DWPhelp Rules

I’m hoping you guys could help advise me as I’m completely confused on what benefits will be affected by me becoming a student in September. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to attend university as had to defer last year due to getting really sick but I’m wondering if it’s even possible.

Currently I receive full pip, standard universal credit and lcwra, and housing benefit. The reason I receive housing benefit from the local council rather than Uc housing element is because my house counts as supported due to being wheelchair adapted. When I attend university I will most likely be eligible for maximum loan due to living alone (obviously with daily carers)

Please could you tell me how my housing benefit will be affected? I have read that I will still be eligible for it but it will be reduced, but I’m confused on how much. The same with universal credit. Overall will I receive a similar income in total including housing costs? I use my Pip to pay for care, and don’t have a lot left over after high bills so generally can’t afford to lose any money.

Thankyou in advance.

Hi

I recently posted asking about how going back to uni to do a masters degree would affect my uc.

I've since notified them, provided my student loan information, course information (when it starts and ends etc) uploaded supporting documents etc.

I've had a message on my journal today saying they are reviewing my claim and they need to speak to me on the phone, I've asked in a journal message why but I'm waiting for a reply.

I'm on lcwra, pip, and on esa which causes most of my lcwra to be deducted from my uc.

My payments come to me on the 6th of each month, meaning my statement should be there for me to view today but it's not, I understand I'm being reviewed but I'm very anxious about what they want to talk to me about.

I hope this post made sense, sorry I'm panicking a bit.

Does anyone know why they would need to speak to me on the phone even though I've provided all relevant information? Will I still get my payment on Friday?

If anyone could offer me some insight I'd be very grateful! Thank you!

I live on a caravan site. Mail delivery mostly doesn't work. About 90% of anything posted to me never arrives, and what does, is usually delivered several months later looking like it's travelling around the world a few times. So, if I'm sent a notice via the postal system, it's very unlikely to ever reach me.

I've been receiving ESA, in the support group, for a very long time. I've not had to interact with the DWP for the last couple of decades. So, I have no idea what the protocols are, or whom to contact to ask if I've been sent a notice or not yet. Obs, I want to avoid a situation of not receiving a notice and then having my income cease. My landlord is the type to start threatening eviction is the rent is even a day late into his account, and it's a traveller site, so they won't care what the laws say if my rent ends up showing up late into their account.

My husband’s review has started and we are awaiting forms to arrive in the post. He was awarded 3 years at tribunal but previously the DWP awarded 0 points then 0 points at MR and finally awarded him 4 points on Mobility and 4 points on daily living at beginning of appeal. After appeal the judge awarded him enhanced mobility and enhanced daily living. Just wondering what experiences others have had with their review when the decision was previously awarded at a tribunal? His conditions have not changed at all but people seem to suggest the DWP revert to their original decision rather than the tribunal award points allocation. Any insight on this and how best to answer the review form would be very much appreciated as we are very anxious about having to go through the process.

I've not received universal credit since 2021 because I got a job. At the time I requested the claim be closed, and it was closed. I assumed that was it and I'd never hear from them again. I began university Sep 2022 and in October of that year UC somehow accidently paid me around £200. I repaid it as requested, and told them to close the claim again. And they did. Then in November 2023 they called me. I'd got the maximum tuition + maintenance loan amount in 2022 and in 2023 year I chose a lower loan amount. They thought this was odd and demanded student finance documents and the reason I choice a lower amount when I was entitled to more. I sent them the documents, told them I simply wanted to reduce my student debt, reminded them my claim was closed in 2021, and had them close it again- and again, it was.

Today I got another phone call. They want the same student finance documents again, and they also wanted to know why I earned a "suspiciously high amount" in July this year. I told them since I'm a student I can work more hours during the summer holidays and so will earn more in this period.

To me since my claim has previously been closed and I haven't had payments from them (other than the one off freak payment in October 2022) since 2021, there is no reason for universal credit to be receiving/monitoring my payslips or be poking around in my student loans. Have I sold my soul? Do I owe them my first born? Did I throw an egg at their nans window in 2007? No. So why do they keep ringing me, and how do I get them to leave me alone and stay out of my business for good?

