Universal credit and private pension contributions

the_pink_panther_2

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

spaniel101

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

Your SIPP contributions are never included in your award per say.

You need to:

Report them on your journal every month
Request a To-Do function to upload evidence
Request an MR each time (after assessment period ends) and await the outcome.   

As I say, on the whole mine are (usually) done within a couple of weeks, the statement is then recalculated and reissued and a refund of the monies owed, are paid to you within a few days.   I contact them every 2 days if ive not had an update to the latest one and continue with that until resolution.   Sometimes messages are simply not dealt with efficiently, or even sometimes it seems, ignored, hence I have no problem putting in frequent formal Complaints.  In the summer, my Case Manager was (understandably) on holiday for 2 weeks, just one of their many excuses.   

The other problem is the constant inappropriate back-chat from the Complaints 'managers', who refuse/choose not to re-educate themselves on the legislation (despite having had several satisfactory outcomes from Decision Makers already confirming the legislation) but choose to rather respond with "...I have told you before, sent to my Policy Team for possible deprivation of income", this is despite my informing them of the particulars on more than one occassion. 

Unfortunately for them, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

At this point, its hard not to believe that its pure obfuscation on their part, which does nothing but simply create more work for them.


They will tell you they dont have a formal process for it, hence MR's with evidence every month and recalculation.



"I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite":   

This is precisely what is happening.

justwhat

spaniel101 said:

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

Your SIPP contributions are never included in your award per say.

You need to:

Report them on your journal every month
Request a To-Do function to upload evidence
Request an MR each time (after assessment period ends) and await the outcome.   

As I say, on the whole mine are (usually) done within a couple of weeks, the statement is then recalculated and reissued and a refund of the monies owed, are paid to you within a few days.   I contact them every 2 days if ive not had an update to the latest one and continue with that until resolution.   Sometimes messages are simply not dealt with efficiently, or even sometimes it seems, ignored, hence I have no problem putting in frequent formal Complaints.  In the summer, my Case Manager was (understandably) on holiday for 2 weeks, just one of their many excuses.   

The other problem is the constant inappropriate back-chat from the Complaints 'managers', who refuse/choose not to re-educate themselves on the legislation (despite having had several satisfactory outcomes from Decision Makers already confirming the legislation) but choose to rather respond with "...I have told you before, sent to my Policy Team for possible deprivation of income", this is despite my informing them of the particulars on more than one occassion. 

Unfortunately for them, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

At this point, its hard not to believe that its pure obfuscation on their part, which does nothing but simply create more work for them.


They will tell you they dont have a formal process for it, hence MR's with evidence every month and recalculation.



"I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite":   

This is precisely what is happening.

Interesting ...our method as a couple 

Partner SE
Enter pension and earning at end of month via SE page in UC

Partner PAYE 
Notify in journal AVC to pension

Almost £0 total earnings

After 2/3 days it goes to DM (our journal entry triggers DM request )then chase after about 4 weeks, They then alter UC amount.

only the first month did i have to provide proof of pension contributions. We have never had to upload proof since.(we have had 4 payments from UC so far)

We only ever have one payment pending/outstanding in journal at any one time.

the_pink_panther_2

@justwhat That's interesting, perhaps the process is more efficient if you are self employed then.  Maybe then if someone could get a small amount of self employed work in addition to their employed work, they could then have that additional function and everything would happen in a less stressful way?

justwhat

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@justwhat That's interesting, perhaps the process is more efficient if you are self employed then.  Maybe then if someone could get a small amount of self employed work in addition to their employed work, they could then have that additional function and everything would happen in a less stressful way?

i don't think so . it feels like there is no consistency in how they handle additional/pension contributions.

For Standard SE, UC pension contributions are more or less automated.

But the system does not handle PAYE / additional pension contributions properly. And i think various departments/areas handle it differently depending on region you are in.

Think i am just lucky and the DM and others are fairly efficient considering the system they are using.

i have also not had any hassle regarding the fact my joint earnings come out at almost £0. eg. no queries regarding hours worked etc This could be because i am still technically also registered as SE but do not get an income from it. Still in 1 year transitional period so do not have to worry  about MIF for SE.

spaniel101

spaniel101 said:

🤔 Mmmh - wonder what they are up to now (or not…as the case may be!)

As you were - all sorted for Octobers refund.

michaels

spaniel101 said:

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

Your SIPP contributions are never included in your award per say.

You need to:

Report them on your journal every month
Request a To-Do function to upload evidence
Request an MR each time (after assessment period ends) and await the outcome.   

As I say, on the whole mine are (usually) done within a couple of weeks, the statement is then recalculated and reissued and a refund of the monies owed, are paid to you within a few days.   I contact them every 2 days if ive not had an update to the latest one and continue with that until resolution.   Sometimes messages are simply not dealt with efficiently, or even sometimes it seems, ignored, hence I have no problem putting in frequent formal Complaints.  In the summer, my Case Manager was (understandably) on holiday for 2 weeks, just one of their many excuses.   

The other problem is the constant inappropriate back-chat from the Complaints 'managers', who refuse/choose not to re-educate themselves on the legislation (despite having had several satisfactory outcomes from Decision Makers already confirming the legislation) but choose to rather respond with "...I have told you before, sent to my Policy Team for possible deprivation of income", this is despite my informing them of the particulars on more than one occassion. 

