Evidence about spendings for UC purposes.

rbz
rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor

Because my savings reduced UC office asked evidence where I spent my money.

For example I bought vehicle for £18000.

Purchased insurance for my 17 year old son after he pases driving test (insurance prices are very high for a new driver).

We had vacation abroad (booked before we started claim UC, but part of money we paid after UC claim).

And etc.

There no problems to provide receipts to UC office, but I don't want to disclose some sensitive information like vehicle registration/make, insurance policy details, hotel name during vacation and etc.

Please let me know which information I can legally delete (with black marker) from receipts?

I don't think that I must provide 100% visible content to UC office.

Thanks for information

Comments

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,695 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @rbz the DWP will be wanting you to provide statements with everything visible, this is just to make sure you're not funneling your money to overseas accounts and the car you bought is the same one on the receipts. So I'd suggest being totally open with them, as it'll make everyone's lives easier.


    Had you previously told the DWP that you had savings over 6K?

  • rbz
    rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor

    Hi,

    We moved from Tax Credits to UC with savings +£40k

    We declared all capital and our capital were disregarded for UC purposes (for 12 months).

    We kept our savings for our daughter education (instead to use student loan we fully pay university tuition fees and pay for accommodation- something £17k per year).

    As well we upgraded vehicle. Paid in full £18k, because no point to use finance and pay extra few thousands of pounds.

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,695 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Ah great, thanks for clarifying @rbz I just wanted to check. 😊

    But yes, I'd not cross anything out of the receipts they're asking for, it's much better to be fully transparent.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,042 Championing

    Have you told them that you spent some of your capital on your daughter’s student fees and accommodation?

    Did your daughter apply for a student loan and she was refused based on your financial circumstances?

  • rbz
    rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor

    Recently received papers from UC office (I'll asked all information they hold about my UC claim).

    They deleted loads of "sensitive" information (see black lines).

    Wonder why UC office can hide part of information, but claimants must provide "all information ".

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,695 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Sensitive information will be very different between an individual and a government entity. So I understand why they may blank some of their information out.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,042 Championing

    For safeguarding purposes they can hide information from you, in the same way a medical professional can.

  • birdwatcher
    birdwatcher Online Community Member Posts: 96 Empowering

    I don't understand why when you get your bank statement it says private and confidential on the envelope on them but the DWP can say they want to see them. I've got nothing to hide but found it a bit embarrassing as every few weeks I order incontinence pads and the payments there on the statements. I did console myself by thinking I'd probably never actually meet whoever did the check.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,042 Championing
    edited January 10

    UC is a means tested benefit and they are within their rights to request bank statements for reviews of a benefit claim. Or when capital has been spent in a short space of time.

  • rbz
    rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor
    edited January 10

    Hi,

    UC office was advised that we pay for our daughter education.

    We decided to use our savings and ask for student loan, because we have enough savings and don't want pay interest for student loan.

    For everything we pay in full and never use finance. Why to pay unnecessary interest rates?

  • rbz
    rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor
    edited January 10

    @poppy123456

    *We not asked for student loan.

    Our daughter receive around £2000 grant (not repayable) from student finance company and £5000 grant from NHS as she is medical student.

    When whe received Child Tax Credit - we saved these moneys for our daughter education.

    I believe that UC office can't restrict us to use our savings for family member education.

    Because she studying in University - we stop receiving Child Benefit/Child Tax Credits (and now UC) on her name.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,042 Championing

    It will be down to a decision maker to decide whether that is deprivation of capital.

    For the avoidance of doubt, you only start paying off the loan if your earnings are at least £480/week or annual earnings of just under £25,000 and this is plan 1. For other plans the earnings threshold is higher. Lower for post graduate loans.

    If the loan hasn't been paid off after 25 years it will be written off.

    https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/what-you-pay

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 3,369 Championing

    What if you don't remember what you spent on and have no receipts

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,042 Championing

    You wouldn't need to keep receipts for everyday spending. It's only advised to keep receipts if you have more than the allowed amount of capital. (savings)

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 3,369 Championing

    Oh bless you poppy thankyou really helped me alot saved me less anxiety thankyou

  • rbz
    rbz Online Community Member Posts: 139 Contributor

    For us no point to use student loan, because my daughter income will be over £50k per year after graduation. We don't want loan and feed greedy banks 🤣

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,288 Championing

    Wonder why UC office can hide part of information, but claimants must provide "all information".

    Those are the rules if you want to claim welfare benefits.

    UC will not accept incomplete bank statements.