Issue with UC and Carers Allowance

jkepple

Hello all,
I'm having an issue with Universal Credit (UC). I was claiming UC and Carer's Allowance (CA) until a parent passed away. I then started work part-time. As I've had issues in the past with tax credits, I jumped the hoops.
I promptly informed them on the UC journal and under their inform ' change of circumstances option, as well as telling the Carers Unit of the change.
Anyway, every UC payment for a few months after included a deduction of CA!!
I kept writing in my journal that I've informed everyone but they kept wrongfully deducting. Then in December they finally woke up and back paid what they owed.
January begins- and guess what- they started deducting CA again! 
When informed my 'job coach' I was told to use the  inform change of circumstances option again- so i did.
Now I'm told I didn't originally inform them I stopped caring despite this being written in my journal! Now I have to pay back what they just paid me- which is rightly mine!!
I asked for this decision to be reconsidered- and they tell me they can't do it as the money has been paid- but it's my money?!
Any advice/ help greatly appreciated 

calcotti

If the MR has failed you can lodge an appeal with the tribunal service.

(Did you get a closing letter from CA confirming that your CA had stopped?)

huckster

The issue which happens quite a lot is that Carers Allowance do not close down their claim correctly and UC picks up the CA claim still being live, so deducts an amount.

CA can include a benefit run on period after the cared for person had passed away. So I think CA left the claim showing as live and not closed.

Call CA to make sure the claim is now dormant as correctly closed.

And for  the UC claim the Carers element will be removed once the change of circumstances caring activity change is reported. Must be reported using change of circumstances and not just a journal message.

jkepple

calcotti said:

If the MR has failed you can lodge an appeal with the tribunal service.

(Did you get a closing letter from CA confirming that your CA had stopped?)

Yes I did get a letter from them.
I may have to go to tribunal service- thanks I didn't know this was an option

jkepple

huckster said:

The issue which happens quite a lot is that Carers Allowance do not close down their claim correctly and UC picks up the CA claim still being live, so deducts an amount.

CA can include a benefit run on period after the cared for person had passed away. So I think CA left the claim showing as live and not closed.

Call CA to make sure the claim is now dormant as correctly closed.

And for  the UC claim the Carers element will be removed once the change of circumstances caring activity change is reported. Must be reported using change of circumstances and not just a journal message.

Yes it took a while but CA did put a stop notice on my claim- they stopped the money quick enough!
I reported it on journal and they change of circumstances option- but they can't be bothered to check

huckster

Be careful with CA, as they put a stop on benefit payments, but still maintain a live benefit showing on DWP records, causing problems with UC claims.