Universal credit nil payment

Rachfarn1

Wondering if anyone has any knowledge of applying for universal credit after it has been closed due to earning too much this month?
Short story is that I am paid 4 weekly so this award period I have 2 wages showing. My husband is paid weekly so this pay period he has 5 wages showing.
Next month our
wages will show a huge drop as I only have one pay and he has his usual 4.
As the claim is closed once you have a nil balance I'm aware we need to reapply but my query is will we have to do the 5 weeks no money again as a new claim or is it a continuation?

calcotti

You should both be able to log into your UC journals and make a ‘rapid reclaim’.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/reapply-for-universal-credit/

If it's 6 months or less since your last Universal Credit payment, log in to your Universal Credit account on GOV.UK to make a new claim. This takes less time than your initial Universal Credit application did, and you'll get your payments on the same dates as before.

I think you will have to agree Claimant Commitment again.

Rachfarn

brilliant thankyou

tomtom256

Yep log in to your account and it will tell you what to do, there should be a big green button to click to reopen the claim.

NICKNAMETAKEN

I earn too much as I am hourly paid and my wages change every month and every 3 months I get my holiday pay.
Anyway my claim was cancelled in May yet I didn't find out till I was waiting for my money on the 13th June.....
Yes the reclaim is a fast process.
BUT
you have to take an advance payment to see you over the 5 week waiting period which is taken back monthly.
Yes the reclaim is a fast process but it is flawed as you have to take a loan out to cover the month they should of paid you for!

Universal Credit :T

calcotti

NICKNAMETAKEN wrote: »

I earn too much as I am hourly paid and my wages change every month and every 3 months I get my holiday pay.
Anyway my claim was cancelled in May yet I didn't find out till I was waiting for my money on the 13th June.....
Yes the reclaim is a fast process.
BUT
you have to take an advance payment to see you over the 5 week waiting period which is taken back monthly.
Yes the reclaim is a fast process but it is flawed as you have to take a loan out to cover the month they should of paid you for!

Universal Credit :T

But if your wages were higher that month why do you need the UC advance?

tomtom256

calcotti wrote: »

But if your wages were higher that month why do you need the UC advance?

Don't worry it's called advance fraud and it will catch up with them.

calcotti

tomtom256 wrote: »

Don't worry it's called advance fraud and it will catch up with them.

Sorry - don't follow that. Why would it be fraud to request an advance given the rules allow it?

My question was a budgeting question - I don't see the need for the advance if there is money in the bank from the increased earnings. Bearing in mind that future UC payments will be reduced by deductions to repay the advance it seems to me that taking an advance in this situation is storing up future difficulty.

tomtom256

calcotti wrote: »

Sorry - don't follow that. Why would it be fraud to request an advance given the rules allow it?

My question was a budgeting question - I don't see the need for the advance if there is money in the bank from the increased earnings. Bearing in mind that future UC payments will be reduced by deductions to repay the advance it seems to me that taking an advance in this situation is storing up future difficulty.

As he states he earns too much, but reopens his claim to get another advance.

I took that as he will never qualify as he earns too much, but keeps getting an advance anyway.

calcotti

tomtom256 wrote: »

As he states he earns too much, but reopens his claim to get another advance.

I took that as he will never qualify as he earns too much, but keeps getting an advance anyway.

My reading was that he was paid too much this month only because of having one earner paid weekly with 5 payments taken into account and one earner paid four weekly with two payments taken into account. Normally income is lower. What I didn't get is why, if they've had the extra payments, they necessarily need an advance - but I guess it does depend on the actual numbers and perhaps they do need a small advance to smooth things out.