My Universal Credit Claim Journey

I really feel for anybody being subjected to Universal Credit, or Universal Bankruptcy, as I prefer to call it.
I was unfortunate enough to be laid off just as they introduced the trialing of UC in my area, approx 18 months ago.
It was 10 weeks before I received my first payment, which was 65% reduced, as I didn't declare agency holiday pay I'd received after making my claim, it's classed as taxable earnings, so my bad, I think? This immediately put me behind with utility bills and my rent arrears had passed the 4 week limit, so the council applied directly for a deduction of £65 per month from my UC.
Unfortunately things went from bad to worse, now faced with being cut off by several utility companies, the threat of bailiffs looming ever closer and the bank keeps taking charges equating to around a third of my benefit each month, oh joy.
It's a heartless, soulless system that benefits only those that created it. Designed to create debt and open up social housing through the eviction of council tenants in rent arrears. It's degrading and it's inhumane, so it's no surprise that suicide rates in benefit claimants have shot up, no surprise at all.
I wonder if in years to come, those responsible for its creation and implementation will appear before a judge and have sentence passed upon them for crimes against humanity.

Good luck to anyone and everyone dealing with it.

(04-12-2018 17:09 )rhinohorn75 Wrote:  I really feel for anybody being subjected to Universal Credit, or Universal Bankruptcy, as I prefer to call it.
I was unfortunate enough to be laid off just as they introduced the trialing of UC in my area, approx 18 months ago.
It was 10 weeks before I received my first payment, which was 65% reduced, as I didn't declare agency holiday pay I'd received after making my claim, it's classed as taxable earnings, so my bad, I think? This immediately put me behind with utility bills and my rent arrears had passed the 4 week limit, so the council applied directly for a deduction of £65 per month from my UC.
Unfortunately things went from bad to worse, now faced with being cut off by several utility companies, the threat of bailiffs looming ever closer and the bank keeps taking charges equating to around a third of my benefit each month, oh joy.
It's a heartless, soulless system that benefits only those that created it. Designed to create debt and open up social housing through the eviction of council tenants in rent arrears. It's degrading and it's inhumane, so it's no surprise that suicide rates in benefit claimants have shot up, no surprise at all.
I wonder if in years to come, those responsible for its creation and implementation will appear before a judge and have sentence passed upon them for crimes against humanity.

Good luck to anyone and everyone dealing with it.

Hi

My sympathies on this and to everyone else effected by UC.
In 2012 my job ended and I went 6 years unemployed, but I had savings so got through, though the savings were decimated.
Today I got back to work, decent job and at my age zero hours so happy but it would be nice to have a government that did a lot more to get people back into work rather than scrapheaping them

small update on my journey...

Yesterdays negotiations has seen the HA reduce my DD to 80 a month and with UC arriving Xmas Eve I have to inform them of the HB element even though I have requested this to be sent to the HA even if the J?C advised I had to pay it myself so we shall have to see what happens Xmas Eve.

(04-12-2018 17:09 )rhinohorn75 Wrote:  I really feel for anybody being subjected to Universal Credit, or Universal Bankruptcy, as I prefer to call it.
I was unfortunate enough to be laid off just as they introduced the trialing of UC in my area, approx 18 months ago.
It was 10 weeks before I received my first payment, which was 65% reduced, as I didn't declare agency holiday pay I'd received after making my claim, it's classed as taxable earnings, so my bad, I think? This immediately put me behind with utility bills and my rent arrears had passed the 4 week limit, so the council applied directly for a deduction of £65 per month from my UC.
Unfortunately things went from bad to worse, now faced with being cut off by several utility companies, the threat of bailiffs looming ever closer and the bank keeps taking charges equating to around a third of my benefit each month, oh joy.
It's a heartless, soulless system that benefits only those that created it. Designed to create debt and open up social housing through the eviction of council tenants in rent arrears. It's degrading and it's inhumane, so it's no surprise that suicide rates in benefit claimants have shot up, no surprise at all.
I wonder if in years to come, those responsible for its creation and implementation will appear before a judge and have sentence passed upon them for crimes against humanity.

Good luck to anyone and everyone dealing with it.

I wonder if in years to come, those responsible for its creation and implementation will appear before a judge and have sentence passed upon them for crimes against humanity.


I very much doubt that will happen as like George W Bush and Tony Blair have escaped justice for their parts in the Iraq War

(05-12-2018 11:55 )babelover48 Wrote:  small update on my journey...

Yesterdays negotiations has seen the HA reduce my DD to 80 a month and with UC arriving Xmas Eve I have to inform them of the HB element even though I have requested this to be sent to the HA even if the J?C advised I had to pay it myself so we shall have to see what happens Xmas Eve.

The housing element of your UC can be paid direct to landlord. Mine was set this way as soon as my account went into arrears, so it is definitely possible.

I'm hoping this may be useful to those struggling in general. not just those struck down by UC.
Larger energy suppliers signed up to a government winter fuel payment scheme a few years ago, which entitles those on lower incomes and certain benefits, a one off payment of up to £140, either by way of account credit or a prepay card with credit added, dependant on how you pay for your energy.
I was able to claim the full amount last year through British Gas, they were very helpful. The payment doesn't reach you until late February early March but it's definitely a life saver for those in need.
I'm not sure exactly which companies offer this scheme but it's something worth looking into.

Here's a link for the British Gas 2018 application....

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/ener...count.html

I'm on npower and on prepayment meters sometime next year, when they are able to switch me back on to normal meters is another thing for discussion with them. I knew about the winter fuel payment but haven't had due to being on the meters but I don't think I ever properly claimed it. haave t see what happens in January.
Yet I think the biggest problem with this UC is that that the way they have it set up and structured it, looks so complex and is not set out in proper layman's terms what is actually your payment as it has so many elements to it. If Amber Rudd does make changes and as I've said probably I don't think she will make any changes that makes it any easier for anyone to fully understand, but the payment timing needs to come right down from five weeks to a least 10 - 14 days of you making your initial claim, that way people are not left waiting as they are now, and if you are working in low paid job, your earnings calculation for UC should drop form 63% to 40 -45% but should only go up as in line any increase in your salary.

For anyone going through debt problems, Universal Credit related or not, here is a couple of solutions which may help.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-a...rangement/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-a...d-to-know/

Another expense of Universal credit claim - I got a letter from HM Customs last Friday. It was due to my me having claimed Universal Credit my claim for Working Tax Credit is ending and I have to pay back £250 (which is probably a lot less than many more people might have had to pay back once they started claiming) I guess any negotiation over this will have to take place in the New Year!!


I think the lose will be significant to my income if my UC isn't anywhere near as any calculations that I've done and I may force me to look for a job that pays a little more than my current one and gets me out of retail after 13 and a half years while being able to walk to work. I do now think that whatever happens with Brexit, my biggest worry now will be that wages will be probably take a nosedive on March 29 and there will be a blip on the unemployment front too as well and that will impact on the UC system where it may not cope. The principle of UC of having payments of benefits in one single payment will in my view if that was to happen that it will be in meltdown for quite a while and payments may not be pid as promised or missed completely or claims being registered by those looking to claim illegally (i.e fraudsters) of people's payments. The Government needs to ensure people that the online system is secure as possible before on March 29m 2019 if that was to happen. But should UC fail completely, then the restoration of the tried and trusted benefits system that we have known for years needs to be back in place but with extra security features in place to safeguard the genuine claimants.

^ Ex PM John Major seemed to think that Universal Credit could be this governments version of the poll tax.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45817897


I predict that if the government is not brought down by the chaotic and shambolic way it has been handling Brexit, then it will be brought down by Universal Credit.