Migration? Change! How to navigate & make it easier

justsaying2025 · March 15

Firstly, if you are reading this then you are able to make a claim online rather than by phone. In the long run making the claim online is a much better option than a claim by phone scenario.

It means you will be able to access your claim, check the statement, Send a journal message and so on. If not, you will receive a text and need to call the helpline. Every time. Not an issue but the online option gives you agency and means it a lot less stressful. For you.

It's really information gathering so lots of questions you need to fill in. A bit boring but not difficult. It can be done over many days or in one go. Which ever works for you and you can get help via CAB help to claim if need be - don't leave it last minute if that's the case as they have to book you in.

My advice is to try and do the claim online first and go from there.

Change is hard but I do think that sometimes the anxiety gets the better of us whereas if the change is out of our control it is best to embrace it & take charge.

You got this!

{moderated - unable to verify}

Holly_Scope · March 15

Thank you for sharing this @justsaying2025! I definitely agree having that paper trail is a real benefit ☺️

WhatThe · March 15

having that paper trail is a real benefit

Yes Holly generating a paper trail is vital so CLAIM BY PHONE!

A paper trail is only possible with a phone claim as we heard from ChrisSCOPE 👏👏👏

Statements on a UC journal can be edited and over-ridden by them. Messages we leave are either ignored or answered inadequately.

CLAIM BY PHONE and preserve your sanity is my firm recommendation!!

(I'm another who doesn't know why Chris left the forum. I was concerned when he shared info about his family and living arrangements lest it be used to beat him with. I hope that didn't happen 😒 he is missed)

💜

WhatThe · March 15

justsaying2025 · March 15

There is no' paper trail'

If you think that then respectfuly you misunderstand the process. Hence my post.

DO NOT claim by phone if you are able not to. You are being mislead by people who do not understand.

WhatThe · March 15

ChrisSCOPE shared the documents on this forum.

WhatThe · March 15

Holly, what does Scope know about Chris' phone claim and paper trail? Thank you

Holly_Scope · March 15

Hi everyone. Please can we keep this supportive. 🤗 We all have differing experiences and opinions in life.

And I agree, ChrisSCOPE is very much missed. 💜

WhatThe · March 15

Did I imagine his paper trail, Holly? Did it all go pear-shaped?

I have the wretched journal so I'm not asking for me.

justsaying2025 · March 15

Hi, just to clarify, if you get help via the 'help to claim' service (CAB) then I think there may perhaps be a paper record their end.

This is also possible if you make the claim online. Go back to the first date (you made the claim in your journal) and you are able to check all the information you provided.

Change can be daunting but I'm all about empowerment and a growth mindset.

You got this. x

WhatThe · March 15

The problem is once they end a claim the journal is wiped.

My third UC claim was via CAB and it didn't go smoothly despite all the data they hold about me .

Thank you for your thread and I hope we can get to the bottom of this.

👏

justsaying2025 · March 15

The data isn't ever wiped - in case this helps. If you have a closed claim you aren't able to access you are entitled to see very single input on that claim via a subject access request.

All the information and journal messages are viewable (not changeable either) so not wiped, it's just if closed you can't see them.

WhatThe · March 15

Thanks a lot, justsaying. That wasn't the best welcome to the forum from me was it? Please accept my apologies and a proper welcome 🤗

Right of Access Request (RAR) was returned heavily redacted. Only a few of their messages on my second UC claim. First claim went unpaid as I had no access to a journal 😔

I caught a glance of journal messages attached to my second claim at the jobcentre so it's not wiped from their systems, it's just not available to me.

WhatThe · March 15

All the information and journal messages are viewable (not changeable either)

I have seen this happen more than once in my dealings with UC. They can and do override and delete their own messages in the live journal.

I got my first few statements printed at the job centre which is just as well because UC invented an 'overpayment' and changed the lot online! They had decided I was self-employed when I was PAYE. They insisted they were nothing to do with DWP and had no feed from HMRC.

justsaying2025 · March 16

Sorry, RAR as you say.

The claims have two sections. The history notes which are added by staff and aren't viewable (but I understand can be included in a RAR request) and the journal which is normally viewable.

At a normal access level history notes or journal messages can only be deleted by the author, so you can correct your own stuff.

In relation to the issue you had with earnings it's hard to know what went wrong.

Usually if a person is employed and paid via PAYE then UC get an earnings feed from HMRC with the information. Full details of the employer and the breakdown.

Sometimes (depending on the employer/their accountant) the earnings aren't notified to HMRC so the feed to UC doesn't happen. I've seen this a few times, usually an admin error on the employers side which can be as small as a NI number mistake.

If earnings don't appear on your UC statement (under deductions) then you should raise that straight away. Even if the earnings are low and possibly don't affect the award due to your work allowance. The fact that they aren't there means there is an issue which needs resolving.

A RTI (real time information) dispute can be raised and a query goes off to HMRC. If PAYE earnings aren't coming through as they should UC will usually raise a to-do for employed earnings so that you can manually declare them each month.

If you have a government gateway account you can also check your own record to make sure your employer is reporting your earnings correctly.

No need to apologise, possibly my delivery needs a little work.

Back to the phone claim thing. What I was trying to make clear (and failed) is that there's no benefit to it. Only negatives as far as I see., claimants who set up the claim as a phone claim can't view the details so it means they are disempowered.

People who have online access to their claim can still call the helpline for assistance but if you're a phone claimant you have no choice.

For those who have a very static lifestyle it's probably less of an issue but if your life has more changes (& earnings) I think if you are able to manage those changes yourself online (and proactively check them) it can reduce anxiety and the feeling of being powerless & frustrated.

Thanks for the welcome :-)

justsaying2025 · March 16

One additional thing to clarify in relation to the statements being overwritten.

Previously when a correction was made (overpayment & underpayment) the statement would be changed to reflect what the statement should have been (in view of new information etc).

Thankfully, that has since changed. If you get a correction you are now able to view the original and then the corrected statement.

This clearly should have been the case from the outset.

Migration? Change! How to navigate & make it easier

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