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Hello could I have some advice please? Am really stressed over it!

ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
in Universal Credit
Hello! This might sound all a bit crazy but please bare with me. So I claim universal credit I live with my 5 year old daughter. I have had a call saying someone has rang up saying I live with my partner?! Which is ludicrous as for one am single! So don’t even know where this information has come from. Anyway I have to go in for a meeting the 8th of January and take my tenancy agreement and 3 months bank statement this is fine but I pay my rent by cash on the 28th of every month, I don’t know why the landlord wanted it in cash but I don’t mind paying it like that and I have receipts for them all and on my tenancy agreement it says I can pay by cash, check, standing order etc. So is this going to be a problem? Also on November and December you can see where I have took out the lump sum of 500, and on another I took out 300 and then on another day 200 (as this is my rent I pay to my landlord) but in the October my dad gave me £600 as he knows I have been struggling a bit lately so I used 500 to go to my rent so obviously I Haven’t took out the 500 for October’s month rent. I never told universal credit that my dad gave me me £600 so am I going to get into trouble for that? Am really stressed out over it all. Thanks 
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Replies

  • AilsAils Community champion Posts: 2,268 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @ria91 and welcome to the Community.  It is nice to meet you and thank you for sharing with us.  I'm sorry to hear of your present situation and can appreciate how stressful this must be for you.  I'm afraid I don't have any answers to your question, but I am going to tag in one of our Community Champions, @poppy123456, who will have a much better idea as to how to go forward with this.  I hope you get things sorted out and please keep in touch and let us know how you get on.  All the best.  

    @poppy123456 could you please help out with this enquiry?  Thanks, @Ails.  


    Winner of the Scope New Volunteer Award 2019.   :)
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  • FranstrahanFranstrahan Member Posts: 898 Pioneering
    @ria91
    Hi, I had to go in for a meeting just this week, I'm on UC, like you. My second cousin has lent me 300 quid recently which was on my bank statement, and no problem, it was ok. So trust you will be ok too.
    @poppy123456 can advise you further.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    HI and welcome,

    Thank you for the tags.

    Gifts are not classed as income, they are just gifts of money and this won't go against you. Neither will paying your landlord as cash. You have your tenancy agreement, which states cash and should also state how much your rent is, so there should be any problems.

    Some people can be very nasty and report others when they have nothing better to do. What they should do is mind their own business and carry on with their own life.

    Just attend the compliance interview and be honest and everything will be fine.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Hello everyone and thank you for your replies! Things like this just make me worry as am on my own with my daughter and if they wanted to stop my payment I would be screwed basically! I think I might have an inkling who it may be, my daughters dad left 9 months ago he had been seeing someone else and there has been non stop trouble since, I know he’s always on and off with the girl and I think she may of done this as I can’t think of anyone else? I keep myself to myself I go to college and have a small close circle of family and friends. 

    I was just worried they will use the month against me we’re i didn’t take the 500 lump sum out like I usually do to pay my rent, (as stated before my dad gave me money so I just used that as my rent as it’s in cash) do you think I should take along any like council tax bills, gas bills etc to show they solely have my name on too? 

    Thanks again everyone.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    You say your ex left 9 months ago? If so then yes take evidence to prove that he no longer lives with you. 

    You also mention being a student, is this correct? If so then do you clam any student loans or are there any loans available to you than you don’t claim? 
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Am a student at college il be going to uni in September, (then I won’t be entitled to universal credit) the course am on is a level 3 so I had to claim a loan for this college course (it doesn’t affect my benefits though) yes in my last house I wasn’t claiming anything as I was with my partner then n he left me in a 700 house that I couldn’t afford on my own so had to get out as soon as and that when I moved into my current house. Yes I have my tenancy agreement for this house (which is obvs in my name) and all receipts of my landlord for my rent and all my utility bills and everything so will take the bills with me just as extra evidence. So am hoping thy can see this is just all hearsay by a very bitter and sad individual!
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm assuming DWP know you're a student and received a loan?
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Yes they know I informed them as soon as I stated the course and brought in my leanest agreement.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    If they think the person who am living with is my ex which that’s who they must be referring too as I haven’t been seeing anyone else since and he comes to mine (or when he feels like really!) to pick up our daughter, should I ask him if he could give me proof of where he is living like his bank statement or driving licence and take that as well? 
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Just take what they've asked for, if they want more they will ask for it. Have they told you that it's because they think you're living with a partner?
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    They have asked for bank statements n tenancy agreement, and yes I asked what this interview is over they said some has informed them that am living with a partner. 
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Then just take what you've been asked to take.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Yes I will just take what they have asked for. Thanks
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing Team, Community Team Posts: 7,951 Scope community team
    Hi @ria91. I'm sorry you're in this position, it must be very worrying. If you've got evidence he isn't living with you it shouldn't be a problem but I can understand why it would play on your mind. 
    Please let us know how you get on at your interview in January. 
    Senior Community Partner
    Scope

    If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Hello! And yes I have my bank statements and tenancy agreement and my receipts of my rent payments, this is what they have asked for (I’ve also got utility bills Too) and if it is my ex partner who I think it must be that they are referring too then I could easily get him to get bank statements and his driving licence and that for evidence to his address. I know it will be fine just worries me thinking they could just stop your payments and I hate anything like this always makes me feel anxious.
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing Team, Community Team Posts: 7,951 Scope community team
    That's completely understandable. It's a shame the appointment isn't until January, I imagine the waiting is the worst part!
    Senior Community Partner
    Scope

    If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
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  • FranstrahanFranstrahan Member Posts: 898 Pioneering
    @ria91
    I had to wait two weeks for mine and I'm in counselling for high anxiety and depression, so the wait did my mental health no good whatsoever!
    The way that standard letter of theres is worded doesnt help either. Makes you feel like you've done something wrong and you're racking your brains trying to figure out what. Plus the threat of stopping benefits.
    The guy that interviewed me couldn't have been nicer and the whole thing went without incident. They just have to check up if someone, usually out of spite or a grudge, reports you for something. Dont let that blankety-blank get you down, and have a great Christmas! It'll be alright.
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  • ria91ria91 Member Posts: 9 Listener
    Aww thank you! Yes am the same am quite stressed enough right now with getting my uni application done n sent, assignments done, Christmas and I suffer with anxiety terribly! My mum is like why are you worrying you have nothing to hide or worry over yet I still worry knowing I have done nothing wrong! I don’t like that I don’t know 100% who it is who is saying these lies (even though I have an inkling who) and then thinking they could just stop my payments whenever they want. I just want the meeting done n over with already, thank again everyone and hope yous all have a lovely Christmas x
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  • Chloe_ScopeChloe_Scope Scope Posts: 10,664 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @ria91, I imagine it can be overwhelming with that much going in. I hope your assignments go okay. :) Wishing you a lovely Christmas too! 
    Community Partner
    Scope

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