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UC - "Universal Con!"
jessejazza
Posts: 13 Forumite
Since I claimed 17 June and discovered I get nothing I would be grateful to hear from folk where I am supposed to have read all the info. I get a late payment 21 June from previous employer which was over £318 so nothing for my first assessment period 17jun-16jul. I actually got a job late Jun but have had to wait until Sep for security clearance.
As my wages were not that high in the job I had very little money to get me by so cashed a pension which gave me a lump sum over £6000 paid 25jul. In the next assessment period so no UC. I was invited to claim for the expenses for the job I have got as this was £240 by 3 staff at the Job Centre.
Big surprise this week - the expenses won't be paid as I won't get a UC payment. So why did 3 members of Job centre staff NOT tell me. From what I have experienced of this UC - it seems a blatant infringement of 'Duty of Care' enshrined in our common law. When I completed the form 17 jun I don't remember anything to warn one of late wage payments and that deductions would be made. Presumably benefits like a prescription or dentist appointment would depend on a UC payment. Council tax reduction? - only if you have a UC payment £317.82.
I am obviously thick - isn't Iain Duncan Smith clever to have set this up. I've worked for 30 years and find that folk can come from Europe instantly claim benefits from a system they have never paid into. I think when one claims you should receive advice NOT find out everything later to one's detriment. Travelling to the Job Centre has cost me about £60 for nothing. They even offered me a course last week and expenses would be paid... well, a bit wiser now - I could give an answer!
I cancelled my appointment on Wed 7aug as I am suffering stress, and now I have been 'urged' to see the Manager and have an appointment Tue 13th (13 is that lucky or unlucky I don't know).
As my wages were not that high in the job I had very little money to get me by so cashed a pension which gave me a lump sum over £6000 paid 25jul. In the next assessment period so no UC. I was invited to claim for the expenses for the job I have got as this was £240 by 3 staff at the Job Centre.
Big surprise this week - the expenses won't be paid as I won't get a UC payment. So why did 3 members of Job centre staff NOT tell me. From what I have experienced of this UC - it seems a blatant infringement of 'Duty of Care' enshrined in our common law. When I completed the form 17 jun I don't remember anything to warn one of late wage payments and that deductions would be made. Presumably benefits like a prescription or dentist appointment would depend on a UC payment. Council tax reduction? - only if you have a UC payment £317.82.
I am obviously thick - isn't Iain Duncan Smith clever to have set this up. I've worked for 30 years and find that folk can come from Europe instantly claim benefits from a system they have never paid into. I think when one claims you should receive advice NOT find out everything later to one's detriment. Travelling to the Job Centre has cost me about £60 for nothing. They even offered me a course last week and expenses would be paid... well, a bit wiser now - I could give an answer!
I cancelled my appointment on Wed 7aug as I am suffering stress, and now I have been 'urged' to see the Manager and have an appointment Tue 13th (13 is that lucky or unlucky I don't know).
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jessejazza wrote: »Since I claimed 17 June and discovered I get nothing I would be grateful to hear from folk where I am supposed to have read all the info. I get a late payment 21 June from previous employer which was over £318 so nothing for my first assessment period 17jun-16jul. I actually got a job late Jun but have had to wait until Sep for security clearance.
As my wages were not that high in the job I had very little money to get me by so cashed a pension which gave me a lump sum over £6000 paid 25jul. In the next assessment period so no UC. I was invited to claim for the expenses for the job I have got as this was £240 by 3 staff at the Job Centre.
Big surprise this week - the expenses won't be paid as I won't get a UC payment. So why did 3 members of Job centre staff NOT tell me. From what I have experienced of this UC - it seems a blatant infringement of 'Duty of Care' enshrined in our common law. When I completed the form 17 jun I don't remember anything to warn one of late wage payments and that deductions would be made. Presumably benefits like a prescription or dentist appointment would depend on a UC payment. Council tax reduction? - only if you have a UC payment £317.82.
I am obviously thick - isn't Iain Duncan Smith clever to have set this up. I've worked for 30 years and find that folk can come from Europe instantly claim benefits from a system they have never paid into. I think when one claims you should receive advice NOT find out everything later to one's detriment. Travelling to the Job Centre has cost me about £60 for nothing. They even offered me a course last week and expenses would be paid... well, a bit wiser now - I could give an answer!
