UNIVERSAL CREDIT - CLOSED ACCOUNT - NO CHILD TAX CREDITS NOTHING & NO MONEY - ANY ADVICE PLEASE???

I write with urgent assistance and help.

My employment came to an end 23 April 2019 and my last pay from the company was on the. 24th May 2019.

I applied online for JSA as I have done so many times, whenever my contracts have ended or if I have been undergoing surgery. To tie me over whislt I look for further employment. During periods like this, I would live on my weekly Child Credit payments and fornightly JSA payments.

When I attend the appointment, I was informed by a work coach that I couldn’t claim JSA and had to claim the new benefit Universal Credit. As I wasn’t fully informed and now to find out, informed incorrectly I signed onto the claim. I was then later informed my weekly tax credits will stop but not to worry, as it get paid into my Universal Credit monthly. I was so upset as didn’t have no money, as with my last wages, I paid my rent and bills etc ..

On the 17th June 2019, I am informed by universal credit that I will receive my first payment of £0.00, due to pbe paid on the 25th June 2019 at 8pm. I have to be extremely honest, this made me somewhat livid, how am I supposed to feed my 7yrs son, get him to school, buy is weekly pack lunches and so forth??????? I haven’t stopped crying, because I have no money at all to my name. I then receive a message to sign into my UC account. When I signed into the account, it reads, claim closed and I am not eligible to claim this benefit. Reason where, child care cost (which I do not have) and Income (which I do not have) either.

I called the Tax Credits, to see that they can activate my child credit back, enabling me to at least receive something, as I have renewed the child tax online, before the deadline 31st July. Only to be informed by them also, that I can no longer claim Child Tax Credits, because my account is CLOSED!!!! Where do I go from here??? So I am not entitled to anything or to continue with my Tax Credits, even though I have a 7yr child and currently not in any form of employment. This has already started to land me in debt, our telephone bills are due and these will be cut off next, which will then leave me without any form of contact for prospective employers to contact me, my sons school or anything. I have never EVER in my life been in this kind of hardship, yet position and therefore have taken to sending an email, in the HOPE that you are able to help and assist me with my individual case. All my direct debits will now bound leaving me in debt, this is simply not right.

My last Working Tax Credits£101.60 was on the 17th June and I have not had a payment since, nor has this change to Child Tax Credit. 21st May UC gave me an advance £594, which I bought food and paid bills. Since the 21st May, I have not had any further monies of any means, which will be a month on Friday 21st June 2019.

I have attached for ease, my screenshots from my current banking status and also the messages received from the Universal Credit.

I would request that my Child Tax Credits, be reinstated as it hasn’t been fully closed down as yet, currently live going through the renewal process, then they said it will be closed and I WILL have to claim Universal Credit, which as attached I cannot. Please can someone PLEASE assist me. I have In the meantime, signed on JSA as a solicitor told me I am eligible to do and I have my first appointment on the 26/6, again as you know, I will not receive any money until a week or two, which will leave me 6wks without money.

I feel very sick, emotionally stressed and broken, to have unfortunately by wrong advise be placed in this position. My Local council will be seeking to chase Rent now also, it’s just gone from bad to worse, all because of this Universal Credit system. I feel right now, what is the point of life!!!!!!!

Apologies for having to bother you with this, but I just feel I have nobody to turn to and who knows, where I will end up from typing this email. DWP really need to take a real good look at this Universal credit system, as it is highly effecting people form all walks of life, in a negative, rather than a positive way.

Please can someone share some advice as a matter of urgency regarding all of the above and also advised, on how I can receive some kind of assistance

Hello Mum-of-One-1,

So sorry to read the details of your current situation.

Due to the nature of your enquiry and the urgency, I would suggest you contact:

1. Your MP
https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

Simply copy and email what you have posted here to your MP.

2. Advice local
https://advicelocal.uk/

Let us know how you get on please.

Hi Non Deficere,

Thank you for your reply and advice. I will do exactly that, as I am at my PC now.

I had also sent this letter to the DWP Heads, last night.

Of course, i will return to update you

thank you so much x

How long did you work before you lost your job? If you have 2 years of NI contributions, you can still claim for new style JSA, which is just the old Contribution based JSA. You can claim both NS-JSA and UC at the same time. NS-JSA pays out every 2 weeks like the old JSA.

EDIT: you can also request hardship payment in the meantime. The only reason why they would deny hardship is a large capital.

September 2018 I started and contract ended this year.

