Universal Credit’s design just doesn’t work

UpTheTown11223344
UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

I honestly don't care what the policymakers say about Universal Credit being designed to "mimic a monthly wage" or "reflect the world of work." That logic just doesn't wash with me. I’ve been on UC for a year and a half now, and I absolutely hate the design of it.

«1

Comments

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    I do get more money now than I did on income ESA, and that is a positive. I’m not forgetting that. But the stressed-out structure in which the money is paid completely ruins that benefit. Extra money doesn't make up for the awful payment system.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    I managed to get my payments switched to twice a month, but even then, it’s still not a proper fortnightly cycle. Because it's tied to calendar dates rather than a fixed number of days, on rare occasions the gap from the second payment of one month to the first payment of the following month can stretch up to as many as 19 days! Who on earth can say that a 19-day gap is better than a predictable 14-day gap? It completely misses that true 14-day rhythm that I had on income-related ESA—a system that actually worked perfectly for budgeting. UC never feels consistent.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    Whenever I think of Iain Duncan Smith, I have nothing but wholly negative thoughts 😡😡. I completely detest him as a politician 😡😡 for his unhealthy obsession with a monthly system and his bizarre fascination with trying to mirror the "world of work" at the expense of real people's lives 😡😡.

  • ChrisR777
    ChrisR777 Community Member Posts: 1,780 Championing

    As benefit claimants, what can we do about the design of UC? I'm just grateful for the financial support, quite frankly.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1146882#Comment_1146882

    Yeah, I might be grateful for the money that I do get, but I won’t let go of my negative thoughts about the design. I never will.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    Alternative Payment Arrangements" (APAs), aren't alternative at all—they do nothing to fix this fundamental design flaw.

    The system simply wasn't designed with any real kindness or practical understanding of how people like me who can’t budgets easily are supposed to survive.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    Even with an APA, you are still completely at the mercy of those awful "assessment periods." The system pretends to offer flexibility, but changing the payout frequency doesn't fix a broken monthly calculation system that leaves people struggling.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    The system can take its broken calendar gaps and shove them exactly where the sun doesn't shine.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    It is infuriating that politicians like Iain Duncan Smith, who have never known financial insecurity, get to design the rules we live by. Someone with that level of wealth and privilege can't begin to understand the sheer panic of facing a 19-day gap between the final payment of one month and the first of the next

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    Dealing with the messy monthly structures we have now, irrespective of Alternative Payment Arrangements, just makes me realise how much better and more supportive that old two-week rhythm really was for my piece of mind. Truly miss that old routine.

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 3,799 Connected

    The system is broke, always has been, probably always will be.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1146890#Comment_1146890

    That is spot on… sadly.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    The system absolutely is broken under this monthly assessment period obsession. I know for a fact they intentionally designed it this way just to try and force people into a monthly cycle to "budget," ignoring how difficult that is for anyone who preferred the old fortnightly routine.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener

    Iain Duncan Smith would absolutely never be on my Christmas card list. I completely loathe him and his toxic obsession with the "world of work." Trying to artificially mimic a monthly wage format is terribly unhealthy and out of touch with reality.

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 3,799 Connected

    Apparently he resigned because he didn't agree with what the DWP were doing to us disabled folk.

  • Ross1975
    Ross1975 Community Member Posts: 1,545 Championing

    I've always found that strange, SheffieldMan1976, it's as though IDS suddenly grew a conscience overnight, there must be more to it than that as wicked people don't just suddenly wake up one day with a morel compass.

  • Jean Eveleigh
    Jean Eveleigh Scope Member Posts: 188 Empowering

    I manage because I have a strict budget system. ensure the majority of my bills are all paid on direct debit on the same day and ringfence the payment money for that and my groceries before anything else is even considered.

    However I am only able to do this as I got into a serious amount of debt as a teen and had financial counselling and training as part of my independence training when I lived in supported housing before being moved into the community. That has stuck with me (some would say negatively) ever since, however I do not just get UC I also get PIP so that is what is allowing me to keep my head above water.

    If I want something I plan and save for it or I put it on my credit card if I am sure I can pay it back within a reasonable time frame so I am not just paying interest and never touching the actual purchase cost.

    When I was on ESA fortnightly payments and running up to being put on UC I was very worried about how I would cope but with the PIP payments coming in every 4 weeks like clockwork it is not as bad as I thought it would be however I am sure I would be in alot more trouble if I didn't have my budgeting tight.

    I would suggest anyone who is struggling speak to the finacial planning helpers on the scope advise line or https://www.stepchange.org/ for assistance with budgeting and money management.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
    IMG_4148.png

    I’ve just been reading through the official DWP guidance on Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs), and honestly, the system absolutely stinks. Look at what it tries to encourage: "preparing claimants for the world of work" and teaching people to "take responsibility for their own financial affairs." It is incredibly condescending. They are trying to push people into doing something they simply cannot do, completely ignoring individual circumstances.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1146916#Comment_1146916

    Even if you manage to get onto a twice-monthly APA, it makes no difference to the overall attitude.

    The entire setup of Universal Credit has an awful smell to it, regardless of whether these APAs exist or not. They build a rigid system that doesn't fit real lives, and then blame us for not fitting into their box.

  • UpTheTown11223344
    UpTheTown11223344 Community Member Posts: 42 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1146916#Comment_1146916

    Just for your information, DWP: there is absolutely no way I will ever develop "financial capability" just to please you.


    I cannot be like someone who is in monthly paid work, and I refuse to spout b*****t like them just to make your system happy. This rigid setup completely ignores the reality of people's lives. It doesn't matter if you offer twice-monthly alternative payment arrangements or not—the entire Universal Credit system stinks because you try to force us into a mould that we simply do not fit into.

Categories