First time experience of benefits. Universal credit is a joke.

seashore22

My daughter has left her husband and home due to domestic abuse and is living in a refuge with her two children. She has just received her first universal credit payment of £242 to last the month. Apparently they haven't backdated it and have entered the claim as if she is a single person and haven't included the children.

This whole experience has been a real eye opener for all of us. We have never claimed benefits, apart from child benefit, and our daughter never even claimed that because of her husband's earnings. She left the house with £10 to her name and a few clothes and children's toys. She is incredibly lucky that she is a bright women with no issues and supportive, educated parents. How on earth do vulnerable people cope with this system. Rant over.

I take it we need to go to the job centre and try to sort this out? Recent dealings with the job centre haven't been encouraging to say the least. Any advice gratefully received.

TELLIT01

Yes it will be necessary to contact the JC to get things sorted. Face to face is generally the most effective way. Don't be disheartened by previous experience as most staff genuinely do want to help. There are always a few exceptions to that rule!

sammyjammy

I would suggest that the Jobcentre may not be the most helpful place in this situation, they are unlikely to be able to help much as they are not benefit trained. I believe the expected form of communication is via her UC journal online.

Cnorm

In my experience then if you are dealing with a UC claim and go into the job centre without an appointment they tell you to go online or phone the UC number. But I did notice a section of my UC claim that said you should 'contact your local service centre' in some circumstance. Anyway, there are two UC numbers you can call, in my account then under Payments/See details it says to phone 0800 328 5644 if you think the statement is incorrect. Be prepared for a long wait!

calcotti

Has your daughter now claimed Child Benefit?


£242 for the month sounds low even for a single person. Has your daughter got other income that has been deducted?


If your daughter is liable for rent in the refuge is this being covered by UC or Housing Benefit (I can't remember if a refuge falls outside the rent support within UC)?

marliepanda

calcotti wrote: »

If your daughter is liable for rent in the refuge is this being covered by UC or Housing Benefit (I can't remember if a refuge falls outside the rent support within UC)?

Our DA refuge still has the rent paid by HB, not sure if thats national though.

Catnip63

Refuges are classed as supported accommodation so would fall under housing benefit . A single person over 25 is £317, under 25 is £251 before deductions such as advances, UC usually gets proof of children from child benefit so if you didn't claim this or it was in your partner's name you will need to provide proof of the children, you will need a further evidence interview and take children's birth certificates, if they are now in school take letter from school/doctors etc

calcotti

Catnip63 wrote: »

Refuges are classed as supported accommodation so would fall under housing benefit .

Thanks Catnip, I thought that was the case but couldn't remember for sure when I posted.

seashore22

calcotti wrote: »

Has your daughter now claimed Child Benefit?


£242 for the month sounds low even for a single person. Has your daughter got other income that has been deducted?


If your daughter is liable for rent in the refuge is this being covered by UC or Housing Benefit (I can't remember if a refuge falls outside the rent support within UC)?

So sorry for not coming back to the thread sooner. It's pretty busy and stressful here right now.

I do need to eat humble pie just a bit because they have sorted it out. They've now paid the child part of universal credit as a separate payment , so over £800 has gone in today. Such a relief because she is on the list for social housing and really needs to show some money going into her account .

Not sure exactly how it's made up, but she had an advance of £150 (I think), so that has skewed the figures slightly.

I'm fairly sure that universal credit is paid to cover rent at the refuge, which is as it should be. They are obviously short of funds, but have been vital to my daughter's family.

seashore22

Catnip63 wrote: »

Refuges are classed as supported accommodation so would fall under housing benefit . A single person over 25 is £317, under 25 is £251 before deductions such as advances, UC usually gets proof of children from child benefit so if you didn't claim this or it was in your partner's name you will need to provide proof of the children, you will need a further evidence interview and take children's birth certificates, if they are now in school take letter from school/doctors etc

That's exactly what happened. We went to the job centre this week to give them proof of address and identity.

seashore22

Once again thanks for all the helpful replies. Feeling slightly embarrassed about my original rant now.