Last wages 24th May
Last Working Tax Credit 17th May (normally paid weekly) when you stop working, you inform HMRC, they would then change it to Child Tax Credits, which is then half of the Working Tax element.

Having been wrongly advised and signed onto the Universal Credit system, that closes down your whole Tax Credits, as it is meant to all go into x1 monthly payment. Monday 17th June, I signed in to see how I would receive and that's when I noticed my payment award is £0.00.. So no Child Tax Credits either, which makes no sense as you are entitled to this when you have a child and not over the award limit of either £45k or £47k limit.

I made a application for the NS JSA, appointment next week. Yet I would still then have to wait another 2wks for a payment. I have no money whatsoever. I have been applying for so many jobs online, whilst I still do have internet and phone service.

Thank you for your reply, it is really appreciated wholeheartedly.

I pray to get through this, I really do

My Salary was £28K

No, in this case you couldn't claim for New Style JSA. With regards to being wrongly advised to claim UC, I don't agree entirely. There would have been no other way to claim out of work benefits. I need to know the reason why your UC payment is only £0.

When is the start and end of your first assessment period?

And, again, you can claim hardship right now.

NSJSA and UC have to be claimed at the same time!

Advance payment of JSA:

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/13956/#65375

I am presuming you haven't received a response from anyone yet.

Other sources of urgent financial assitance:

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Emergency-Information/Local-Welfare-Assistance

Good Evening All,
@Miguel - I was informed, if I claimed JSA it will be single just for me and not, take into account payments towards my rent etc or child. Had she informed me at this point, I could potentially lose my Tax credits, I would have not gone onto, UC. Been advised by HMRC had i not signed onto the UC, they would continue my CTC and WTC, when I returned to employment. So the work coach at the job centre advised me completely wrong. Assessment was May 17th - 16th June. Claimed close on Child care cost (which I don't have) today it said (High income) .. I Don't have no income, no Child Tax, and I'm not eligible for UC. I will attempt the Hardship see what happens - do I call UC?

Thank you for your time and efforts


@Non Deficere - Thos is what I've read, so my NSJSA App, Is next week Tuesday and New UC Claim on Friday.

I assume NSJSA - Payment in 2wks and UC is 23 July which would really be around 8wks since my first claim end of May and again, they may well potentially close it for whatever reason, with nil Tax credits towards child elements (hand over face)
I live in hope, that one of my applications over the last weeks will be successful

Thank you for further links

UPDATE:

I called UC this morning to claim Hardship payment and "Thanks to your kind comments" They have just paid £594 advance on my UC which I will have to pay back monthly for 12mth £46. I feel grateful, as i can pay some bills and do shopping to see me through June.

Hoping one of those employment applications will come through, enabling me to work again.

The work coach advised, that I cannot claim both NSJSA and Universal credit together, so I am confused, as I have read that you can??

Thanks for the update Mo1.

Your work coach gave you wrong advice! :-(

You may be able to claim new style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) with, or instead of, Universal Credit, depending on your National Insurance record.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance

Ask for your NSJSA to be back dated.
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/13438/#68154

Information for others:

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support

Hi Non Deficere,

Thank you for your reply.

See, this was what landing me in this situation in the first place (wrongly advised) Thank you for the links.

I have a JSA appointment 26/6 next week. Which is my first appointment since registering online. Let's see what they tell me also. i will see if I can sign on with the UC, as that is a fortnightly payment ..

Thank you, I shall ask for the NSJAS to be back dated as well.

Well, the takeaway from this case is: never trust what the JCP advisers say, because they haven't got a clue.

About hardship: if you find a job and work at least 16 hours a week for 6 months, you don't have to repay the hardship back.

Hi Miguel,

Exactly, I couldn't agree with you more and hopefully someone finds this thread before they consider switching to Universal Credit. If it's not broken, why aim to fix it, so why they Gov had to touch it in the first place, no reform was required.

Really, see they do not tell you this information at all. On that note, could I request that payment not be taken for at least 3mths??

Recovery of overpayments , Hardship/advances etc. are very aggressive at this time.

The only good news I have found so far is ....

Recoverable Hardship Payment Guidance for writing-off outstanding debt Summary

How to write-off outstanding Recoverable Hardship Payment debt when earnings have been at or above the minimum level required by Universal Credit for a cumulative total of 182 days  

Outstanding Recoverable Hardship Payment (RHP) debt is written-off once a claimant or a joint claimant has sustained work. This is an incentive for them to improve their household’s financial position.

https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/work-and-pensions/Benefit-sanctions/Annex%205%20Recoverable%20Hardship%20Guidance.pdf

Evening Non Deficere,

You all are like a Golden Bible - Thank you.

