Haven't received UC payment because wages reported, but I don't have a job....strange situation

daveintyneside

Hi

This is my first post so please be gentle, apologies for the long post

I'm in a bit of a strange situation.

I've just checked my universal credit account to see when my work search review is, and I noticed that I haven't been paid Universal Credit for 2 months.

When I checked, why, it's showing that I've had earnings reported by my employer, which has taken me over the threshold.

When I've checked my bank account I can see these wages that have been paid by my employer, but I don't have a job.

I was offered a job in another city, and I was set to move, but the houseshare I was moving into, I paid the rent and deposit and was scammed, so I couldn't move, had no money to move, and couldn't start the job.

I ended up having a breakdown because of it (my 2nd this year, 1st one due to being bullied at work in January, me complaining and getting the sack)

I emailed my new employer, explained the situation, apologised that I couldn't start work and thought no more of it.

So over the last 2 months I've received wages from this "employer" but I've received absolutely no correspondence to my home address or to my email address, no phone calls, nothing, so I assumed it was my universal credit payment that had gone in,

I've used these wages to pay my bills, thinking it was Universal credit, because I've got a sick note from my GP, I handed in my last sick note 2 weeks ago and have heard nothing from DWP, as I would have thought if earnings were being reported whether correctly or not, then why hasn't no one questioned why I haven't reported a change in circumstances.

Now i'm in the position where I need to pay this money back to my employer, but I'm still missing out on the Universal credit I would have had, had this massive mistake not happened, so when I pay this money back, what happens to the Universal credit I should have had, will it be backdated, will the "employer" need to contact the DWP to admit their mistake.

The only reason i'm asking here, is because I dread ringing the DWP, they left me with no money earlier in the year when I first claimed, I'd just had a breakdown, I explained that I had no money for food or bills and the lady on the phone told me to get a credit card...what a joke

So if anyone can provide any advice, I'm not burying my head in the sand as it needs to get sorted.

I'm going to email HR of the employers now to advise of their mistake and what they intend to do to put it right, as I can't pay the money back as it's gone on bills, the only way I can pay it back is for them to admit their mistake, contact the dwp so that they can reverse the earnings so that I can get my UC to pay them back

Any suggestions or advice on how to approach this would be much appreciated

[Deleted User]

daveintyneside wrote: »

Hi

This is my first post so please be gentle, apologies for the long post

I'm in a bit of a strange situation.

I've just checked my universal credit account to see when my work search review is, and I noticed that I haven't been paid Universal Credit for 2 months.

When I checked, why, it's showing that I've had earnings reported by my employer, which has taken me over the threshold.

When I've checked my bank account I can see these wages that have been paid by my employer, but I don't have a job.

I was offered a job in another city, and I was set to move, but the houseshare I was moving into, I paid the rent and deposit and was scammed, so I couldn't move, had no money to move, and couldn't start the job.

I ended up having a breakdown because of it (my 2nd this year, 1st one due to being bullied at work in January, me complaining and getting the sack)

I emailed my new employer, explained the situation, apologised that I couldn't start work and thought no more of it.

So over the last 2 months I've received wages from this "employer" but I've received absolutely no correspondence to my home address or to my email address, no phone calls, nothing, so I assumed it was my universal credit payment that had gone in,

I've used these wages to pay my bills, thinking it was Universal credit, because I've got a sick note from my GP, I handed in my last sick note 2 weeks ago and have heard nothing from DWP, as I would have thought if earnings were being reported whether correctly or not, then why hasn't no one questioned why I haven't reported a change in circumstances.

Now i'm in the position where I need to pay this money back to my employer, but I'm still missing out on the Universal credit I would have had, had this massive mistake not happened, so when I pay this money back, what happens to the Universal credit I should have had, will it be backdated, will the "employer" need to contact the DWP to admit their mistake.

The only reason i'm asking here, is because I dread ringing the DWP, they left me with no money earlier in the year when I first claimed, I'd just had a breakdown, I explained that I had no money for food or bills and the lady on the phone told me to get a credit card...what a joke

So if anyone can provide any advice, I'm not burying my head in the sand as it needs to get sorted.

I'm going to email HR of the employers now to advise of their mistake and what they intend to do to put it right, as I can't pay the money back as it's gone on bills, the only way I can pay it back is for them to admit their mistake, contact the dwp so that they can reverse the earnings so that I can get my UC to pay them back

Any suggestions or advice on how to approach this would be much appreciated

How can you expect benefits when you've had wages and spent them from a job you don't have 🙄

daveintyneside

You've missed my point

The wages were paid to me incorrectly, so they need to be paid back, except I don't have the money to pay them back as I've paid my bills thinking I'd received Universal Credit

How do I go about reporting the mistake to the DWP so they can see the mistake, so that I can get Universal credit back dated, so that I can pay the wages back

The wages haven't been spent on anything other than bills, it's not like i've gone out and been wreckless

poppy12345

Do you never check your bank statements? surely you would have seen where that money come from?


Do you never check your UC journal? I find this very strange. I'm not sure you'll ever get that money backdated from UC because the maximum they will backdate is 1 month and only in extreme circumstances.

elsien

poppy12345 wrote: »

Do you never check your bank statements? surely you would have seen where that money come from?


Do you never check your UC journal? I find this very strange. I'm not sure you'll ever get that money backdated from UC because the maximum they will backdate is 1 month and only in extreme circumstances.

I'm not sure that's entirely correct as I've supported someone to backdate longer than that - I think it was closer to 3 months.

calcotti

You need something from the employer confirming that the wages were paid in error and need to be paid back. I assume your employer needs also to report the error to HMRC so that their records in respect of you are amended. You may then be able to persuade DWP to revise the decision not to pay you in the relevant months. Provided you had a live claim at the time this is not about backdating the claim

If not you are going to have to come to an agreement with employer to pay back money over time.

daveintyneside

Thanks for the replies

I've emailed the company concerned advising of their mistake and that I want to get it sorted and to pay the money back but to do this I need a letter confirming that I was paid incorrectly and they want the money back and also to contact HMRC to rectify their mistake to show that I never earned this money so that I can get my Universal credit to pay this back to the employer.

If they want the money back then they need to help me to help them.

I should have checked my bank statements, but I rarely check them even when i'm working, and I haven't been checking my UC account, it was the last thing on my mind, as i've been recovering from a breakdown, getting used to medication and attending hospital appointments, so I haven't been on the ball, but lessons learned now

kpols

Please accept what the poster is saying at face value.

I don't see the need to criticise and second guess.

Also side note, based on a wild assumption-- would you check your bank account only to be depressed by your lack of money?

poppy12345

kpols wrote: »

would you check your bank account only to be depressed by your lack of money?

Yes i would thanks!! I always keep check of my bank, if i didn't then i wouldn't know what i was spending and how much i had left at the end of the month. I don't have a huge amount either but i certainly like to keep check of my finances.

Blackpool_Saver

This not checking bank accounts makes no sense to me. Unless you are so ill you physically or mentally cannot check an app on a phone, how can you not know what is going into your bank for months?

kpols

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

This not checking bank accounts makes no sense to me. Unless you are so ill you physically or mentally cannot check an app on a phone, how can you not know what is going into your bank for months?

The OP stated that they have struggled with their mental health.