What do people on here spend their money on?

poppy123456

Strawberry1 said:

@poppy123456 , excuse me for interrupting.  I just wanted to say your an amazing help on lots of things on the forum.  I look up too you . Hope it was OK too say . Take care 🙂 

Thank you, that's very kind of you!! and of course it's ok to say this!

Strawberry1

Your welcome @poppy123456 . Thank you I'm glad I was ok to post.  

Strawberry1

Are people on PIP allowed to holiday in England.  Do you have to notify DWP ? 

poppy123456

Strawberry1 said:

Are people on PIP allowed to holiday in England.  Do you have to notify DWP ? 

Yes of course you can and no you don't not need to tell them. You can also go abroad for up to 13 weeks. However, if you're claiming certain Income Related benefits then the timescale will be different.

Strawberry1

Thank you @poppy123456 , I'm not sure whether to have a break away anywhere but I just wasn't sure and I keep seeing alot of stuff on Google.  Thanks again @poppy123456 much appreciate your time . Go steady ..

Strawberry1

Sorry @poppy123456 , what I meant to say was I keep seeing stuff on Google and its confusing for me maybe not other but definitely for me lol 😂.  I do get so confused easily lol 😂.  Thanks again @poppy123456 much appreciated. 

poppy123456

paries1 said:

Surely even if you have £5999 in savings and had it for years then spent all your benefit money before the next payment that’s your business ? How can you be told ,

“ well you’ve had 5999 for years and you should’ve been saving more , so it’s deprivation of capital “ 

I just don’t understand how someone can tell you you should’ve been able to save more so you’ve been deliberately devious etc . 

No they will not tell you that at all. Your benefits money is income, it doesn't become capital until the end of the period it's paid for.

Savings of less than £6,000 do not need to be reported.

OverlyAnxious

paries1 said:

TBH I do sometimes buy things to keep it just below but surely that’s my business? 

No.  That is exactly the 'intent' that makes it purposeful deprivation of capital.  

If you're ever investigated, don't word it like that.  Best to tell them the item was bought for your own pleasure, with no consideration for the savings amount at all.  It would then be up to them to prove that you purposely spent the money to keep below the savings limit.

poppy123456

paries1 said:

OverlyAnxious said:

paries1 said:

TBH I do sometimes buy things to keep it just below but surely that’s my business? 

No.  That is exactly the 'intent' that makes it purposeful deprivation of capital.  

If you're ever investigated, don't word it like that.  Best to tell them the item was bought for your own pleasure, with no consideration for the savings amount at all.  It would then be up to them to prove that you purposely spent the money to keep below the savings limit.

Ok thanks . 

Another thing I’ve got to stress and worry about . Most of my saving were from when I was working and took absolutely years coz was only working part time 

That's irrelevant.

rustledjimm

People fret over benefits fraud and what people who are in need are spending their benefits on.

Few ever seem to care or ask what the extremely rich who knowingly dodge and avoid tax are spending their money on, which is a far higher £ than all benefits fraud put together.

How you spend your benefits money is up to you, holidays are a part of living if it's something that gives you quality of life. Benefits are to help give you a higher quality of life because you are less well off or are in need of help.

apple85

paries1 said:

Ok thanks poppy . 

I’ve had saving of just under 6K never going above ( only when my UC is paid) but by the end of my assessment period by the time I’ve paid everytyitsvalways been back to just below 6K . Been like this for years . Do I need to worry about anything ? Like them saying what do you spend your UC on ? And why are you always just below 6k for years ? 

TBH I do sometimes buy things to keep it just below but surely that’s my business? 

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

bg844

I personally see no problem at all when people save some money and go on holiday with it, I think everyone deserves a change of scenery from time to time.

poppy123456

apple85 said:

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

No, not your next payment. What counts for UC purposes is the last day of your assessment period, this determines what you're entitlement will be.

paries1 said:

I know , I feel really bad now and feel I’ve committed benefit fraud . 

Benefit fraud for what exactly? I think you're missing the point. Providing you have less than £6,000 on the last day of your assessment period,  it's disregarded.

apple85

paries1 said:

apple85 said:

paries1 said:

Ok thanks poppy . 

I’ve had saving of just under 6K never going above ( only when my UC is paid) but by the end of my assessment period by the time I’ve paid everytyitsvalways been back to just below 6K . Been like this for years . Do I need to worry about anything ? Like them saying what do you spend your UC on ? And why are you always just below 6k for years ? 

TBH I do sometimes buy things to keep it just below but surely that’s my business? 