Hello,

If in the future my DLA payments stop as they want me to move to pip and chose not to.

Do I need to tell UC need to know if my DLA payments stop or go up?

Thank you

Hello

I currently work 19.75 hours per week @ £12 per hour. Which gives me £864 after tax etc.

Which is enough for UC to not want me to look for more work etc .

Would that change if took say a week off unpaid one month (assuming I had no other option)?

Thank you,

i currently claim pip due to fibromyalgia, anxiety + depression, ive recently made a claim to esa and have just received the capability for work questionnaire. i was just wondering if i get deemed fit for work through esa will my pip be stopped? have looked online a bit but haven't found an answer, thank you !!

Hi everyone,

I’m using a throwaway account.

I’ve just transfer over to universal credit from ESA as I had a letter to do it (managed migration) and waiting for my first payment. I’m currently thinking of moving to another local authority area, and I’m aware the rent will be slightly more. As I understand this extra housing rent will be taken from my transitional protection.
If I move, I probably will also stop caring for my mom as much I’m moving out of the area, so will need to stop carers allowance. I’m wondering what happens to this. Does it also get taken away from my transition allowance? Or will the amount of CA taken away from my UC, be added back onto my claim?

I’ve tried to look online but totally lost so wondering if someone could help.

If it matters, I’m also disabled but have no one claiming carers allowance for me

Thanks everyone

England - Universal Credit

Sorry I'll just get the vent out of the way! I completed a universal credit review in October, at first Jan - May was requested, and then because my partner had PIP backpay they requested it going back to when I last declared my capital in Nov 23, so I went through all my 15 accounts again (my fault it's so many) to go further back. The second request wasn't that clear so I did it from Oct 23 - Aug 24 ...it was a lot of admin!

So last month was the month that the backpay 12 month period ended. I declared it fine. This month when I declared my new balance I thought a few of the options changed, and there was a box for declaring back pay. I had some PIP of my own still in the 12 month period, so I put it in there and thought great it's becoming a bit clearer to use. There is no box for COL payments but I just deducted that myself.

Then no statement appeared, then no payment arrived on the day. I called and apparently I need to leave a message to get my capital checked because I had declared it changed (it's probs going to change over and under the £250 boundaries a lot in the next few months :( ). I left a message and only received a reply a week later...they want three months of all my statements again, only a month after I received the all clear! I'm currently going through some life changes and all of this is the last thing I want, especially with the payment blocker happening. I just want to do a big cry, then I'll do everything I need to do, and I'll learn a lesson and close some bank accounts down.

But I just want to say a huge thank you to the people that come on here and help. It's been nearly two weeks since I declared the change and things seem to move slow, and it's strange that I had to request to verify my capital myself. I feel like I know a lot of how it works because I read this sub. If we didn't have you all answering our questions quickly and with loads of extra information, the last year would have been very difficult! So thanks for all your help and I think you're making a big difference to a lot of people

Just looking for some advice from anyone who has these two diagnosed conditions and have applied for PIP. How was the process, what information did you supply, were you successful etc.

Was looking for a UC flair but can't find one. Iam unemployed and homeless and have to go to the job centre every 1-2 weeks to claim UC. I have a different job coach the last two weeks and he has threatened to stop my money and suggested I was lying and said "I WILL find out if you're lying". I reasoned I have no motive to lie as I need a job for a home and then he suggested I can get a job in an industrial estate 2 hrs away by "cycling". I am ND and its hard for me to deal with this level of antagonization but I remained civil throughout. He said all my job hunting he "could do a day" and he needs evidence of 7 hours of activity for every day of the week.

The worst thing was he made a snide remark saying I should "try dressing well" when applying for jobs (which I think is a pretty low thing to say to someone who is homeless). I am really worried he is going to stop my money because 7 hours seems unrealistic with my living situation. This is a very working class town and he seems well spoken from somewhere else and I got the impression he really looked down on me. Am I completely screwed?

