Hi. I'm DM59, new here and worried about UC migration

DM59

Hi. I'm new. I've just been migrated to UC from ESA. I'm also on ADP ( the Scottish equivalent of PIP ), and although my migration went smoothly, there's been a problem with my friend's. Let me explain. I live with a friend. And we are just friends. We've both been getting ESA/PIP/ADP for a long time and never had any problems. We have a two-bedroom house, our Housing Benefit etc is separate, but suddenly one person at the local JC has decided we are a 'couple' because we have a joint account for household bills. It's convenient to have it. Beg pardon for looking for convenience! My migration was done last week and there was no problem about this, and the Work Coach who spoke to me was literally sitting two feet from my friend when her interview was done! The 'agent' who did her claim just shut it down and refused to even talk to her, even though she tried to reiterate what she had already gone over with them. I feel bad enough for my friend but I also feel - how can I put this? - violated almost. I don't have a problem at all with anyone mistakenly thinking we're a couple in itself, but for someone to make an assumption in this manner, in this situation, with such serious consequences, that offends me. Frightens me too when I read that such trivia as 'sharing household chores' or 'eating together' can be used by the DWP to construe that you are a couple! It's barmy! What do they want us to do? Struggle and be lonely living alone rather than sensibly band together? Are we supposed to only wash our own plate and cup? Have two of everything in the kitchen, two kettles, two cookers? Please tell me that I'm not alone in feeling so bewildered and angry about this kind of thing? Apologies for the straight-off-the-bat rant, I'm just feeling so overwhelmed, and ironically, alone at the moment. Otherwise, all of the best to everyone and looking forward to getting to know some of you hopefully.

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Not the answer you want to hear but it does sound like you're living as a couple in the same house with a shared bank account, shared bills and eating together etc. That means your rent and bills would be cheaper than if you were each living alone. And that's the reason that UC process joint claims differently to single ones.

DM59

Hi OverlyAnxious. Thank you for your comment. Can I ask, is there something different about the UC 'rules' from those of ESA that I'm missing? Because it's not a joint claim, we both made separate claims, and the DWP didn't have a problem processing mine as a single claim. We have a joint account to pay the bills with because it's convenient that way. Council tax and electricity for example are household bills, they don't send each person a separate bill, so both paying half of the monthly amount into an account from which - for example - OVO can then direct debit the electricity is convenient. The DWP have never had any problem with this before now. Quite honestly, do they actually believe that house-mates never eat the same food at the same time?! I think that would just be…weird. If so, I'm reminded of a 'Young Ones' TV show sketch many years ago, the "It's MY sausage!" food-in-the-fridge sketch! 😄Sorry, but to me, a 'couple' is defined as 'two people who are engaged in a physically intimate relationship'. Maybe that's old-fashioned ( I'm certainly old…lol! ) and the definition has changed? If so, again, weird to me!

Rosie_Scope

Hi @DM59, welcome to the community. Sorry to hear you're having trouble with your claims at the moment, that's so frustrating.

There's a document from the DWP about 'Living together as a married couple' here if you'd like to have a look. It's in PDF form which may not be totally accessible to all but it may be worth a read if that's something you can access:

ADM Chapter E4: Universal Credit – Living together as a married couple

It's ultimately up to a decision maker but it does feel unfair. Could you perhaps speak to a benefits adviser about it? They might be best placed to advise you on what your next steps are if you'd like to challenge the decision. Turn2Us have a database to search for local advisers:

Turn2Us - AdviceFinder

Hope you can get things sorted out soon!

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1037470#Comment_1037470

Hi, the rules are quite loose around this, which benefits UC staff more than it does the claimants, but I can see it from their side in this case.

Your claim was presumably processed first. It's only when they've seen the second one at the same address with the same bank account etc that the system has picked it up and refused it. Two people at the same address will generally be classed as a couple and need to make a joint claim unless they can prove otherwise.

Personally, I don't believe a couple need to be in a physically intimate relationship at all. There are plenty of people who live together for companionship and support without doing anything physical. But my opinion isn't really relevant here. As Rosie says, you will need to prove that you are not a couple to a UC decision maker. Usually that would be done by showing separate bank accounts, or clearly defined separate areas of a property, but it sounds like it's going to be difficult to prove in this case.

DM59

Hi Rosie! and OverlyAnxious! Thank you both. Thanks for the info, Rosie. I have been in touch with Citizens Advice this morning. It turns out there has been a couple of things need queried about my claim too, such as somehow the DWP have decided I'm the sole tenant in the house when it was clearly stated on my claim form that there are two tenants! CA are looking into all of it. Hopefully the whole situation can be resolved one way or another.