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

Yes , it’s never been above 6k by the time I get my next UC payment. I just really feel I’ve done something wrong now and I’m stressing that I’ll be investigated and end up in court for benefit fraud . 

But the when the next uc payment goes in it puts you over £6k?

poppy123456 said:

apple85 said:

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

No, not your next payment. What counts for UC purposes is the last day of your assessment period, this determines what you're entitlement will be. 

Okay, little confused on the above comment

when you say assessment period are you referring to the assessment period before you get an award decision for renewal or new claims?

or by last day do you mean the day before your monthly uc (or 4 weekly hb/dlc/pip or fortnightly esa) gets paid in your bank?


(And yes I’m probably overthinking your answers once again poppy but what you are typing is important and helpful information and it would be better to leave no room for interpretation )

In terms of unknowingly committing fraud I’ll leave a quote I found on google from an attorney that seems relevant to paries1 current concerns:

“If you accidentally commit fraud, you have no intent to deceive or scam anyone. Instead, the fraud you committed was a simple mistake. By this definition, you cannot be convicted of a fraud crime for an honest mistake. However, you may still be charged.”

poppy123456

paries1 said:

poppy123456 said:

apple85 said:

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

No, not your next payment. What counts for UC purposes is the last day of your assessment period, this determines what you're entitlement will be.

paries1 said:

I know , I feel really bad now and feel I’ve committed benefit fraud . 

Benefit fraud for what exactly? I think you're missing the point. Providing you have less than £6,000 on the last day of your assessment period,  it's disregarded.

It’s me catastrophizing  everything again, I’m just concerned if I’m investigated they’ll ask me questions like “ why did you withdraw £300 then and £200 then, and I’ll have nothing to show coz most of my money is on food when I binge eat . 

You are making this more complicated than it really is. When your savings are less than £6,000 as you already said yourself in a very recent comment, you don't need to report it. You can do exactly what you want with your money and that includes withdrawing what you want, when you want.

Remember, it's not what counts on the day you receive your money. It's the last day of your assessment period that counts. For example, if your assessment periods are 15th to 14th of every month, then it's the 15th of every month that counts. If you have less than £6,000 on that date there's nothing to report.

poppy123456

paries1 said:

poppy123456 said:

paries1 said:

poppy123456 said:

apple85 said:

To clarify the above - when you get paid uc (once a month) you always/sometimes have gone over the £6k temporary but have got it back below the £6k limit before the next uc payment is due?

Thats how I’ve interpreted what you’ve said……..have I understood correctly?

No, not your next payment. What counts for UC purposes is the last day of your assessment period, this determines what you're entitlement will be.

paries1 said:

I know , I feel really bad now and feel I’ve committed benefit fraud . 

Benefit fraud for what exactly? I think you're missing the point. Providing you have less than £6,000 on the last day of your assessment period,  it's disregarded.

It’s me catastrophizing  everything again, I’m just concerned if I’m investigated they’ll ask me questions like “ why did you withdraw £300 then and £200 then, and I’ll have nothing to show coz most of my money is on food when I binge eat . 

You are making this more complicated than it really is. When your savings are less than £6,000 as you already said yourself in a very recent comment, you don't need to report it. You can do exactly what you want with your money and that includes withdrawing what you want, when you want.

Remember, it's not what counts on the day you receive your money. It's the last day of your assessment period that counts. For example, if your assessment periods are 15th to 14th of every month, then it's the 15th of every month that counts. If you have less than £6,000 on that date there's nothing to report.

Thanks so much Poppy , I’m so sick and tired of myself . Fear has ruined my life, everything ever since I was a kid has been ruined by fear that at any moment something will happen to me , physically or emotionally. I absolutely hate myself for it . 

You're welcome. What i have noticed is that a lot of the time you know you're right but the more you read, the more you convince yourself that you're wrong. Hate is a strong word and one thing you shouldn't do, is hate yourself.

Strawberry1

Sorry 🙏  for interrupting again.  @poppy123456 you are an absolute star 🌟.  So helpful and kind . Someone who has time for everyone.  Also sending GIGANTIC BIG HUGS TO @paries1 . Please take care of yourself and please be kind to yourself too. 

Strawberry1

Your welcome @paries1 . @poppy123456 is an amazing person . I really look up to @poppy123456 always .

poppy123456

@paries1 glad i helped. Thank you also for the kind words! @Strawberry1 thank you too, for the kind words!

Strawberry1

Your more than welcome @poppy123456 , I really look up to you . You are so helpful. Your a true star 🌟.