Universal credit underpayment

Hello !

I wonder if anyone here can advise me please. so I'm a full time student doing my degree i am in receipt of PIP and student finance and a tiny amount of UC. It has come to light that student finance made an error on my entitlement of finance for the year 2022/2023 and did not add the special support loan to my award. this means that a big chunk of that loan should be disregarded by DWP and not be taken as income.

I have worked out that this would lead to a significant amount of money UC would owe me based on the new figures. I have contacted them and provided all the proof to support this claim and now just waiting to hear what they decide. question I have is , how likely are UC going to be to backdate any money owed to me ? they are extremely fast to come for you if they have overpaid ! but I'm not so sure when its the other way round.

many thanks 
Kerryann 

Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,877 Forumite
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    If a decision maker agrees they owe it then you will receive it.
  • huckster
    huckster Posts: 5,159 Forumite
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    They should just be able to apply the change to the other income deduction and the underpayment will then be calculated.

    So I don't see any problem, if you have provided proof that you were due the special support loan from Student finance.
    The comments I post are personal opinion. Always refer to official information sources before relying on internet forums. If you have a problem with any organisation, enter into their official complaints process at the earliest opportunity, as sometimes complaints have to be started within a certain time frame.
  • kaMelo
    kaMelo Posts: 2,800 Forumite
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    edited 20 June 2023 at 9:43PM
    Hello !

    I wonder if anyone here can advise me please. so I'm a full time student doing my degree i am in receipt of PIP and student finance and a tiny amount of UC. It has come to light that student finance made an error on my entitlement of finance for the year 2022/2023 and did not add the special support loan to my award. this means that a big chunk of that loan should be disregarded by DWP and not be taken as income.

    I have worked out that this would lead to a significant amount of money UC would owe me based on the new figures. I have contacted them and provided all the proof to support this claim and now just waiting to hear what they decide. question I have is , how likely are UC going to be to backdate any money owed to me ? they are extremely fast to come for you if they have overpaid ! but I'm not so sure when its the other way round.

    many thanks 
    Kerryann 
    Could you just clarify which one applies;

    A, You have received the Special Support Element added to your maintenance loan but the DWP have failed to disregard it?
    or
    B, You have only just had the Special Support Element added to your maintenance loan?


    If it's answer A and DWP have failed to disregard the SSE then your qualifying income will be up to £4106 lower and would probably qualify for more UC.

    If it's answer B, you have only just had the SSE added to your maintenance loan then your UC calculation will be correct as it is based upon your maintenance loan only.
     


    Scrap the previous part of my reply, I've done some digging.
    If I read it correctly any amount of Special Support Element you receive would reduce your maintenance loan by 50% of that amount, eg a 50 pence reduction in maximum maintenance loan for every £1 of of SSE that you receive.

    Essentially the whole amount of SSE is disregarded, the maximum maintenance loan is reduced by 50% of the SSE so your qualifying income for UC purposes would reduce by 50% of the SSE.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/student-finance-how-youre-assessed-and-paid/student-finance-how-youre-assessed-and-paid-2022-to-2023
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 10,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    When I had an underpayment of UC it was paid to me promptly, outside of my normal pay date. 
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,877 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    KxMx said:
    When I had an underpayment of UC it was paid to me promptly, outside of my normal pay date. 

    If there's ever any money owed then usually it's paid separately.
  • Hello !

    I wonder if anyone here can advise me please. so I'm a full time student doing my degree i am in receipt of PIP and student finance and a tiny amount of UC. It has come to light that student finance made an error on my entitlement of finance for the year 2022/2023 and did not add the special support loan to my award. this means that a big chunk of that loan should be disregarded by DWP and not be taken as income.

    I have worked out that this would lead to a significant amount of money UC would owe me based on the new figures. I have contacted them and provided all the proof to support this claim and now just waiting to hear what they decide. question I have is , how likely are UC going to be to backdate any money owed to me ? they are extremely fast to come for you if they have overpaid ! but I'm not so sure when its the other way round.

    many thanks 
    Kerryann 
    Hi kerryann please may I ask did you resolve this issue. I am in a similar situation I have been underpaid by 698 a month for 10 months due to an error when working out my student finance. Did you receive your back pay for the amount you had been underpaid? Many thanks 
    Stacey
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