This is great information to kept, I have read through this and will be printing it off.

This whole week I have been glued to the PC, sending out my C.V non stop.

hello mum of 1

welcome to the forums

I hope we can help you in your situation

Thanks for your kind comments about RB members Mo1.  

It is likely that you will be told it is not possible to back date your NSJSA claim.

Time within which a claim for a jobseeker's allowance is to be made

29.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4), a claim for a jobseeker's allowance must be made on the first day of the period in respect of which the claim is made.

(2) In a case where the claim is not made within the time specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary of State is to extend the time for claiming a jobseeker's allowance, subject to a maximum extension of three months, to the date on which the claim is made, where—

(a)any one or more of the circumstances specified in paragraph (3) applies or has applied to the claimant; and

(b)as a result of that circumstance or those circumstances the claimant could not reasonably have been expected to make the claim earlier.

(3) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (2) are—

(a)the claimant has difficulty communicating because—

(i)the claimant has learning, language or literacy difficulties; or

(ii)the claimant is deaf or blind,

and it was not reasonably practicable for the claimant to obtain assistance from another person to make the claim;

(b)the claimant was caring for a person who is ill or disabled and it was not reasonably practicable for the claimant to obtain assistance from another person to make the claim;

(c)the claimant was given information by an officer of the Department for Work and Pensions which led the claimant to believe that a claim for a jobseeker's allowance would not succeed;

(d)the claimant was given written advice by a solicitor or other professional adviser, a medical practitioner, a local authority or a person working in a Citizens Advice Bureau or a similar advice agency, which led the claimant to believe that a claim for a jobseeker's allowance would not succeed;

(e)the claimant was required to deal with a domestic emergency affecting the claimant and it was not reasonably practicable for the claimant to obtain assistance from another person to make the claim; or

(f)the claimant was prevented by adverse weather conditions from attending an appropriate office.

You need to say that the JC official told you that you could not claim NSJSA and UC at the same time.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/380/regulation/29

Good Morning Both,

@Admin, Thank you for your message, appreciated. I really hope so too.

@Non Deficere Very informative. I am dreading this process. Really think the should look at the reform

UC is certainly the worst social security regime that has ever existed.

Let me know if you need further assitance with your NSJSA claim.

Mo1,

Can you clarify the date of your UC claim please?  Income received before your UC claim date is not taken into account during your assessment period.

Hi Non Deficere,

You are so right. It is diabolical to say the least. I mean what baffles me somewhat is the child element of UC, it seems if you earn, they either deduct mony or like in my case, don't pay anything. Whereby, if you earned you were still entitled tax credits regardless child tax if not working.

I went yesterday and signed on the NS JSA and told this can also take up to 5wks before a payment ..

So far, my employment applications have come through as nil, which does knock you but, I will not give up. I either have too much skills for the role or not enough

Hope all is well with you

Thanks for the update Mo!


How to claim 'new style' Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA): step by step

You'll get your first payment within 2 weeks.

How and when you're paid

If your claim is turned down or you're only eligible for National Insurance credits, you'll get a letter within 2 weeks explaining what to do next.

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-jsa

Hiya

Income received before my first UC claim was £1788 + Working Tax paid weekly at a rate of £101 Last pay was 24th May. I called informed HMRC so they could change my working tax to child tax, which would have been at a rate of £60 (weekly) and I made first UC claim in May as I was advised it would take 5wks to be processed (a month) to when my rent and monthly bills would be due again, as no salary would be coming in etc

So 24th June would have been my first UC payment, but it was nil and no child element payment either. Had i not been advised by the Job Centre advisor to go onto UC, as couldn't claim NS JSA, I would still be in receipt of the Child Tax £60 weekly. They said my salary was high and no payment made.

So I reclaimed which that appointment is tomorrow. NS JSA I did yesterday, so it will be interesting to see what payment if any, will be paid in 5wks time.

Having made a UC claim will have interrupted all existing legacy benefits (including Tax and Child credits).

On the Rightsnet forum, I've seen cases where legacy benefits (in that particular case it was HB) were reinstated after a UC claim failed. I'm not sure if that is your case, though. Surely, you were wrongly advised, but there's not much you can do about it.

EDIT: also see this:
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/14667/
and this:
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/14665/