No help from Universal Credit for 6 months +

RagingAgainstTheMachine

When I saw it could it all be hitting the fan back on March 17th, knowing my self employment would be adversely impacted, myself and pregnant fiancée attempted to get ahead of the rush and apply for Universal Credit, after having to make a trip into the job centre as well as applying online, going backwards and forwards we completed the process in record time, only to be slowly and eventually denied any help despite a very obvious need for it. At this point everybody else had the same it.

April 7th we opened another claim as we did firmly disagreed with the outcome of this initial one, since then it has been clueless, book-passing and I don’t know how many phone calls since the 2nd claim was closed.

Due to our further disagreement we have also been awaiting an independent tribunal to take our case to court. Months later, and a repeating chorus back and forth between the independent body and Universal Credit of ‘i don’t know’ or ‘we’re waiting for evidence from Universal Credit’ we’re no further than back in May.

Apparently the case has been closed now, 4 days from the knowledge that I can’t meet my rent and with no help from multiple applications across a range of benefits to help us.

poppy12345

What reason have they given for you and your partner not being entitled to any UC. It's based on earnings received during your assessment period, so if you receive earnings this will affect the amount of UC you're entitled to. Even if you say "there's an obvious need for it" there's a maximum amount you'll be entitled to for your circumstances and earnings will reduce your UC by 63% if you don't have the work allowance.

As you haven't given any information regarding your circumstances, such as income from yourself and your partner?  Do you have savings/capital of more than £16,000? Do you rent your home or live with parents?

calcotti

There’s no way of knowing whether or not you may be entitled to UC without knowing your circumstances. It’s also not clear from what you have posted whether your claim was disallowed or simply that nothing was payable.

RagingAgainstTheMachine

My late father's property, that myself and my brother rent out, is what they used against us. They were basically saying we need to sell it to support ourselves, a further problem with this is that they said this when the housing market closed down, so there's no way we could have sold it and we have tenants in there so it would mean forcing them out. The problem being is that this rental income forms part of our monthly income as we split it, so if we sell it all that will happen is that the money we get from the sale will decrease until we're in a worse position with an infant. 

My income has severely decreased and my partner's work stopped both due to the pandemic so money has slowly dwindled down while waiting on the DWP, we privately rent.

I've altered my business accordingly but lost a lot of work due to it being online now, i've tried to push that as much as i can with new avenue I've gone down but nothing.

calcotti

RagingAgainstTheMachine said:

My late father's property, that myself and my brother rent out, is what they used against us. They were basically saying we need to sell it to support ourselves, a further problem with this is that they said this when the housing market closed down, so there's no way we could have sold it and we have tenants in there so it would mean forcing them out. The problem being is that this rental income forms part of our monthly income as we split it, so if we sell it all that will happen is that the money we get from the sale will decrease until we're in a worse position with an infant. 

That is what the rules say they should do. If the property is put on the market it can be disregarded while waiting for the sale (for six months or longer of considered reasonable so to do).

RagingAgainstTheMachine

Those rules are nil and void in a pandemic with the economy crashing, especially at the time they told us to sell. I've just got off the phone with a mortgage adviser who said not to sell and wait for this to all blow over, as well as saying they couldn't offer me a mortgage now due to my business being so adversely affected. If a mortgage adviser is saying that now as we're heading into lockdown tomorrow, then he would have said it mid-lockdown too. I've been given 6 months notice to move out of my private rented property. I spoke to an office within the independent company I'm taking Universal Credit to court through yesterday and they said that Universal Credit are basically avoiding me, as did this mortgage adviser. Citizen's advise are also on the case for me to try and get answers from anyone.

sammyjammy

Universal credit are not ignoring you, they cannot help you, they have denied your claim following the current law, if you want that changed then you need to follow due process which is nothing to do with any staff working on Universal Credit.  You're on a hiding to nothing you would be better putting your efforts into increasing your earnings.

calcotti

RagingAgainstTheMachine said:

Those rules are nil and void in a pandemic with the economy crashing, especially at the time they told us to sell. I've just got off the phone with a mortgage adviser who said not to sell and wait for this to all blow over, as well as saying they couldn't offer me a mortgage now due to my business being so adversely affected. If a mortgage adviser is saying that now as we're heading into lockdown tomorrow, then he would have said it mid-lockdown too. I've been given 6 months notice to move out of my private rented property. I spoke to an office within the independent company I'm taking Universal Credit to court through yesterday and they said that Universal Credit are basically avoiding me, as did this mortgage adviser. Citizen's advise are also on the case for me to try and get answers from anyone.

DWP were accepting nil value for properties for part of the lockdown. Currently they take the view that the market is open.
You have the option of putting the property on the market. you then benefit from the disregard. If after six months there has been no interest you may get an extension to the disregard. 
Sometimes you just have to try and navigate a way through the machine (you can rage against as well if you like).

poppy12345

RagingAgainstTheMachine said:

The problem being is that this rental income forms part of our monthly income as we split it, so if we sell it all that will happen is that the money we get from the sale will decrease until we're in a worse position with an infant. 

My income has severely decreased and my partner's work stopped both due to the pandemic so money has slowly dwindled down while waiting on the DWP, we privately rent.

If there's equity in the house then yes this will affect the amount of UC you're entitled to. Earnings received during your assessment period also affect the amount of UC you're entitled to. Just because your earnings have decreased, it doesn't mean you're still entitled to any UC, even if you didn't have the house.

Not sure why you're taking this to a Tribunal but i wish you luck with that one.

RagingAgainstTheMachine

sammyjammy said:

Universal credit are not ignoring you, they cannot help you, they have denied your claim following the current law, if you want that changed then you need to follow due process which is nothing to do with any staff working on Universal Credit.  You're on a hiding to nothing you would be better putting your efforts into increasing your earnings.

Universal Credit are ignoring me and the HMCTS who have requested their submission of evidence for the tribunal (a deadline of July 1st) yet received nothing, even after multiple request from the HMCTS directly to the DWP, this is not my opinion, this is the opinion of Citizen's Advice and HMCTS when I've spoken to them. If Universal Credit, the government's main body for all benefits, can't help me, then who can? The law wasn't current at the time of my claim though, that's my entire stance. My second application was 7th April, the housing market closed 23rd March and reopened 13th May, my claim was closed 19th May. If the staff at Universal Credit can't help me then why do they keep saying they're escalating the case, for the 6th time, and that someone will be in touch? The law does need changing, it's far too simple. I've done everything I can to try and increase my earnings, including altering my business by taking it online. I'm not willing to interactive with people outside of my family bubble and risk the health of my infant child.

macman

Does your infant child have underlying conditions that make them vulnerable to infection? If not, their risk from COVID-19 is minute, or less.