Cost of Living Payment Denied

janethomas70

Hello
I was denied the cost of living payment and want to contest it, does anyone know how to do this?
I'm on Universal Credit and work part-time. Coincidentally, because I covered a colleague's day off, I didn't get a UC payment in May which means I don't qualify although I did receive payments on the months before and after May. I think this is really unfair. I lost £600 for the sake of an £80 favour....
I've contacted UC about contesting this and they aren't offering me any help or advice.
Does anyone know who I need to contact and how?
Thanks

elsien

I don’t think there is a way of contesting it - those are the rules.
My only suggesting would be contacting your MP which won’t change anything now but could help shape any future changes. 

poppy12345

janethomas70 said:

Hello
I was denied the cost of living payment and want to contest it, does anyone know how to do this?
I'm on Universal Credit and work part-time. Coincidentally, because I covered a colleague's day off, I didn't get a UC payment in May which means I don't qualify although I did receive payments on the months before and after May. I think this is really unfair. I lost £600 for the sake of an £80 favour....
I've contacted UC about contesting this and they aren't offering me any help or advice.
Does anyone know who I need to contact and how?
Thanks

You weren't offered any help because there's no way to challenge the decision. You maybe entitled to the 2nd payment of £324 in the Autumn but the criteria hasn't yet been annouced. Unfortunately, they can't please everyone.

Robbie64

You can only appeal if you were receiving a relevant benefit at the right time and didn't get the COL payment. In this instance, as you weren't getting a relevant benefit you won't qualify. It is harsh but there were always going to be winners and losers when it comes to setting the criteria for who qualified.

tifo

janethomas70 said:

because I covered a colleague's day off, I didn't get a UC payment in May which means I don't qualify although I did receive payments on the months before and after May. I think this is really unfair. I lost £600 for the sake of an £80 favour

Because of your earnings in that assessment period you didn't receive any UC and therefore didn't meet the criteria for the first £326 payment. You haven't lost the second £324 payment yet as it's not been announced. I think the assessment period may be different but others might know.

It makes no difference whether you worked your own hours or covered someone else. The point is that you worked and earnt that income.

In any criteria there are winners and losers. We've all been there. Think about it, those that opened a company before April 2020 and sent at least 1 wage by RTI were able to furlough their staff at 80% income for the next year and half. Those that opened a company a day later couldn't. Many lost out.

peteuk

“To get the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, you must have been entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of Universal Credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022“

Some people who were paid four weekly and received two wages during the assessment period, also did not qualify.  Your not alone…

However at present you’ve lost out on half the payment, wait till the details of entitlement for the second payment is known.

calcotti

If you think you re entitled but have not received a payment you can chase it.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment?mc_cid=d8310461d2&mc_eid=407191570c

If you think you should have had the £326 payment, but you cannot see it in your bank, building society or credit union account, you can report a missing Cost of Living Payment.

However based on your circumstances you do not qualify and therefore have not missed a payment.

janethomas70

Thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, it seems that it's just unfortunate. It's sad because now I won't be so willing to cover for other people in case it proves to me detrimental to me...it sometimes seems that what you get in one hand the government takes from the other

k3lvc

janethomas70 said:

Thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, it seems that it's just unfortunate. It's sad because now I won't be so willing to cover for other people in case it proves to me detrimental to me...it sometimes seems that what you get in one hand the government takes from the other

Understand - but don't forget that the £80 in your hand was guaranteed - the CoL payment was always going to have some rules attached

Spoonie_Turtle

janethomas70 said:

Thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, it seems that it's just unfortunate. It's sad because now I won't be so willing to cover for other people in case it proves to me detrimental to me...it sometimes seems that what you get in one hand the government takes from the other

To be fair this was a one-off unforeseen occurrence.  It wasn't even announced until the cut-off date, so to willingly pass up guaranteed extra income on the off-chance that you might miss out on something later down the line would be misguided.

I do feel for you though, and all the others who fell foul of the cutoff period.  Any attempts to make it more fair would have made it more complicated, take longer to set up, more expensive to administer, and increase the risk of mistakes.  The price of 'fast and includes the vast majority of the people we want to target' unfortunately is that some do get missed.  Others who missed out include people claiming Housing Benefit without any of the qualifying benefits, as that is administered by councils rather than the DWP.

peteuk

The only 100%, guarantied way of organising the COL payment would have been give it to everyone over the age of 18… 

that way those like the OP would receive it.  Those claiming benefits but paid twice during the assessment period would receive it.

However the mechanism of payment would be difficult.