Universal credit

Paulbrown

hi I suffer with mental health and depression back in 2018 I was given a back payment from underpayment of £14,000 due to my illness I don’t go out much Friday I received a note on uc to say they want id and 4months of statements but I have £13,200 in my account I have never not said I have it they was the ones who gave it to me but I have never declared it I didn’t no it was a thing to do when I was auto changed from ESA to UC now I’m so scared and worried and I feel like I’m going to be so sick I’m so scare about this

Kimmy87

Would you be able please to clarify in 2018 I was given a back payment from underpayment of £14,000 due to my illness

The answer will affect the advice given 🙂

Paulbrown

I was given it as a back payment of benefits for being underpayed in a higher group but was not awarded it until it was checked

Kimmy87

If the payment was due to official error, or error of law, as it's over £5000 it would be disregarded from the life of your claim.

This still applies if you were on a legacy benefit at the time of payment and have since transferred to UC.

At my review I was over £6k going by my statements.

After I uploaded my statements I added a Journal note stating with Cost of Living payments excluded I was under £6k.

During my interview it was confirmed my understanding about CoL being excluded was correct. I was asked to then upload individual statement pages showing all my CoL payments.

After this I had a Journal message saying they'd done the calculation and I was indeed under £6k of eligible capital.

So I would suggest after you upload your statements, you add a Journal note giving them full details such as date received, and exactly what it was for.

Paulbrown

I’ve had this money for over a period of 7 years and at this moment of time I have £13.200 I don’t go out to spent money due to my illness so I’m scared that I’m 7 years I haven’t said anything or even knew I had to I’m scared that I’m going to be in trouble for something I never done