I've request to close UC claim and have to provide 7 years of statements.

OliverLoving · October 1

Hi, I'm finding this really distressing. I remember that error. I'm sure I corrected it, although it doesn't show on my journal.

I haven't received an overpayment.

Is there any way around this? Is there anything I can ask for? Is this a reasonable request on their part? It's not my problem that their IT isn't very good.

I've just been to the Jobcentre for a capital review on Friday which cost me £30 in taxi fares. Also I've recently been diagnosed with depression recently, would I be okay to ask to provide the information by upload if it comes to that on the grounds of reasonable adjustments?

Thanks in advance.

Rosie_Scope · October 1

7 years is a long time @OliverLoving! No wonder you're feeling distressed by it. That's a lot of work for a simple mistake.

As it's quite a complex problem, it might be a good idea to speak to a benefits adviser on this one to see what they say. There's a search tool here to find local help if that's something you'd like to do: Turn2Us - AdviceFinder

When it comes to submitting evidence, it's worth asking whether they would accept things being done online. Would you manage a phone call with them? Perhaps that might be something to suggest if they need to speak to you about it.

OliverLoving · October 1

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151491#Comment_1151491

Yeah, it'll be in excess of 100 pages of statements. I'll reply to the journal entry tomorrow.

Thanks for your prompt reply.

OverlyAnxious · October 2

Hi,

Unfortunately there is no quick way for it to be corrected on the system. The only option is to go back and add every single savings change since the date written on the error. I made a similar error myself a while ago, though fortunately mine wasn't over so many years.

For this reason, I am fairly sure you won't get anywhere with the journal staff. If you want to argue that a computer system is obviously not fit for purpose when it can't handle a simple numerical error then you'll need to go higher up than the journal and possibly involve your MP.

Anhedonia2 · October 2

I wouldn't even know how I go about getting 7 years worth of statements, crazy!! I'm sorry @OliverLoving.

I bet they will make you do it though I'm afraid.

OverlyAnxious · October 2

The bank should provide several years worth of printed statements for free if you can collect them.

They can also post them but…in smaller batches. I missed one batch when sending mine without realising. 🙄

OliverLoving · October 2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151557#Comment_1151557

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did they allow you to upload them or did you have to go in?

I've replied asking them to take the figures off the original journal entries, which are still there. Like you say, I don't hold out too much hope. We'll see.

OliverLoving · October 2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151612#Comment_1151612

Thanks for that. Did they allow you to send them in or did you have to go in?

OverlyAnxious · October 2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151645#Comment_1151645

I didn't have to provide statements for the UC error as mine was only over a few months and I'd been declaring savings every month anyway. So they already had the correct information for each month, they just had to go back and put that into the system again to over-ride my error.

Your case is different because I'm guessing they don't have the information from every month going all the way back to the start of the claim. Now it looks like you had £8554.94 for every individual month. They can't just 'delete' the earlier entries, they'll need to use bank statements and put each months correct figure in separately to over-ride the error. (Personally, I can't believe they've designed the system so badly but not much we can do about that!)

Although statements can be uploaded online for the normal reviews, I've never seen anyone allowed to do it for a discrepancy like this. Statements usually need to be printed and taken to the Job Centre. In a few cases they have allowed a home visit to collect paper statements from people who physically can't get to a Job Centre.

When I had to send statements it was for a separate issue and that did cover several years. I had to get them printed and post them, but that isn't an option for UC. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that in this thread and caused confusion, just wanted to show that it's not actually difficult to get statements printed from the bank.

OliverLoving · October 2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151652#Comment_1151652

Thanks for that. I can't understand why the journal entries were good enough at the time and they're not now. Although I have asked that they consider this. I'm going to look into getting the statements. I can get some online.

Surely it should throw up an error message if you want to go back further than the current accounting year.

It will take someone hours and hours to reconstruct that manually. A complete waste of everyone's time.

OverlyAnxious · October 2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1151653#Comment_1151653

I suspect they were never good enough. Maybe the journal staff just didn't realise at the time.

Yes, I agree, it's a really poor design. Personally I would have a simple tick box for 'todays date' so we wouldn't even have to think about it.

And as you say, some sort of warning if you've manually typed the previous month, let alone the previous year, etc.

Must admit, I would be quite interested in testing it further now…maybe see what happens if I put the 40th day or the 20th month, just to see if the whole system collapses. 😄

I've request to close UC claim and have to provide 7 years of statements.

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