Unfortunately for them, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

At this point, its hard not to believe that its pure obfuscation on their part, which does nothing but simply create more work for them.


They will tell you they dont have a formal process for it, hence MR's with evidence every month and recalculation.



"I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite":   

This is precisely what is happening.

How does one submit a formal complaint?  Thanks

NedS

michaels said:

spaniel101 said:

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

Your SIPP contributions are never included in your award per say.

You need to:

Report them on your journal every month
Request a To-Do function to upload evidence
Request an MR each time (after assessment period ends) and await the outcome.   

As I say, on the whole mine are (usually) done within a couple of weeks, the statement is then recalculated and reissued and a refund of the monies owed, are paid to you within a few days.   I contact them every 2 days if ive not had an update to the latest one and continue with that until resolution.   Sometimes messages are simply not dealt with efficiently, or even sometimes it seems, ignored, hence I have no problem putting in frequent formal Complaints.  In the summer, my Case Manager was (understandably) on holiday for 2 weeks, just one of their many excuses.   

The other problem is the constant inappropriate back-chat from the Complaints 'managers', who refuse/choose not to re-educate themselves on the legislation (despite having had several satisfactory outcomes from Decision Makers already confirming the legislation) but choose to rather respond with "...I have told you before, sent to my Policy Team for possible deprivation of income", this is despite my informing them of the particulars on more than one occassion. 

Unfortunately for them, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

At this point, its hard not to believe that its pure obfuscation on their part, which does nothing but simply create more work for them.


They will tell you they dont have a formal process for it, hence MR's with evidence every month and recalculation.



"I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite":   

This is precisely what is happening.

How does one submit a formal complaint?  Thanks

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

https://makeacomplaint.dwp.gov.uk/

NedS

justwhat said:

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@justwhat That's interesting, perhaps the process is more efficient if you are self employed then.  Maybe then if someone could get a small amount of self employed work in addition to their employed work, they could then have that additional function and everything would happen in a less stressful way?

i don't think so . it feels like there is no consistency in how they handle additional/pension contributions.

I will agree with that.

To understand it, you have to understand how DWP internal guidance works. The guidance is very clear in stating what must happen. It states that pension contributions must be deducted. So any Case Managers who tell you otherwise simply haven't read the guidance or simply refuse to believe someone should be allowed to pay their salary into a pension and receive more UC.

However, the guidance does not tell the Case Manager how it should happen, and that's where the lack of consistency comes from.

There is an official process, but to find out what that is, the Case Manager would either have to know it from past experience, or they would have to raise a support ticket (called an ACT), from which they should receive the official response on how the deductions are to be made.

In all cases, evidence should have been requested and provided for every AP.

spaniel101

michaels said:

spaniel101 said:

the_pink_panther_2 said:

@spaniel101 Once you received your first Mandatory Reconsideration, what was your process to get your SIPP contributions included in your award?  I'd assumed that after the first time it would have gone more smoothly.  Does it need to be sent for MR every month? Because those can take months in which case either they have some better process for after the first, or you managed to get heard better, was that from complaining?  I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite.

Your SIPP contributions are never included in your award per say.

You need to:

Report them on your journal every month
Request a To-Do function to upload evidence
Request an MR each time (after assessment period ends) and await the outcome.   

As I say, on the whole mine are (usually) done within a couple of weeks, the statement is then recalculated and reissued and a refund of the monies owed, are paid to you within a few days.   I contact them every 2 days if ive not had an update to the latest one and continue with that until resolution.   Sometimes messages are simply not dealt with efficiently, or even sometimes it seems, ignored, hence I have no problem putting in frequent formal Complaints.  In the summer, my Case Manager was (understandably) on holiday for 2 weeks, just one of their many excuses.   

The other problem is the constant inappropriate back-chat from the Complaints 'managers', who refuse/choose not to re-educate themselves on the legislation (despite having had several satisfactory outcomes from Decision Makers already confirming the legislation) but choose to rather respond with "...I have told you before, sent to my Policy Team for possible deprivation of income", this is despite my informing them of the particulars on more than one occassion. 

Unfortunately for them, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

At this point, its hard not to believe that its pure obfuscation on their part, which does nothing but simply create more work for them.


They will tell you they dont have a formal process for it, hence MR's with evidence every month and recalculation.



"I remember before UC started they said it was also to help people manage their money better, but getting decisions and payments months later does the opposite":   

This is precisely what is happening.

How does one submit a formal complaint?  Thanks

Using the link above from NedS, its very easy to do michaels.   Go 3/4 of the way down that page, just above the video it says:

Make an online complaint about Universal Credit.

Keep it very short and sweet, bullet points of what has happened and what you are awaiting for plus the appauling service and submit.    This 'should' create some movement for you.   These are usually answered fairly quickly within 2-7 days in my experience.   My first complaint manager back in Feb/March communicated with the Case Manager and Decision Maker and had it all wrapped up within 48hours with refund made straight away.  


Keep a copy and paste of what you send, that way you can keep a record of your complaints for future reference if needs be.