I have a job offer to go teach in China but I haven't told him because I'm worried about affording getting out there and sorting out the visa costs and I'm afraid I'll be penalised if I say something about it (if I do end up going it won't be until February although it may be a pipe dream).

My poor mother has struggled on pension credit for YEARS and has never received the state pension. After myself and another family member learned that she's never received it, we discovered that she's more than entitled to it, as everyone of age is.

After calling she was told after a short wait, that her state pension is "rolled in" to her pension credit. Due to the amount she revives on PC, this simply can't be right. Also it's clear via official DWP information that it is indeed a separate thing and cannot be "rolled in" to any other benefit.

What should our next step be? Can she receive it be back paid to her entitlement age?

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

I came to the UK in 2018 and haven’t left since (literally haven’t been outside England in over 6 years).

2 years ago I started applying for PIP but then changed my mind mid-application.

When I changed my mind mid-application I didn’t do anything, thinking the DWP would automatically close my application after a while.

I also didn’t notice until much later, a letter where they were asking me for my passport and some documents from the Home Office. I hadn’t send them anything because I didn’t notice that letter at the time, and mistakenly thought my application had been closed.

Then I got a letter stating they don’t have proof I have been in the UK enough so they have denied my application.

Even though I didn’t want to proceed applying for PIP at that time, I got worried because I HAD been in the UK enough, and so I called them. The man on the phone told me that it was because they didn’t have proof of me being in the UK enough, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been in the UK enough, just that they, DWP, didn’t have the proof and we left it at that.

Fast forward to now, I decided to start applying for PIP again (and this time to actually go through with my application) but I just got a letter asking me if I have been abroad more than 4 weeks in the past 3 years. Obviously I will say the truth which is that I HAVEN’T been abroad in years, but what is happening? I don’t remember getting this letter last time.

I hold Pre-Settled Status, but have been eligible to apply for Settled Status since last year.

Is this worrying?

I am also hoping to apply for Settled Status at some point so this is all quitte concerning to me.

I'm 28 and I've been out of education for almost 12 years. I'm diagnosed with perthes disease, adhd (2 weeks ago) , social anxiety disorder / generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder

I reported how severe my disabilities impact me and have done since I was young

In pretty much every unsupportive/disregarding evidence box they've written 'attended mainstream school and got c' s at gcse, showing no learning disabilities and shows ability to function'

I got extra support and tutoring since being 6 years old, and in secondary school I had to drop out of some subjects as I couldn't cope with the coursework and exams. I've always done OK on exams because I do have the capacity to learn, but I've had to work really hard

I did write about how I got extra tutoring and support and had to attend groups etc to try and build my skills and give me one on one support, but they've missed it out of the notes and report entirely and they've disregarded my mums supporting evidence too, it was just never mentioned?

Another piece of disregarding evidence they used was 'reports cognitive issues and adhd, but doesn't have an adhd diagnosis so this is disregarded' as I was still waiting for the assessment - I'm still waiting for my diagnostic letter in the post but I was diagnosed, and also told I'm autistic, so I've been referred for an assessment for that too. But I was under the impression you don't actually need a diagnosis and instead base it off how it impacts you?

Another thing they used was 'volunteers at food bank for one hour a week, showing motivation, which contradicts lack of motivation and fatigue from depression, so this is disregarded' I find it really hard to lie so I feel like I shouldn't have told them but i explained how hard it is, how my aunt helps me get there and back, how I rely on other volunteers to help me when I panic.

I felt like the assessment just tried to trip me up in every way possible, I felt like whenever I tried to actually talk about my experiences the assessor cut me off and wouldn't let me talk after I had answered the question.

She also asked me if I liked video games, and I said no, because I can't focus on them for long enough and I find it frustrating, and she wrote that I dislike video games but didn't give a reason why

I talked about suicidal ideation and suicide attempts but this was disregarded on the ground of 'gp is aware but no crisis plan is in place' even though I've had multiple emergency appointments with my community psych nurse

I'm working on my MR now and it's just so frustrating lol.

