Universal Credit: changed benefits due to family circumstances, losing out on 5 months of tax credit

lynette01

Has anyone else had any problems with Universal Credits? I’ve recently had to change my benefits because of family circumstances, I have a son with learning difficulties and my daughter is 19 and a full time student. When I phoned the DWP for advice I was told I had to change to Universal Credits and now I’m £200 a month worse off ! They’ve now told me that they’ve changed the way I would have got tax credits for my daughter, where as previously I would have got them until she turned 20 now they’ve changed it to it stopping the first August after her 19th birthday. So I’m now losing out on 5 months of tax credits and there is no right to appeal the decision! 

pink_princess

Hi @lynette01

Welcome to the community 😀 you have come to the right place there is lots of advice about  benefits on here so have a look around and I’m sure other members will have some advice for you and there is also the scope helpline I just want to welcome you and say we are here to help.

poppy123456

Hi,

Yes you were informed correctly and you won't be able to appeal the decision. It happens to everyone that claims the child element of UC, once that young reaches 19 the payments stop in August after their birthday.

lynette01

I understand what they’ve told me but I don’t understand how it’s lawful to make a family worse off by £200 a month just by simply changing benefits. 

poppy123456

That's UC for you unfortunately.

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @lynette01, and a warm welcome to the community!

Thanks for sharing this with us, and I'm sorry to hear your frustrations. I'm sure many of our community members will be able to empathise. 

Are any of you claiming PIP at the moment? 

lynette01

Hi Pippa, yeah I get PIP for my son and I get carers allowance.

poppy123456

Are you still receiving the child element for your son that claims PIP? If so then you should be receiving a disabled child element in with your UC payment.

lynette01

My son is now an adult so I wouldn’t be entitled to the child element for him unfortunately. I’ve spoken with an Income Officer who said that I’ve been wrongly advised by the DWP so now as a result of this I’m in arrears with my rent and things just look as if there going to get worse.

poppy123456

I'm sorry you were incorrectly advised. DWP are not the best people to get advice from. I don't know your circumstances and the reasons why you claimed UC so unable to comment on that.