IS and Carers allowance overlap with UC

Redeemed

Hi, I 'lost' my dla both mobility and care component on the 8th October which is also the date of my claim for UC.
I have just received my first UC payment for me and the wife of £201 after deductions. Neither of us work due to ill health and care commitments. After my claim for UC started we received our final payments for IS and Carers which UC has deducted from our payment.
However, on reflection the IS and Carers were paid on a four weekly arrears, so if my last payment of Carers was on the 21st October surely I am entitled to that money as it would have been for a period BEFORE the 8th October?
Just trying to get my head round this as I don't think UC have been very fair.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

poppy123456

Hi,

No, as you claimed for UC on the 8th October, then anything you receive from Carers allowance and Income support after that date will be deducted £1 for £1 from your UC amount.

What you should have done was wait until your last IS and carers allowance payment before claiming UC. You would have received a run on of both for 4 weeks after your DLA ended.

I'm assuming you were transferring to PIP from DLA. are you requesting the mandatory reconsideration then Tribunal for the PIP decision?

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Redeemed. One thing just to add: It's worth checking with Carer's Allowance that they have closed your claim completely. When someone loses DLA/PIP it's pretty common for them to just suspend the claim, but this can then lead to Universal Credit picking up that CA is still being paid when it isn't. 

Are you appealing your PIP/DLA decision? 

Redeemed

poppy123456 said:

Hi,

No, as you claimed for UC on the 8th October, then anything you receive from Carers allowance and Income support after that date will be deducted £1 for £1 from your UC amount.

What you should have done was wait until your last IS and carers allowance payment before claiming UC. You would have received a run on of both for 4 weeks after your DLA ended.

I'm assuming you were transferring to PIP from DLA. are you requesting the mandatory reconsideration then Tribunal for the PIP decision?

no-one told us about it and bearing in mind the delay in getting UC I just couldn;t take the chance of having no income.

Yes I am appealing, sent forms back the other day recorded delivery with an 8 page attachment of points disputed and 6 pages of medical evidence.

Redeemed

Just another example of how the PIP system is screwing people over.
I filed for an extension on my mandatory reconsideration whilst I obtained extra proof. The DWP conducted the re-consideration on the very day I submitted my extra evidence, two weeks after the original decision and hence they found the same result.
I recieve a letter informing me of this 'fail' and then a few weeks later receive another letter saying they are considering the further evidence I had submitted.
The nice people at motability told me that if at xmas I was still under mandatory reconsideration then they would extend the lease period a bit without it affecting the payment I was due to receive.
Unfortunately the botched first reconsideration counts so now I can't have the extension and have to hand back earlier than necessary.
Thank you so much DWP.

poppy123456

If you requested the MR over the phone and then sent the letter and further evidence at a later date then this is most likely why they didn't wait. I would never advise anyone to request the MR this way because very often then won't wait for the letter or evidence.

Most MR decisions do remain the same anyway and there's only a 14% chance of success at that stage. Most people have to take it to Tribunal. The only downside to that is waiting times for most areas are huge and lots are waiting a year for a hearing date. Add that onto the MR waiting time and if a decision goes in your favour payments can take 8 weeks. All in all it can take as long as 18 months. Crazy times.

Good luck.

Redeemed

Is no MP actively taking this lot to task over their failings?

poppy123456

I'm not even sure what a local MP could do. Most MR decisions remain the same and without going through that first you can't take it to Tribunal.