My Mistake Claiming Universal Credit.

As an appointee for my son’s affairs with the DWP this is my position with his claim for Universal Credit.

I have until the 27th November to finalise the claim, which gives me five weeks and a few days to do so, failing which the transitional protection will be lost at quite a sum of money.

During a phone call I made yesterday an adviser from the Universal Credit department told me I would have a home visit as I was unable to provide the online identification required. An hour or so later I checked the messages on the online account I created at the Universal Credit Journal and saw the following:

“We need to call you.”

“If we do need to call you, it will be in the first few weeks.”

The quoted sentences are contradictory, with one saying they “need” to contact me and the second saying “if” we need to contact you. The first sentence is definite and the second vague.

I have read numerous examples of this problem on Facebook, which should never arise, by claimants of Universal Credit.

It appears I will have to wait perhaps a “few weeks” for a message in the journal and then their call on my mobile phone, probably days after their message, so UC can verify the required details.

As the claim must be made by the 27th of November this does not give me much time, particularly if their message and phone call comes “weeks” later! My concern is, as stated above, that if the claim is not finalised by this date the transitional protection will be lost and consequently less money will be received when an award is finally made.

No mention of a home visit was made when I checked the messages on the online account, which contradicts the information given to me by the said adviser. It is hoped that another message will be forthcoming to inform me of the date and time of the phone call as it is not an easy task to sit in my wheelchair with my mobile phone on my lap, anxiously waiting for the call which might come within the next “few weeks.”

When I received the migration notice letter about seven weeks ago I had no idea the above would happen and wrongly assumed the claim process would be easier and faster.

I intend calling the UC helpline Monday morning and try to clarify matters with, hopefully, information about the home visit or phone call. I will request an extension to the deadline date of the 27th November which, if granted, will give me some peace of mind. Presently I am a nervous wreck. As a man of nearly seventy years of age with several serious health conditions and a wheelchair user I am finding the stress of all this is exacerbating my mental health. I also feel I am a failure as my son’s appointee. With hindsight I should have initiated the claim immediately I received the migration notice letter. I admit to making a terribly big mistake.

I suggest that UC claimants who receive a migration notice letter set in motion the wheels of the application as soon as they can, rather than the way in which I have done.

It is hoped that these few words will be of help in some way to claimants of Universal Credit as I do wish to see them in the same boat as myself.

I will post again as I make progress - if any, which I have doubts about.

The best of luck to all claimants.