UC review after asking for extra bedroom allowance

coralfang

hi, i currently claim UC with LCWRA with the housing element, ESA and PIP. ive been claiming UC/ESA since early april when i was unable to carry on working. i didnt know or realise at the time but i was/am apparently entitled to an additional bedroom as i claim pip and my mum/partner stays over in the spare room quite regularly to support me. i contacted UC via my journal a few days ago to ask how i do this as i wasn't aware i could have claimed for an extra bedroom, and they posted a message today saying :

We are reviewing your Universal Credit claim to make sure your payments are correct.As part of the review, you will need to send us information to confirm your details.

i am now very stressed and anxious and when ive looked online it seems to involve bank statements etc being requested? is this the case, it seems terribly personal if so. if someone could please advise what this involves as i am worried and really dislike these type of phone calls.

thanks

Kimmy87

I think this is a coincidence and you have been selected for one of the random UC reviews.

Lots of us on the forum have been through y, including myself.

Have a read of this thread for further information:

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/125931/universal-credit-bank-reviews-frequently-asked-questions

durhamjaide2001

Dont worry I have seen this with PIP they do checks all the time on people.

coralfang

i am not sure, i dont have a work coach etc anymore and i made the message on the weekend and its the only message i've recieved since asking about the extra bedroom allowance, they did not reply to my question about bedroom allowance. i've only been claiming UC/ESA for less than a year. i am concerned about this :( i dont think its random or a coincidence i think it has been sent/triggered because of my message.

my partner does not live with me but we have pets we got together and they live with me, he gives me money each month towards the pet food/insurance and vet fees, they are very expensive, my pet insurance is £150 a month alone. is this classed as an income? am i allowed to have him give me the money to pay for the pet food and insurance? i am fretting about this now as they will see the amount he gives me each month?

coralfang

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/988703#Comment_988703

i havent had a check likie this with pip at all since ive had it for about 3 years. i had to send in some statements when i first got UC but not since. im not sure why they would need to see my statements when this is abour an extra bedroom allowance because of my health/mental health and disabilities needing someone to support me a few times a week by sleeping over. they cannot prove that via bank statements?

Kimmy87

Yes that's allowed and if they ask just explain what it's for.

They understand payments would happen between friends/family for various reasons.

durhamjaide2001

yes they still may need statements as a form of ID and agree with Kimmy that payments happen for a number or reasons.

coralfang

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/988709#Comment_988709

thank you i will explain this. what about vinted sales? i have been selling off alot of my personal clothes etc that i no longer wear or need and i've made a fair bit of money each month from selling those, is that allowed? they are my personal items not things i am re selling.

Kimmy87

As you are selling personal items they won't be interested in that either, unless your sales have led to having over £6000.

coralfang

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/988724#Comment_988724

no i think altogether since january last year i've had nearly £5000 worth of sales on vinted but that was all my old stuff that i had no longer use for. i'm not really selling alot of stuff now its mostly all gone. it isn't money i have saved somewhere, it has all been spent each month on bills etc.