Calculating Capital for Universal Credit

ConfusedAboutIt

Thank you! I just want this over and done with now, uploaded my docs about 10 days ago and I know there’s a backlog so just anxiously waiting!! 

Spoonie_Turtle

Do be aware there is a chance that the review team may not do it properly and may initially take your totals instead of separating out income and capital.  BUT the  important thing is you knowing what your actual capital was on the last day of each assessment period, so that if they do come back with an incorrect result you know to challenge it and show them where they're wrong.

It also means if you know for sure, there's nothing to worry about, because even if they do get it wrong you can prove that you haven't been over the threshold.

ConfusedAboutIt

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Do be aware there is a chance that the review team may not do it properly and may initially take your totals instead of separating out income and capital.  BUT the  important thing is you knowing what your actual capital was on the last day of each assessment period, so that if they do come back with an incorrect result you know to challenge it and show them where they're wrong.

It also means if you know for sure, there's nothing to worry about, because even if they do get it wrong you can prove that you haven't been over the threshold.

Thank you for this!! 

Me being a control freak and having a spreadsheet to manage my life will definitely come in handy here so if they do miscalculate I’ll be able to give them the right figures and hopefully be able to fix it! 

ConfusedAboutIt

Hey, what was everyone’s review like? Anyone have more than 6k at the end of AP but it worked out less with your deductions such as income from work etc. 

Muttleythefrog

ConfusedAboutIt said:

Hey, what was everyone’s review like? Anyone have more than 6k at the end of AP but it worked out less with your deductions such as income from work etc. 

The review call... mostly they will likely focus on just asking a few questions about a few transactions they see on statements and getting you to confirm you have no other accounts or investments etc.

Spoonie_Turtle

I was over £6k in total some months, but by quite a bit thanks to unspent CoL payments and multiples of benefit payments.

They wrongly concluded I was over the threshold for capital for several months, but - after sending in the calculations and info for the Decision Maker, I've heard nothing since July.  (Review started in May.)  I still don't know what calculation they used or where they went wrong, all I know is they took £8.70 off one payment then I re-reported my totals after that as they were well below £6k overall, and … nothing since then.

I don't want this to worry you.  If they do take incorrect deductions they won't be huge, £4.35/£250 over 6k, it's just annoying having to fight for the correct outcome when they should be doing their job properly in the first place!

ConfusedAboutIt

Spoonie_Turtle said:

I was over £6k in total some months, but by quite a bit thanks to unspent CoL payments and multiples of benefit payments.

They wrongly concluded I was over the threshold for capital for several months, but - after sending in the calculations and info for the Decision Maker, I've heard nothing since July.  (Review started in May.)  I still don't know what calculation they used or where they went wrong, all I know is they took £8.70 off one payment then I re-reported my totals after that as they were well below £6k overall, and … nothing since then.

I don't want this to worry you.  If they do take incorrect deductions they won't be huge, £4.35/£250 over 6k, it's just annoying having to fight for the correct outcome when they should be doing their job properly in the first place!

That’s so frustrating for you! Have your payments stopped while you’ve been waiting? 

I’ve got my calculations as it’s just one month it looks like I’m above so I will be able to tell them my deductions if needed. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Thankfully no they didn't stop, otherwise I'd not be so laid-back about it!  It literally has just been, that small deduction one month and that's it 

ConfusedAboutIt

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Thankfully no they didn't stop, otherwise I'd not be so laid-back about it!  It literally has just been, that small deduction one month and that's it 

Oh that’s good then! Has it taken so long from the original 4 months statement request? 

Spoonie_Turtle

ConfusedAboutIt said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Thankfully no they didn't stop, otherwise I'd not be so laid-back about it!  It literally has just been, that small deduction one month and that's it 

Oh that’s good then! Has it taken so long from the original 4 months statement request? 

I was wrong about it being May, it actually started in March; uploaded statements in April and it went from there.  But I've heard nothing from them since early July - and to be quite honest at this point I no longer care whether they get back to me.  I know I wasn't over, the one deduction they took was incorrect, and I would be very happy to just be done with it all.

However I would stress again that my totals were over by quite a bit and included Cost of Living Payments to be disregarded, as well as income to not be included in capital.  Hopefully yours will be more straightforward.