Still stressed

Frank69
Frank69 Online Community Member Posts: 23 Connected
in Universal Credit (UC)


I’ve been receiving universal credit for some time and just realised I’ve gon over the £16k savings

My review came up in February and I was suprised that I needed to be under 16k

When I first made my claim I wasn’t 

Now I worried that this is considered fraud

So stressed

Any help or advice please

Comments

  • anisty
    anisty Online Community Member Posts: 820 Trailblazing

    Try not to worry too much. What will happen is that your claim will be corrected. They will ask for all statements going back to when you first went over 16k.

    They will work out what you owe and you will be passed onto debt management to pay back what you owe.

  • Frank69
    Frank69 Online Community Member Posts: 23 Connected

    I’m reading about fraud and going to jail because I’ve claimed for 3 years

    I don’t know why I’ve done this

    I’m not in a poor situation like some our

    So I hope this isn’t a COS matter

    And a penalty instead plus full repayment

  • anisty
    anisty Online Community Member Posts: 820 Trailblazing

    Most of the fraud cases that end up jailed are pip claimants. That's because, unlike UC, pip cannot be recalled if it's paid in error. So, to get pip back, dwp has to undertake big surveillance operations and once they've started on that scale of investigation, they are going to fight it all the way through the courts.

    And they make it public to scare off as many folks as possible from making false claims/fail to report improvements in their conditions.

    For UC, all they need to do is ask for the money back. So, unless you are part of an organised group with multiple false claims going, you're going to just be asked for the cash back.

    They don't have the time or resources to prosecute you and why would they? What would be the point in it - it costs them taxpayers' money to prosecute you.

    Honestly, they see this all the time. Just wait for your bill to turn up.

  • Frank69
    Frank69 Online Community Member Posts: 23 Connected

    anisry

    Thank you

    I’ve let this get in my head and read about the involvement of CPS

    I know what I done wasn’t right but I never intentionally did this

    I also work on a zero hours contract so didn’t always receive payment

    I over looked the threshold and paid little attention to savings that have grown

    I will cooperate and pay back everything

    I feel a little calmer now from your post so thanks

    I’ve had people call me a criminal not on here but other forums

    Again thank you

  • Frank69
    Frank69 Online Community Member Posts: 23 Connected

    I’ve read that they say cases that have the CPS involved are for bigger cases?

    I think I may owe over £l0k

    I’ve never gone on a mad spending spree so I’m able to pay it back

    I hope that’s what will happen

    I will get a fine and maybe a penalty as well

  • anisty
    anisty Online Community Member Posts: 820 Trailblazing
    edited May 4

    I think CPS would become involved when someone refuses to pay back and has no further entitlement to benefit.

    10k is nothing to them - following covid, some people have had claims cancelled right back to the start (they were never entitled to receive it) and 80k, 90k repayments aren't unheard of.

    I know it's hard but as long as you answer your phone, respond to mail and basically just keep engaging with them, you will be fine.

  • Frank69
    Frank69 Online Community Member Posts: 23 Connected

    thanks for this

    Don’t know why I let it get in my head

    If I ignore what I read about being a criminal and I’ve committed a serious crime

    I’ll be able to feel better

    But it seems everything is considered serious and criminal crime

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