the few questions I was asked. .
I get why they checked, but when explained to them, it was all fine .
You are allowed to receive financial payments as gifts.. Its mainly from my DM anyway but she always puts on the reference what it is for. . ie Shopping .
I would wonder if your situation would simply be seen as a gift ... especially if you explain all that you do for the person.

Best of Luck .

He's only been sending me money for 5 months and 1 week.
For 3 months of those it was £10 3 times a week (for petrol and in his words "get yourself and the kids something")
Then for the last 2 months and 1 week I have been doing alot more for him. Including washing and drying his clothes as his washing machine has broken and he's still not got round to buying another one (I have repeatedly tried to sit and order, offered to help him get one) but he never gets round to it. I've also taken him shopping once a week so instead of the usual £10 3 times a week he has been sending £20 3 times a week

I didn’t realise random bits of money would count as income, how much more can poor people be penalised?

Is he registered disabled?

In between caring for my grandmother and disabled son? It doesn't take alot of time for me to grab a bag of washing take it home wash it and take it back. Or to stop and have a coffee with a lonely person that has literally NOBODY, whilst helping him do things around the flat. I take him shopping on the day I do my own food shop so that also doesn't waste the week away. Unfortunately my daughter still isn't in nursery she is on 4 waiting lists, the area I live has very long waiting lists. So getting a job unfortunately isn't an option right now, I take her everywhere with me.

No he's not registered disabled, he is a bit of a hoarder and lost his wife recently, since then his mental health has really deteriorated. Unfortunately his daughter lives in New Zealand and he has no family at all that help. He doesn't drive and he's overweight. He doesn't fit the "criteria" for needing a carer and tbf he can do all the usual things like getting himself dressed, making his own food etc he's just very lonely and needs a bit of a nudge to get up and organised. If I didn't go round and help him/have these chats/take him shopping/do his washing - I really do worry about what would eventually happen to him!

Seriously, neither did I. This is the whole reason I didn't declare it, I genuinely didn't even think that somebody giving me petrol money etc for taking them shopping and helping them out would be classed as income. Because if I did I either wouldn't have accepted it at all OR asked him for cash instead!

How old is he?
how does he survive financially?

Thank you for your reply. Can I ask how long it took from the initial claim review request being sent - to then receiving a telephone appointment? Thank you xx

He's 74 and has a fantastic pension, his flat is bought outright after he sold his house when his wife died. He has savings aswell. Financially he is absolutely okay, it's just the little day to day things I think he struggles with, his wife used to do everything for him. I'm still in contact with his daughter and she zoom calls him whenever she can but work commitments means she rarely travels back from New Zealand to see him. He doesn't ask for help, but I insist on helping him. He's the most kind and selfless man you'd ever meet.

I think the worry is that UC could see it as self emlpoyment with all the hassle that brings on UC, although op wouldn't be expected to earn a certain threshold as self employed as she is a carer so has no minimum income floor to reach.

It’s a gift. People can help people out with gifts. It’s not in the list of prohibited non earned income. It’s just a gift.
My DD28 lives with me and is disabled. She pays me board out of her UC. You could say I was gifting her ££ every month as what she pays is now where near what it costs for her to live here! But there’s nothing wrong with it. I just don’t want to leave her broke.

Of course not, I don't need business insurance on my car insurance

It's not random, it's a regular payment of up to £60 a week.

this Isn’t for social or commuting purposes
you are being paid to do a job which involves your vehicle

so yes it does actually

How many hours does the £60 a week cover?

If I said this they would expect to see the money going out to a grocery store wouldn't they on the same day. I do £50 a week petrol and he sends £60 a week so it does cover it pretty much but it's just whether they're going to accept that or not

£50 week petrol?!

Is he local?