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UC & LCWRA - Claim Review

Autism_at_40

Hello,

I am a bit alarmed if I am honest.

I have literally (only in the last couple of weeks) been awarded LCWRA and haven't even received my first payment yet, let alone any back pay I think I should be getting! and I am under UC claim review! I don't understand it.

I have been asked to provide ID and bank statements for the last 4 months, I don't get why I am suddenly under review. Even the tribunal said they believed that I should be re-assessed in a year (which I understand is the LCWRA assessment).

This is really stressing me out because I literally have been on edge for 2 1/2 years as all this has been going on, just when I think I can relax as I have finally been believed, I've not even had chance to let that sink in, before they are testing me again! It feels like they are trying to find a reason not to give it to me.

Anyone else has anything like this?

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Comments

poppy123456

This isn’t a work capability assessment review. It’s a review of your whole UC claim to make sure it’s correct.

They have been reviewing millions of people and many other members have had the same thing. You will need to make sure you send them what they’ve asked for.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Autism_at_40, really sorry to hear you've got more stress to deal with after all you've gone through getting your LCWRA sorted.

Unfortunately, as Poppy says, they are doing a lot of these at the moment even on newer claims. Lots of members have been through them lately. If you provide them with the bank statements as asked, it should hopefully be a straightforward process 😊

Fingers crossed that this is the last thing you have to deal with for a while and it's all sorted soon.

Autism_at_40

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/917651#Comment_917651

I meant to say "is NOT" the LCWRA assessment.

I still don't understand why they need it.

Autism_at_40

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/917716#Comment_917716

Thanks.

Well, I just feel like it's an invasion of privacy and for what? I don't understand why they are asking for it? Are they checking to see what I spend my money on?

I feel like the DWP have got it in for me (yeah, yeah, I know they probably don't care about me individually), I never seem to get any time to just BE. How am I supposed to get anywhere near better, if I am in a constant state of anxiety?

Kimi87

They will be looking to see if the UC payments are correct.

I had one of these last year.

It is an invasion of privacy and I felt really uncomfortable being asked about my bank statement transactions.

The questions didn't even seem to make sense. Most were about household bills, window cleaner (£12 per month), an outgoing PayPal transaction which was the only one on my statements.

poppy123456

They are supposed to be checking that you don't have capital over the lower limit and you don't receive any earnings that you haven't declared.

They are not supposed to be asking what you spend your money on. I know there's been some members who have said they were asked those questions and some who didn't.

Autism_at_40

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918014#Comment_918014

But, I don't get it. They can see the UC payments they pay out, why do they need to see if they land in my bank account correctly? I don't understand, am I being thick?

They actually asked questions about your purchases??

I pay for most of my stuff on credit card, so they won't see a lot of what I spend anyway. But I'm afraid they will ask to see everything, surely, it's none of their business what I spend my money on. If I'm entitled to it, I'm entitled to it….

Autism_at_40

OK, thanks for clarifying.

Does that mean I can send them my bank statements and black everything but the balance and amounts out? lol. I'm sure they'd love that..

Autism_at_40

Plus, if I was actually trying to be fraudulent (I'm not), I would have other earnings put into a different bank account…

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918030#Comment_918030

No, you shouldn't blank anything out because if you do that this is very likely to cause concerns because they could think you're hiding something.

Kimi87

I initially submitted statements with some things blanked out (names only never amounts), was told that wasn't allowed and had to re submit unredacted ones.

I put things I deem sensitive on a credit card for added privacy (I pay balance in full every month). I do that even more now!

They told me they don't/aren't allowed to look at credit card statements. After questioning what the "Pulse" transactions were - my credit card payments.

Yes, I was asked questions about outgoing transactions.

By correct UC payments I mean, at a correct level for declared capital, capital under £6000 etc.

Kimi87

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918031#Comment_918031

An undeclared account would probably be picked up during various data matching activities the DWP & HMRC are allowed to do.

Autism_at_40

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918035#Comment_918035

Yes, I know, I was only joking. I wouldn't do that.

Autism_at_40

Lol

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918036#Comment_918036

I put everything I can on my credit card, it's good for added protection when it comes to fraud or whatever too. I pay mine in full too, unless I've done a 0% balance transfer.

It's good to know they aren't allowed to look at them.

If you have capital under £6k, surely it's none of their business what you spend the money on?!

Autism_at_40

What do you mean by undeclared?

I have a number of bank/savings accounts. My UC gets paid into 1 account, that was the account I was going to send back statements for.

Kimi87

They are allowed to ask under the guise of these checks unfortunately.

When you applied for UC you should have declared any and all bank accounts, and the sum total of the money in them.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-money-savings-and-investments#

For the check you have to send in statements for all accounts you hold.

Autism_at_40

I don't remember there ever being a question about declaring all my bank accounts..

Kimi87

It's been a few years since my application was done, so I might be incorrect about that process.

I definitely know during the check they will want to know about all sources of money, which includes declaring and submitting statements for all your bank accounts.

Autism_at_40

OK, well it's been a few years since mine too, but I don't think they asked about all my bank accounts, it doesn't say that on the request for them either. I'll see what happens I think.

Kimi87

Stage one is asking for the information.

Stage two is a telephone appointment.

As part of that call you will be asked a list of questions about other sources of money including bank accounts, so I'd recommend saving yourself some time & hassle and making sure they have everything from all accounts before the phone appointment.