UC want bank statements that don't exist and other quirks during review

OM123

For what feels like over 6 months I've been under a UC review. Contradictions throughout , agents saying my review was complete but then they ask for statements for the present day the next week. Continual saga is evidence for capital.
I receive PIP and Health portion of UC as well which  makes my capital usually over £10k per month through all accounts and always above £6k.  and this particular agent who keeps messaging through the journal has been doing things like saying my statements weren't 'readable' and missing information despite  all sort codes, details etc and various undesirable things.

The current issue now - asking for 'one more' bank statement which I find it hard to believe at this point. Despite saying to them there is no activity for the accounts on my bank for the dates they asked for, (I gave them the exact message), they're still saying to go back to the bank and ask for statements! There's nothing to provide. It feels like they're doing all these things to get me to stop my claim. Anyone experience anything like this? I don't know what to do they keep making me feel like my payments are going to be affected. I've been super clear with them on the journal its just constant never-ending satisfaction with my capital evidence or getting me to show them my Paypal and them saying it isn't readable either..

TadleyBaggie

Baks usually issue statements monthly, even if there are no transactions.

OM123

Yes for sure, I just can't seem to find some of these ones containing 0.00 for the date ranges their after.

Spoonie_Turtle

OM123 said:

 Continual saga is evidence for capital.
I receive PIP and Health portion of UC as well which  makes my capital usually over £10k per month through all accounts and always above £6k. 

Just to throw a spanner in the works, and this doesn't answer your question, but:
In case you weren't aware, there is a difference between income and capital.  Any benefit payments you receive during and assessment period are income NOT capital.  Also any cost of living payments you still have and didn't spend, are capital but are disregarded from your total.  Except the review team don't seem to actually know much if any of this and certainly won't tell you about it.

The general understanding of some of us for a while has been that at the end of an AP you total up all monies, minus all the income, and the result is your capital.  We're no longer sure if that's entirely correct, but it is definitely incorrect to take your overall total as capital because income - your benefits payments - is not capital within the AP in which it's received.  

(This can all be backed up by the law and DWP's own guidance.)

Robbie64

TadleyBaggie said:

Baks usually issue statements monthly, even if there are no transactions.

Perhaps it depends on the bank and the type of account. I'm with the Nationwide and have a current account and two savings accounts. I've never had a month where there's been no transactions for the current account (so have always received a monthly statement) but there has been months with no transactions for the savings accounts. Where no transactions occur, no statement is generated for that month. It's for that reason, in case I'm ever asked to provide bank statements to the DWP that I now deliberately move £10 every month between all three accounts to ensure a statement is generated for each account. I started to do this when I migrated over to UC as I assume at some stage my UC will be reviewed.

Muttleythefrog

Must admit haven't seen anyone report this level of problem and after a review has apparently been completed. Perhaps the fact the savings level is sitting in that 'you'll have to declare each month a new amount of capital' is causing the extra and continued interest. 

Statements. Paypal can be a pain... if they do have issue then ask agent for the procedure within paypal to create a statement that will satisfy their requirements. For bank account... hmm... maybe you'll have to ask for some paper statements and scan and upload... unless you can request online statements covering particular periods that would include transactions either side of any problem periods. Might be worth switching off the paper-only statements option (or equivalent with that bank) for while if they're going to continue this requirement... or if you have more than one account set up a standing order movement of a quid in each direction on a same day each month.

Some agents are probably particularly stupid sadly.... if they can't understand what you are sending I might be inclined to ask if they can have another agent look at it!

As above calculation of capital may also cause issues.... Spoonie outlines what is our understanding of the rules generally considered but there's no guarantee agents will understand or follow... potentially Decision Makers too.

huckster

@OM123

If you are not happy about this process, make a formal complaint using the DWP complaints process.

Of course DWP are allowed to conduct reviews, but if they are doing this in a way that is causing you undue distress and affecting your wellbeing, then you should tell DWP about this.