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Universal Credit: changed benefits due to family circumstances, losing out on 5 months of tax credit

lynette01lynette01 Member Posts: 6 Listener
edited December 2018 in Universal Credit
Has anyone else had any problems with Universal Credits? I’ve recently had to change my benefits because of family circumstances, I have a son with learning difficulties and my daughter is 19 and a full time student. When I phoned the DWP for advice I was told I had to change to Universal Credits and now I’m £200 a month worse off ! They’ve now told me that they’ve changed the way I would have got tax credits for my daughter, where as previously I would have got them until she turned 20 now they’ve changed it to it stopping the first August after her 19th birthday. So I’m now losing out on 5 months of tax credits and there is no right to appeal the decision! 
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Replies

  • pink_princesspink_princess Community champion, Scope Volunteer Posts: 131 Pioneering
    edited December 2018
    Hi @lynette01

    Welcome to the community 😀 you have come to the right place there is lots of advice about  benefits on here so have a look around and I’m sure other members will have some advice for you and there is also the scope helpline I just want to welcome you and say we are here to help.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Community champion Posts: 22,214 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    Yes you were informed correctly and you won't be able to appeal the decision. It happens to everyone that claims the child element of UC, once that young reaches 19 the payments stop in August after their birthday.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • lynette01lynette01 Member Posts: 6 Listener
    I understand what they’ve told me but I don’t understand how it’s lawful to make a family worse off by £200 a month just by simply changing benefits. 
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Community champion Posts: 22,214 Disability Gamechanger
    That's UC for you unfortunately.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • Pippa_ScopePippa_Scope Member Posts: 5,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @lynette01, and a warm welcome to the community!

    Thanks for sharing this with us, and I'm sorry to hear your frustrations. I'm sure many of our community members will be able to empathise. 

    Are any of you claiming PIP at the moment? 
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  • lynette01lynette01 Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Hi Pippa, yeah I get PIP for my son and I get carers allowance.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Community champion Posts: 22,214 Disability Gamechanger
    Are you still receiving the child element for your son that claims PIP? If so then you should be receiving a disabled child element in with your UC payment.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • lynette01lynette01 Member Posts: 6 Listener
    My son is now an adult so I wouldn’t be entitled to the child element for him unfortunately. I’ve spoken with an Income Officer who said that I’ve been wrongly advised by the DWP so now as a result of this I’m in arrears with my rent and things just look as if there going to get worse.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Community champion Posts: 22,214 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm sorry you were incorrectly advised. DWP are not the best people to get advice from. I don't know your circumstances and the reasons why you claimed UC so unable to comment on that.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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