Initial Universal Credit Payments

SeanCo

I think it's probably easier if I explain the chain of events in chronological order

31st October 2022 - Started new job on a temporary basis, paid weekly, with option to go permanent in the future if it suited both parties
17th December 2022 - Absent from work for the preceding week due to Scarlet Fever (diagnosis confirmed by GP).  Lost one week of pay
23rd December 2022 - Employer terminated contracted, primarily due to preceding absence, having been given one week notice.
30th December 2022 - Should have been paid final week of pay, but didn't happen as timesheet not signed-off on time.  I had spent the intervening week caring for my elderly mother who was eventually hospitalised.  I also diagnosed positive for Covid (both of these can be verified)
1st January 2022 - Made initial claim online for Universal Credit despite being very sick. 
6th January 2023 - Wages that should have been paid on 30/12/22 received
13th January 2023 - Went through the UC interviews, evidencing my rent etc
2nd February 2023 - Received notification that my first UC payment would some £800 less than expected, just £232 because of the late payment from my former employer which was credited in January

I don't have a great knowledge of the UC rules, but this situation seems totally unfair as my first payment has been reduced because of a delayed wages that I should have received in December, a month where I was only paid for 2 weeks in reality.  The money received in January was of course spent on rent, living expenses and child maintenance (the latter has since been reassessed as zero).  

The reality of the situation is that I'm being asked to survive on just £232 UC for a 2 month period which is patently ridiculous even after using the small savings I currently have

Any advice would be gratefully received

tomtom256

UC wasn't for a 2 month period as you only claimed in January, so only covers 1 month. You could have claimed at any point.
Wages are treated as income in the assessment period they are received in, regardless of what period they cover.
Nothing you can do in this situation.

Rubyroobs

As above- the Uc claim only covers from when you applied for it and any earnings reported in your first assessment period will reduce your UC payment. If you believe the wages were reported wrongly/ late by your former employer then you can either ask them to report them properly or check on your personal tax record when the earnings were reported.
If earnings had been reported prior to you opening the UC claim, then you would have received the full UC amount with no deductions for earnings.

SeanCo

Rubyroobs said:

As above- the Uc claim only covers from when you applied for it and any earnings reported in your first assessment period will reduce your UC payment. If you believe the wages were reported wrongly/ late by your former employer then you can either ask them to report them properly or check on your personal tax record when the earnings were reported.
If earnings had been reported prior to you opening the UC claim, then you would have received the full UC amount with no deductions for earnings.

Therein lies the problem.  The wages were paid late and reported to HMRC on the day they were paid.  In essence I'm being severely disadvantaged because of the failings of others

poppy12345

SeanCo said:

Rubyroobs said:

As above- the Uc claim only covers from when you applied for it and any earnings reported in your first assessment period will reduce your UC payment. If you believe the wages were reported wrongly/ late by your former employer then you can either ask them to report them properly or check on your personal tax record when the earnings were reported.
If earnings had been reported prior to you opening the UC claim, then you would have received the full UC amount with no deductions for earnings.

Therein lies the problem.  The wages were paid late and reported to HMRC on the day they were paid.  In essence I'm being severely disadvantaged because of the failings of others

Had you waited until you had received your earnings before claiming UC then you wouldn’t have had any deductions. 

peteuk

SeanCo said:

Rubyroobs said:

As above- the Uc claim only covers from when you applied for it and any earnings reported in your first assessment period will reduce your UC payment. If you believe the wages were reported wrongly/ late by your former employer then you can either ask them to report them properly or check on your personal tax record when the earnings were reported.
If earnings had been reported prior to you opening the UC claim, then you would have received the full UC amount with no deductions for earnings.

Therein lies the problem.  The wages were paid late and reported to HMRC on the day they were paid.  In essence I'm being severely disadvantaged because of the failings of others

No, because you had an income for the reporting period.  Had you been paid monthly and any wages not captured in Dec pay, paid in Jan, it would have the same outcome.