Widowed parents allowance/universal credit repay

swebb44

I heard Martin talk about the backdated widowed parents allowance, I claimed and got a backdated payment covering the last 5 years!
 (partner died 10yrs ago when my youngest was 8)
I'm a Foster carer and have been getting a universal credit top up payment, for the last 5 years after redundancy from my previous job.
I informed universal creit of my payment as I now had more than the allowed savings. They closed my universal credit claim immediately. 
2 months later I got a letter saying that because I was claiming 2 benefits at the same time, (widowed parents allowance and universal credit) the universal credit needed to be repaid! 
Luckily I could keep £6000 of the widowed parents allowance.
As my daughter has now left school, I'm not getting any more widowed parents allowance. My £6000 is under the savings limit so would be entitled to claim universal credit but they closed my claim so have to re apply! 
Has anyone else had to payback universal credit?
I've read so many happy stories about parents receiving life changing amounts of money. Surely I'm not the only one on universal credit?
Has anyone else been asked to repay?

Alice_Holt

Unfortunately widowed parent's allowance is counted as income for both tax credits and universal credit.

I'd suggest reapplying for UC using:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

Note that the savings limit for UC is £16k not £k

I'd see if your local advice charity can help you check if the DWP have calculated the repayment correctly. 
Get full details from UC first.

HillStreetBlues

swebb44 said:

I heard Martin talk about the backdated widowed parents allowance, I claimed and got a backdated payment covering the last 5 years!
 (partner died 10yrs ago when my youngest was 8)
I'm a Foster carer and have been getting a universal credit top up payment, for the last 5 years after redundancy from my previous job.
I informed universal creit of my payment as I now had more than the allowed savings. They closed my universal credit claim immediately. 
2 months later I got a letter saying that because I was claiming 2 benefits at the same time, (widowed parents allowance and universal credit) the universal credit needed to be repaid! 
Luckily I could keep £6000 of the widowed parents allowance.
As my daughter has now left school, I'm not getting any more widowed parents allowance. My £6000 is under the savings limit so would be entitled to claim universal credit but they closed my claim so have to re apply! 
Has anyone else had to payback universal credit?
I've read so many happy stories about parents receiving life changing amounts of money. Surely I'm not the only one on universal credit?
Has anyone else been asked to repay?

As AH stated  your UC payments need to be recalculated.
But your UC claim shouldn't have ended immediately once you have the payment. It should have been disregarded for 12 months. Only then if above the £16k capital should UC end.