I was told the wrong information as to when to start my UC claim

Halifaxsteve
Halifaxsteve Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi everyone, after suffering a stroke in march I have been sick on notice from my old job. My last day of employment was 05/08 and I received my last wage on 10/08. I was told my ESA to start my UC claim asap but it would be beneficial to do it when I got my last wage. I did all this and submitted my UC claim. Last week they notified me my first payment would be £0 because my assessment period started on the day I got paid so they took my last wage into account. Citizens advice told me if I had started my claim the day after my last wage I would of got a payment. Surely this must be wrong somewhere. I have written on my journal but no reply, had anyone had a similar experience or can give me a heads up...thanks

Comments

  • Jimm_Alumni
    Jimm_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,713 Championing
    Hi @Halifaxsteve, welcome to the scope online community. I'm sorry you've been put in this situation where you aren't getting anything. 

    Can you just clarify for me, the people at ESA told you to submit your UC claim on the day of your final wage? 

    The assessment period for Universal Credit does start the very day you apply, so it does sound like you were given incorrect information. Or perhaps it was given to you in such an ambiguous way that you had no way of knowing what day they meant exactly.
  • Halifaxsteve
    Halifaxsteve Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Yes ESA told me to start UC at any time but the easiest way would be to do it when I got my final wage...I've submitted for a mandatory reconsideration on the grounds I was misinformed 
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,928 Championing
    Unfortunately, as you made the claim a day late, there's no grounds for a Mandatory Reconsideration. Can I just ask, why did you ask ESA and also why did you not claim that instead?

    ESA is a different benefit to UC and when you phone any benefit you are actually speaking to an outsourced call centre who have very limited knowledge of the benefits system, including what they work on.
  • Jimm_Alumni
    Jimm_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,713 Championing
    Have you talked to your local Citizen's Advice about your situation? They have benefits advisors who know the system quite well. I've not heard of a situation like yours before. Usually to get a Mandatory Reconsideration be successful there needs to be evidence submitted. Do you have evidence of their misinformation or was it via a phone call? 
  • Halifaxsteve
    Halifaxsteve Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    I started my ESA claim first and in the conversation they said I would need to claim UC for the housing cost component, it's then when they said to wait for my last wage slip so I could complete the UC application. I have spoken with citizens advice and they advised to asked for a mandatory reconsideration because of the wrong information given to me. This is the first time I've ever claimed anything and I had it in my head to start any claim asap and I thought the obvious day would be the first day I was no longer employed 
  • Halifaxsteve
    Halifaxsteve Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    It all seems completely unfair that by submitting a claim as soon as you've finished your job and got your last wage you'd lose a month's money 
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,928 Championing
    @Halifaxsteve Thanks for that and I really do understand your concerns. 

    You didn't need to wait for your last wage slip to claim UC and to be honest, that's quite appalling advice from whoever told you this. I assume your ESA is also in payment too (or will be)? This is deducted in full from UC but you aren't any worse off in that regard. As you have mentioned, housing costs will be paid via UC. Please advise if ESA will be continuing or if that award has ended so we can inform how to sort this out.
  • Halifaxsteve
    Halifaxsteve Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    My ESA payments are continuing, so this is my first UC payment. As they've said the assessment period is from 10/08 to 09/09 they've taken into account my last wage so my UC award for that period is £0 . If I'd of started my UC claim the day after they wouldn't of taken into account this I'm led to believe. My ESA is the contribution based one which began 06/08 

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