That's not true. They must wait a minimum of 3 months then must be a qualified person who passes the habitual residence test.
Do you have a question.0 -
This may also affect future UC payments. Did you report those changes?jessejazza wrote: »As my wages were not that high in the job I had very little money to get me by so cashed a pension which gave me a lump sum over £6000 paid 25jul.0 -
jessejazza wrote: »I would be grateful to hear from folk where I am supposed to have read all the info.
A few examples
https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit
https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/universal-credit
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/What-is-Universal-Credit
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/
https://revenuebenefits.org.uk/universal-credit/guidance/entitlement-to-uc/calculating-universal-credit/Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0 -
it seems a blatant infringement of 'Duty of Care' enshrined in our common law.
Duty of care is a 20thC invention. Before that you were expected to look after yourself.Did you report those changes?
Cashing in a pension is quite a drastic solution to the issue. It may be all you could do at the time, but it will have an effect as @poppy12345 saysfind that folk can come from Europe instantly claim benefits from a system they have never paid into
On a personal note, us "folk from Europe" have all but given up on the UK and taken our skills elsewhere. We will switch the light off when we leave so don't worry about the bill.Unlike some here, I am not omniscient. If I am wrong correct me. I won't take offence.
The law is like an ocean - have a swim but don't drown.0 -
jessejazza wrote: »....folk can come from Europe instantly claim benefits from a system they have never paid into.
As others have pointed out this isn’t true. It’s also worth pointing out that the rights EEA nationals have in the UK are one side of a system that also gives rights to UK nationals in other EEA countries - for the time being at least.Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0 -
Please don’t take your frustration of the benefits system out on others. They are not the ones that made the rules. Also benefits are not instantly handed to them. In most cases they would have to pay into the system for the last 5 years.
Have you thought about applying for
New style JSA? Your Universal Credit award would not have been nilled due to savings just over £6k unless you had some other earnings or deductions. The only way this might have happened is if this came through as earnings reported by your employer.
Have you read and understood your statements? Also you feel that you should be informed of all the rules, everything is available for you to read online before you apply. Why did you choose not to read it?0 -
Scottishbargainhunter wrote: »Your Universal Credit award would not have been nilled due to savings just over £6k unless you had some other earnings or deductions. The only way this might have happened is if this came through as earnings reported by your employer.
The payment of a pension will count as unearned income in the assessment period in which it is received which will result in a nil payment. Any remaining money will count as capital in the the following months. (I have made the same error myself in the past - in order to have the capital it first has to be received!)Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0 -
I didn't look at JSA as I thought all had been replaced by UC. Thanks for pointing it out as I can claim both... which makes things rather confusing. I thought UC was just JSA/incomesupport/unemployment benefit under "one roof".Scottishbargainhunter wrote: »....
New style JSA? Your Universal Credit award would not have been nilled due to savings just over £6k unless you had some other earnings or deductions. The only way this might have happened is if this came through as earnings reported by your employer.
Have you read and understood your statements? Also you feel that you should be informed of all the rules, everything is available for you to read online before you apply. Why did you choose not to read it?
But I doubt now that I can backdate a JSA - I am just looking into it now. Coming off UC one is worse off than on JSA depending when a job starts.0 -
jessejazza wrote: »I didn't look at JSA as I thought all had been replaced by UC. Thanks for pointing it out as I can claim both... which makes things rather confusing. I thought UC was just JSA/incomesupport/unemployment benefit under "one roof".
If you claim both the JSA is taken into account as income for UC and your UC is reduced by the same amount. If your UC is less than £73.10 a week then you will get more on JSA. If your UC is more than this then there is no overall gain claiming both. JSA can only be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks.Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.0 -
If you only received £318 earnings in that first AP, that's not enough to nil your UC if you're getting the 317.82 standard allowance. Guessing you either took out advances or had additional earnings or other income in that assessment period.Amount left to pay on house = 64,400.
Savings buffer = 1,028.75 of 2415.
Next large expense = 159 of 483.0
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