Advice on Universal Credit assessment period and payments

crazyshady

This week I noticed my assessment period for this month had changed by 3 days, usually from the 2nd of the month to now the 5th. I get paid fortnightly so normally have 2 payments within each assessment period but my payments page my assessment period ends on the 2nd October. My question is, I get paid on the 4th of October and if the date had stayed the same....which it was on Monday....as the 2nd of October, everything would be fine but I get my payslip on the 2nd of October saying what I will get 2 days later on the Friday.


Will my assessment period ending on the 2nd somehow include the payslip I receive that same day and therefore they will include 3 sets of wages which no doubt affect my payment or can they not include that payslip as it is money I would not yet have been paid? Also the statement date has now changed to the 5th of October and since they are closed at the weekend I wont know what that statement says until the Monday.


I don't know if the assessment period only includes what you have been actually paid in that period or if it can include what you've yet to be paid because surely what I get paid on the 4th of October will be part of the next assessment period which should be 3rd of October to 2nd November?

huckster

Confused !

AP end dates should not change in the way you explained.

Sometimes if the start date was on the 1st of the month, then the AP end date will change depending on how many days in the month.

Your earnings considered in an AP, should be what your employers have reported you were paid between the AP start and AP end date.

Crazydennie

I don't know if this is a similar issue to the OP but my statement date has changed from 7th(Mon) to the 9th(Wed). Payment date remains the same as the 13th. As the payment date is a Sunday I am expecting the money on the 11th so only 2 days between statement and payment.

Scaredashell

Hi everyone . Can anyone tell me if you fail you're esa medical how long after that does it take for you too apply for universal credit. Also if you have a budgeting loan while on esa can you get budgeting advance too cover rent although you live with you're parent who is full time employed . Any help would be great thank you .

NedS

Crazydennie wrote: »

I don't know if this is a similar issue to the OP but my statement date has changed from 7th(Mon) to the 9th(Wed). Payment date remains the same as the 13th. As the payment date is a Sunday I am expecting the money on the 11th so only 2 days between statement and payment.

I think something has recently changed on the system, and all statements are now appearing 2 days after the end of the AP.

calcotti

Crazydennie wrote: »

I don't know if this is a similar issue to the OP but my statement date has changed from 7th(Mon) to the 9th(Wed). Payment date remains the same as the 13th. As the payment date is a Sunday I am expecting the money on the 11th so only 2 days between statement and payment.

Although the statement date has changed I would assume that this doesn’t mean the assessment period dates have changed.

crazyshady

Sorry for any confusion I have caused. My assessment period is from the 3rd of each month. I get paid fortnightly so next week I get paid on the 4th October but my payslip comes through on the 2nd, the same day my assessment period ends. I have asked them about this and they said what is on that payslip will not count as I wont be paid it until the 4th which is after the assessment period.


This brings up my other issues, I have been told the following assessment period is from 2nd October to the 3rd November. This means they will include 3 fortnights of my wages in that assessment period and my UC will have to be shut down as I have earned too much to claim it.

Right now I am working 16 hours per week and am having full housing benefit paid from Universal Credit. What this means is that I will have to pay a full months rent on my own or go into arrears with my housing association. Is there no way to get around this or do I just have to work for nothing for a fortnight so that I can keep that money to pay the rent and no doubt full council tax? How do people get around this? Should I try and get extra work in October to try and make up for it? They said they can't predict what my Universal Credit will be and it might just be reduced but with me working 16 hours a week and the assessment period for October to November scooping up 3 sets of wages......I can't see how it wouldn't end. Their computers will assume I've earned over £700 when in reality I'm just getting paid every fortnight as usual.

poppy12345

The more wages you receive during each AP the less you will receive from UC. As you receive your wages fortnightly it will mean that twice a year your UC will be reduced to zero, which will close you UC claim. You will then need to log into your account to reclaim. See link about about earnings during AP.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments/universal-credit-different-earning-patterns-and-your-payments-payment-cycles

crazyshady

I tried to work it out and I thought it was more than twice per year but the fact is.....I'll have to pay full rent myself for those months therefore....work for nothing. I don't think it's fair at all.


So everything should be fine for next month, it's November I need to worry about? From 3rd of October to 2nd of November I will have 3 sets of wages which means either on the 2nd of November or 9th of November my claim will close.


Basically you lose at least 2 weeks wages, work for nothing.

calcotti

crazyshady wrote: »

Basically you lose at least 2 weeks wages, work for nothing.

If you wages were paid monthly you would be getting less UC in each of the months you do receive UC so over a year it may make no difference.

Aeg04

Hi, first of all I'm sorry this is happening to you, this is my life also and it's awful, so stressful, it's been happening to me since I changed over to UC last year, I get paid monthly and when my payday falls on a weekend and therefore get paid early they say ive had two wages in one assessment period, they close my claim and have to wait 5weeks for next payment.
This will happen to you everytime your fortnightly pay goes in 3times in an assessment period...they will tell you it's all balances itself out ...meaning that the following month you should get more UC because you have less wage...which might happen but you won't see any help with rent or childcare back for that assessment period.
The only good news I have for you is there was a court case in January were a woman with similar problems took DWP to court and she won, the judge ruled the assessment period calculations unlawful and that DWP should fix the assessment period problems...which they haven't...
I've put in mandatory reconsiderations everytime this has happened and then appealed them, I've went to citizens advice who are representing me, and said that the DWP could be in contempt of court for not following the ruling... It's a long process but my advice is fight it, get your appeals in everytime this happens to you, go to citizens advice, tell them about the 'Johnstons case against dwp' . Fight it cos I think there's light at the end of the tunnel... hopefully 🤞
I had a link but they won't let me post it but if you Google the Johnston Vs DWP case and assessment period problems there's info online 😊