Being paid fortnightly. Not understanding.

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Azura
Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

Hi, I got my first payment of UC on 7th July, being migrated from ESA Support. After lots of mistakes, they paid me the housing element, transitional protection and LCWRA element. In the past couple of days, I've had to pay nearly £800 from my payment to ESA overpayment and Housing Benefit overpayment. I don't like being in debt, so paid it all off fully.

I asked in my journal to be paid fortnightly, as I am no good at budgeting (schizophrenia). They finally said today I can be paid fortnightly and said from 7th August I will be paid half and then half again on 21st August. I thought, if I was being paid fortnightly then it would start a fortnight after my first payment. As it is paid in arrears - where is the other 2 weeks payment in July? I would have been better off not asking for fortnight - as now am struggling for the rest of the month, due to me paying back overpayments.

So it's a month between payments but I only get a fortnight in arrears. Sorry if I'm not understanding.

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  • TheCatSays
    TheCatSays Online Community Member Posts: 16 Connected

    We get the ESA contributions based paid separately, "New Style ESA" every 2 weeks; the income based is in with the UC along with the other bits, housing, LCWRA, transitional bit. Forgive me if I'm being unhelpful. If you can handle it nip into your JC+ and ask them to explain it to you face to face, or call them if you can face that. I'm sure someone on here who knows what they're talking about will come along in a minute, so chin up **** x

    ps why the hell the ESA is paid in 2 parts is a mystery to me, Drunken Smith's original plan of a one stop shop in action……not!! Love to ya.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,104 Championing
    edited July 10

    It's not possible to be paid UC fortnightly, instead you are being paid twice a month which is different.

    Half of your UC payment will arrive on the 7th of each month, that date is fixed and linked to the date you originally applied for UC.

    The other half will be paid 14-15 days later and will vary each month.

  • Azura
    Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1047280#Comment_1047280

    Yes, sorry, I meant twice a month. The bit I am not understanding is - my first payment on 7th July was for the assessment period 1st June to 30th June. So that was for the previous month.

    Now if my next payment is a month later - 7th August - and they are only paying me half (for July) then where is the other half? As the next half on 21st August is surely for the previous couple of weeks.

    There seems to be half a month missing for July.

  • Azura
    Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener

    Thank you. I tried phoning but they didn't understand what I meant.

    So I've made things worse really. I thought asking for twice a month would be helping, as I have no money left now for July - after paying off the overpayments. But I will only be getting half on my next payment now. I thought it would be sooner than that, if I asked for bimonthly. I think I've messed up.

  • Azura
    Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1047280#Comment_1047280

    Sorry again. Does it mean that both August payments are for the month of July? I think I may understand it a bit better now. I wish I hadn't asked for bimonthly now, as could have done with full amount on 7th August, to make up for all my payments I had to make to Housing Benefit and ESA. But I thought it meant they would bring my next payment forward. I've made things worse now.

    Why will the second half vary each month? Do you mean the amount, or the day it's paid? Thank you for your help.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,104 Championing

    UC is a monthly benefit paid one month in arrears.

    Both payments in August will be for your July 1-30 Assessment Period.

    One payment will be 7th August. The second payment will follow 14-15 days later.

    The second payment will always be for exactly half your UC award. It is the day it's paid that will vary slightly.

  • Ranald
    Ranald Online Community Member Posts: 1,947 Championing

    I suppose that as UC is paid in arrears, you got an initial half payment, but will have to wait a month for the next half. This will be a one off hardship.

  • Azura
    Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1047305#Comment_1047305

    Thank you so much for clarifying. You explain so much better than the UC phoneline.

    I really appreciate it.

  • Azura
    Azura Online Community Member Posts: 20 Listener

    Yeah - will just be beans on toast for a few weeks :)

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