Hello, just called pip and got told a decision was made on my mandatory reconsideration. Score 2/0 same as my claim (back in March 2023) :(. The lady I spoke to said as soon as i receive the letter I can apply for appeal. Then said the appeal should take 4 weeks. I’m confused as I thought the appeals take months?? I feel as though no one read my mandatory reconsideration. I have ADHD diagnosed. A bipolar assessment on 16th December. And awaiting asd assessment. Iv expressed to dwp how much im struggling and how certain i know i have asd and 99% positive i have bipolar i dont get how they can’t say i dont need help and disregarded all the help iv expressed i need from others. I feel as though i want to complain as i honestly feel disrespected and all the mental health issues i have, have completely been ignored. Can anyone please give me some advise weather or not I should complain and if the lady that told me 4 weeks is right or not please. Thanks in advanced.

Edit - We're in England

For context, both me & my mum get UC (LCWRA) & PIP daily living and mobility (at different rates). We've lived in social housing with the same council for years (40+ for her & all my life) and I live with her as we kind of care for each other, though there are some things we need help with from family.

A couple years ago we moved from a house to a bungalow under priority as, at the time, my mum was really struggling with long covid which caused breathing issues as well as exacerbating all the issues she had previously like joint pain, fatigue etc. We only had an upstairs bathroom, which meant she'd have to go upstairs every time she needed the toilet, and the garden we had was massive (over 25m2) and unmanageable. The housing officer told us to apply for the move based mostly on the issue with the garden as they were understandably annoyed about it. We didn't ask for a bungalow specifically, just to move somewhere we could either get help with the garden or somewhere it was smaller and easier to manage. The garden at this bungalow is very uneven, and we don't have the money to change it.

Since being here, she has a few other health conditions that are managed, and I want to say her mobility is worse because of the bungalow. She uses a mobility aid when we're out, a walker for the most part, and an electric wheelchair for longer trips. When indoors she has a trolley that she used at the other house too, but her joints and muscles seem to be suffering from not having the added exercise from even irregular stair climbing and as every room is small and close by, it's like she's hardly getting any movement in while she's in the house and she feels like she's stagnating and/or kind of trapped. Compounded with the garden being hard to manage (uneven, plus hedges on both sides) as well as being in her childhood village and finding out the family on her dads side (who have been abusive) have moved back, she really wants to move closer to her brother as he's more than willing to help with the garden if we move across town closer to him. We also live on a part of the estate where all the people around us are 20+ years older than her, so it feels quite isolating for both of us.

Earlier this year, we applied for priority to mover closer to my uncle, thinking this would help us move quicker. It was approved, but we were given only the village he lives in, and properties hardly ever come up. We are currently around 25 minutes away, so even within 5-10 minutes (an extra 7 or so villages) would be an improvement and more manageable. We included the stuff about health as we were told to, even though we didn't want another bungalow but we're told since we were already in one, if we wanted a priority move it would have to be a bungalow. I took that to mean that if we removed ourselves from the priority, it wouldn't have to be just a bungalow. 4 months later we requested a move back to our starting band as there were new builds coming up close to my uncle and my mum had finally voiced her concerns about how detrimental the bungalow was to her mobility. They approved that, and we were able to bid.

We've now been offered one of those properties. It's in a perfect area and has enough rooms that my mum could have her bedroom downstairs (with a downstairs toilet) and make regular trips upstairs for bathing. We've been advised that we can't have things like a level access shower or stairlift and couldn't go back on the housing for a year, but none of this is an issue. We both feel like we're currently taking up a bungalow that someone else could make better use of. The main issues we had are solved by the property we've been offered and would have been solved a couple of years ago with a similar house that they weren't willing to offer.

However, I guess somewhat understandably, they mentioned they'd investigate the issue for fraud pertaining to falsifying needs, etc. It's not that my mum doesn't have those needs. On paper, a bungalow (minimal/step free access, one level, etc) looks like it would solve a lot of issues, but it hasn't. My mums mood has deteriorated quite quickly over the past couple years and she says she hates living all on one floor like this, it makes her feels very uncomfortable and she has definitely put on weight since despite not changing her diet. Not to mention the issue with the still unmanageable garden and not being close by to any supportive family.

