UC and 4 weekly wages

melspur

Hi, I get paid 4 weekly and have just been told that when I get paid twice in one AP I'll then have my UC reduced/stopped. I got paid twice in December and will be paid twice again this month, leaving me drastically short of cash. 
How on earth is this ok? Surely it shouldn't be allowed to happen, by the time I've paid rent and bills I'll be struggling to feed my sons and myself and that's without the MOT which is due on my car next week. I can't give up the car as I start work at 3am and live a 45 min walk away from my workplace. 
Surely there must be a way to appeal to somebody to make this more fair, any ideas anyone, please?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Hi, I get paid 4 weekly and have just been told that when I get paid twice in one AP I'll then have my UC reduced/stopped. I got paid twice in December and will be paid twice again this month, leaving me drastically short of cash. 

Someone paid monthly will have been paid twice in the period you have been paid four times.

Maybe time to look at your budgeting?

KatrinaWaves

It is not possible to be paid 4 weekly, and be paid 4 times in 2 months.

Basically if you are paid 4 weekly you get paid 13 times a year, whereas someone on monthly pay is 12 times. Therefore there is one 'UC period' you get paid twice. Your other UC payments are higher to take into account the fact you get paid for four weeks at a time, not a month at a time. 

The issue is that you have had this twice, which should not happen. What dates have you been paid so that in 62 days (December/Jan) you have managed to get 4 '4 weekly' payments. These months are only 8.8weeks. Even if you were paid on the 1st December, then the 29th December, then youd get paid on the 26th January. How has it ended up with you being paid 4 times in 2 months?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

It is possible if you changed jobs in that period. 

Though the op doesn't mention changing jobs so they have probably just got their dates mixed up.

melspur

Forgot to take into account that my payday should have been 01/01, but it went into bank on 31/12 instead, so next payday is 29/01 so won't happen again this month. Haven't changed job, guess it is technically is fair then, will have to make sure I'm prepared for it next time it happens. Thanks for the explanations.

HouseTargaryen

If you will struggle this month for food remember that food banks are there for reasons like this and most are delivering to people during this period. I used them when I had a benefit delay and people shouldn't be ashamed of using them. 

bigbill

https://cpag.org.uk/news-blogs/news-listings/new-universal-credit-assessment-period-regulations

KatrinaWaves

bigbill said:

https://cpag.org.uk/news-blogs/news-listings/new-universal-credit-assessment-period-regulations

This is irrelevant to the OP (as you can see it references monthly paid employees) this is for when people are paid early due to bank holidays and then end up with 2 payments one month and none the next. It has nothing to do with people paid 4 weekly. 

Tokmon

melspur said:

Hi, I get paid 4 weekly and have just been told that when I get paid twice in one AP I'll then have my UC reduced/stopped. I got paid twice in December and will be paid twice again this month, leaving me drastically short of cash. 
How on earth is this ok? Surely it shouldn't be allowed to happen, by the time I've paid rent and bills I'll be struggling to feed my sons and myself and that's without the MOT which is due on my car next week. I can't give up the car as I start work at 3am and live a 45 min walk away from my workplace. 
Surely there must be a way to appeal to somebody to make this more fair, any ideas anyone, please?

Well a 45 min walk isn't that long and sounds a perfect distance for cycling if that is the only reason your keeping the car that you can't really afford.