Friend has paid off last advance payment and needs to apply for another

flower77g

I can only see that as quite rude! Tomtom works for DWP 

I'm quite sure some people do misuse these advances, but not everybody.   The idea that nobody falls into hardship over the Christmas period when it is freezing cold is plainly incorrect.

It's Christmas, everybody asks for a budgeting advance to buy presents, I mean replace white goods

Standingstrong

Grumpelstiltskin said:

If your friend is on Universal Credit she shouldn't be using that money to pay vultures like Lowell.

Start hereDebt-Free Wannabe Sticky - Provit & Statute Barred Letters, Defaults, Help and Guidance, All Here... — MoneySavingExpert Forum

She should stop paying them and use her money for important things like Rent, Utilities food etc.

OK That won't solve her immediate problem but if she does sort her debts out it hopefully will stop the vicious circle of advances..

She is not paying her Lowell’s with her uc money she pays her rent through it. 

flower77g

But she paid this out of her wages yesterday. Will this still qualify even though it still shows £67.61 outstanding ? But she already paid 

OP's friend will need to ask DWP this on the phone: some DWP staff do have the ability to do this if the reason for the advance is genuine.    

poppy12345

flower77g said:

But she paid this out of her wages yesterday. Will this still qualify even though it still shows £67.61 outstanding ? But she already paid 

OP's friend will need to ask DWP this on the phone:

Indeed, which has been advised several times but the OP seems to be ignoring that advice, 6 pages in and they are still ignoring it.

flower77g

and specifically this suggestion made earlier is incorrect - some DWP staff can over-ride it 

Until it shows as repaid on the system, they won't be able to issue another advance, as the system will block it and this cannot be overriden

NedS

flower77g said:

for the various naysayers answering this thread, it is possible for the DWP when answering the phone to proceed with an advance even if the eralier advance isn't shown as paid off on the online portal.   

See example from thread below where someone is given an advance even where the first one is *nearly* paid off  

UC Budgeting Advance Paid Off, how soon can i get another Advance? - Benefits and HMRC - Consumer Action Group

but while DWP *can* do this it does not mean that DWP *will* do this.   Phone and ask.

flower77g said:

and specifically this suggestion made earlier is incorrect - some DWP staff can over-ride it 

Until it shows as repaid on the system, they won't be able to issue another advance, as the system will block it and this cannot be overriden

No.

There is an advances screen in the claimants UC account that the DWP agent accesses, and it lists all of the different kinds of advances (new claim advance, change of circs advance, budgeting advance etc). They are either available if they apply to that claimant, or they are greyed out and unavailable to select, with a short description as to why they are not applicable (e.g, claimant has had earnings in the last 6 APs in excess of the allowable amount for a budgeting advance, or claimant still has outstanding repayments on an advance). There is no scope for the agent to override this - it's either available or it is not.

If an advance is available and not greyed out, then the agent must determine if the requested reason for the advance is allowable or not (e.g, white goods vs Christmas presents), and there I am sure some subjective discretion may be applied (or not) depending with whom you speak.

poppy12345

Very useful information neds, thanks for that. I'm sure that will be useful if anyone else asks for advice about budgeting advances.

flower77g

There is no scope for the agent to override this - it's either available or it is not.

Indeed, an agent can't change their own UC role.   It can still be overridden: hence some DWP staff can over-ride this.

Standingstrong

flower77g said:

There is no scope for the agent to override this - it's either available or it is not.

Indeed, an agent can't change their own UC role.   It can still be overridden: hence some DWP staff can over-ride this.

How can they over ride this ? I need to let my friend know as she’s in a right pickle 

NedS

flower77g said:

There is no scope for the agent to override this - it's either available or it is not.

Indeed, an agent can't change their own UC role.   It can still be overridden: hence some DWP staff can over-ride this.

You are correct that the role you are assigned within the UC system limits actions you can take to be appropriate for your job role. However, in this case both the Work Coach and Case Manager roles have the ability to issue advances so your argument does not apply here. Whether someone qualifies for an advance or not (whether it is greyed out or not) is not based on the UC agents role, it is based on the legislation and what is defined in law as meeting the criteria for an advance. So no, not even the Secretary of State for DWP can override the system and issue an advance if it is greyed out. You CANNOT click a radio button that is greyed out, and the UC system decides if it is greyed out or not based on a set of programming criteria, which is based upon the law. If you cannot click the radio button, you cannot issue an advance under the UC system, period.