Universal credit fine charge no idea what it is.

makavelianz

As title UC people are absolutely no use they never seem to want to help or explain properly, I tried complaining about this last time, nothing happened to my knowledge, anyway rant over back to the question. I have a fine showing on my monthly statement as following:

Debts and loan repayments

Penaltiesminus‑ £50.00Read more information about Universal Credit payments, including who to contact on the GOV.UK website. Search for 'find out about money taken off your Universal Credit payments'.
I queried this with UC n my journal I got this answer..
The £50 deduction is due to a penalty that was added. More information for how this can be the case is on the .gov.uk website regarding Penalties Policy
I tried for them to be specific but they havent replied to anything else i have asked, Can anyone decipher all this for me, because I have no idea thanks

R200

I had one two years ago. I went through two years of asking questions and every month them taking money from my UC. I went round and round circles asking what is was for and never got an answer I still don’t know.

my work coach said ask this person, I asked that person they said get in touch with the court. I tried many times getting the right person at the court and they turned round and said ask UC what it is for.

i still don’t know

makavelianz

100% with you on this, not sure how they have no accountability, whilst if we do one thing wrong we will get phone calls, called in office or get sanctioned. This is crazy.

R200

I’m still trying to find out and even claim the funds back. The court is just doesn’t know who to transfer me to. All I can tell them is that UC we’re taking my £50 per month and they couldn’t tell me what it was for. I tried several different courts and they just all told me to go back to UC for answers but nobody there could tell me anything either.

here “Hi , with respect, myself, Mike and other agents have already confirmed with you via journal message on a number of occasions now that you need to contact the courts directly for this information. I have given you all the details we hold on the fine (see my previous journal message dated back in 23rd February 2023).

We can't see how much you have left to pay, we can't see the reasons for the fine, and we don't have authority to stop it.
I will again implore you to contact the courts directly. Have you contacted them yet? Due to our increasing caseloads and workload we can't respond to repeat queries if all information has been provided, so if there is anything else you can let me know.

Regards

R200

I have contacted the courts on many occasions they say talk to DWP for the details 

makavelianz

Hopefully my fine for whatever doesn't just continue on forever without explanation, this just doesn't sound right.

Muttleythefrog

Sounds like a case for MP.... I mean it seems almost unbelievable someone in any situation is being sanctioned or fined for anything and those issuing such don't know why or can't tell you why.

NedS

This is likely a £50 civil penalty imposed by DWP:

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/overpayments-under-the-universal-credit-system/civil-penalties-for-benefit-overpayments

GOV.UK states:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/penalties-for-social-security-fraud-and-error/penalties-policy-in-respect-of-social-security-fraud-and-error#penalties-policy

4.8 Civil penalties

From October 2012, DWP introduced a civil penalty to help tackle claimant error. A £50 penalty may be imposed where an individual incurs an overpayment as a result of their negligence in failing to provide accurate information as part of their benefit claim or in connection with an award of benefit, and have not taken reasonable steps to correct the error. A £50 penalty can also be imposed where an individual fails, without reasonable excuse, to notify a change of circumstances or provide required information in connection with a claim or award of benefit, and that failure results in an overpayment of benefit.

A civil penalty cannot be imposed if the individual has already been charged with an offence or cautioned, or accepted an administrative penalty, in respect of the overpayment. Each case is considered individually in accordance with these criteria set out in the legislation and against guidance in the DWP Decision makers’ guide, volume 3 chapter 9 (sections 09420 to 09451). The civil penalty will be added to any recoverable overpayment and recovered in the same way.

8dayweek

Penalties are Civil Penalties added to DWP Overpayments (they seem to be conflating this with Third Party Deductions for Court Fines which are entirely different and subject to a different Deduction rate). 

I would contact Debt Management for details of what it relates to (as unless you have a Letter in your Journal, it could relate to an old legacy benefit). 

0800 916 0647 or this link…

https://www.gov.uk/repay-manage-benefit-owed

Robbie64

If a £50 penalty was added by Debt Management this should have been notified to the claimant along with the reason why a fine / penalty was imposed.

R200

8dayweek said:

Penalties are Civil Penalties added to DWP Overpayments (they seem to be conflating this with Third Party Deductions for Court Fines which are entirely different and subject to a different Deduction rate). 

I would contact Debt Management for details of what it relates to (as unless you have a Letter in your Journal, it could relate to an old legacy benefit). 

0800 916 0647 or this link…

https://www.gov.uk/repay-manage-benefit-owed

Court fines should be clear what it is for and the appeal process 

but the court says contact DWP and they say contact the court. Who is it that you appeal to