Another UC review

Spoonie_Turtle

I didn't want to bump my previous thread as this is new and separate, but there's been discussion recently about UC reviews and so I just wanted to add this into the mix. Less than a year after my previous review was concluded (needlessly dragged out for MONTHS by them being adamant I had more savings than I actually had) they want bank statements again. Probably because my overall totals are consistently over £6,000 but not my capital for UC purposes.

Oh goody.

NedS

Hopefully, having been through the process once before, it will be less stressful and a smoother journey this time.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6687721/another-uc-review

Have you updated youir capital since last review? or submit any bank statements?

Spoonie_Turtle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82177644#Comment_82177644

Good question, but no. The last time I updated was during the review, after they underpaid me due to the capital amount they'd put on my account. My overall bank total then was under 4k. But I've been needing to save for a couple of things so my totals (again, not capital, but totals) have risen and stayed above 6k since then.

[Probably not connected with this new review but an interesting observation - in Jan 26, the month after they concluded my previous review, an agent changed the capital total for April 25 down to the exact amount it was.]

Edit: I did actually open a new savings account at the beginning of the month, same bank as I'm already with but a new type of savings account. It could just entirely be coincidence, I don't suppose I'll ever know.

pinkdon

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6687721/another-uc-review

Oh yes - I get it, it’s now my 4th review in 3 years 😖 always started in August & done and completed. The last review was not completed untii April this year. Now they want another review. I’ve put in a complaint about the frequency, no idea if any human will listen but I have no doubt it’s not random. You are not alone and like you, also had to argue for cost of living payments to be excluded. It’s exhausting, I have much more important thing to battle 😑

peteuk

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82179026#Comment_82179026

Has there been a change in your capital, were you over the low limit of £6K and haven’t updated or have changed?

I’m sure we all understand the checks and balances are needed to ensure people don’t continue to fiddle the system, and I get a yearly check may be annoying given the other hoops you jump through to get and maintain UC.

But reality is random or not the have the right to check, your thinking that someone applies a sense of logic to the system that’s illogical. If I gave you £1000 five years ago, the likely hood is you’ve spent it, but the rules say it doesn’t matter if that £1000 is the same £1000 or a different £1000, as you still have it it’s counted as the same. Now tell that to an illogical computer or a person who is hamstrung as to what they can and can’t do.

NedS

I wonder if it's because DWP staff are not handing capital disregards properly, so claims keep triggering reviews.

For example, where someone has capital above a threshold (either £6k or £16k), but part of that capital is to be disregarded, the full amount of capital should be declared on the claim and then the disregard applied by a DWP decision maker. Quite often that simply does not happen, either because the claimant has decided that some of their capital is to be disregarded so does not declare it in the first place, or the UCR staff are not authorised to make such capital declarations (corrections) on the claimant's behalf, and do not understand the consequences of getting the claimant to correctly declare their capital and have it formally disregarded (as there is no change to the amount of UC payment, which is primarily what the UCR team are interested in)

So the AI models keep seeing capital above the threshold, and can see no evidence on the claim that capital above the threshold has ever been declared (and subsequently disregarded), so flag for review (again). Rinse and repeat.

Spoonie_Turtle

^ I'd be (pleasantly) shocked if they're making any distinction between capital and income and not just having it triggered it by bank totals.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82179553#Comment_82179553

My moneys in bank is always over £6k (even before I had the PI payment) but capital under £6k, and just had one review.
Is your monies in the same bank as UC is paid?

Spoonie_Turtle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82179560#Comment_82179560

Split across two, but the bank where UC is paid does go above £6,000 total most months (1 current and 1 savings account) before I move some across to the other bank.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82179856#Comment_82179856

It could be the reason, as I have a bank account solely for benefits payments. Also no single account as more than £6k in it (excluding now the PI payment)