Do we have anything to worry about?

I keep seeing people that applied for pip (started claim) in September and already have their answers. I applied in August (turned 16 so had to apply for pip from DLA). I had my assessment on the 20th of November and I saw someone that had their assessment the day after me and they already have their response? I have also been made homeless since so no longer live at my original address. I also see loads of people that applied in September/October and they've already been awarded/received their decision about pip.

Is this normal??

Does anyone know how long it takes for the automated payment line to update after you have the usual “your review is complete you’ll receive a letter in 2 weeks” message after you put in for a PIP review?

We are one point shy of being awarded enhanced mobility for my husband (who has a neuro degenerative brain condition which means his brain is dying off). We submitted a review, because he has been diagnosed with cognitive dysfunction which obviously impacts his memory and his ability to plan and follow a route independently. We had letters from his consultants outlining this that we sent off the evidence.

In the past this has been an issue for us because he holds down a full-time job at his most recent assessment they said he cannot have memory problems because he holds down a job, which is why we weren’t given enhanced mobility and found ourselves one point short of being awarded it.

We received the text saying the review is complete on Friday, without an assessment. We have phoned this morning (Monday) and got through to the automated line and our next payment has not changed.

I think I’m holding onto a small bit of hope that maybe because of the weekend the system hasn’t been updated yet, but I’m now also coming to terms with the fact that we probably haven’t been awarded higher rate despite proof that he has cognitive issues and I am furious and already emotionally drained at the idea of going through the appeals process.

Why is it SO hard?!

So I've recently been forced into a managed migration to UC and obviously it's been a complete shitshow. They've totally stuffed up my initial payment and my rent allowance, but honestly I almost expected that.

What I didn't expect was for them to just ignore my accessibility requirements. I'm autistic semiverbal and can't speak on the phone - I can't process audio information well and also, I largely don't speak, which is a bit of a showstopper. But they keep fucking calling me.

I have Relay UK listed under accessibility. I've told them like three times that I cannot use the phone. The phone calls just keep coming. I left them messages over the weekend freaking out about my fucked up payment and rather than leave me a message on my journal, they called me! Which is useless.

Is there any way to knock this into their heads?

Hello,

I have never applied for benefits before and am looking for some advice please if possible.

I have just had my employment contract terminated because of inability to attend work due to ill health. I was wondering if someone can give any insight as to what I should/can claim and roughly how much it would be?

For context, I have had a progressively debilitating illness for 9 years that has gone undiagnosed. Pushed hard to remain in work and consequently deteriorated to the point that I am now bed bound 99% of the time and really suffering. Only getting up to go to the toilet, the occasional wash every few weeks, to collect my takeaway order from the front door. Every month or so I might have enough energy to drive to the doctors or to KFC, but this is progressive so that won’t last forever. To be honest it’s looking like undiagnosed severe ME/CFS or something equally as detrimental, if that helps.

I currently have over 16K in savings which I plan to spend on private healthcare. I have no sources of income. I live with a retired adult that is also on PIP. I have worked full time in the job I just lost for 7+ years. Taking everything into account, what am I eligible for? What about any add-on premiums or that sort of thing. This is all new to me I haven’t got a clue how to find out what I can get and advocate for myself. I am in Wales

Thank you

Can they take away awarded points from the original application when they re-look at it? For example if you got awarded 4 points first time, will you still keep your 4 points or will they potentially take them off?

Hi all,

I’m in the process of applying for pip the 2nd time and I’m just wondering if I am successful, (which I really hope to be), would I get back paid from the date of the 2nd claim, or from when I first tried to claim pip?

Thank you! 🩶

Hello, im due a routine call soon where dwp will go through my bank statements etc (my claim is bei mg reviewed)

Do I have to declare an ISA I have even though there is nothing in it? Literally £0

I had 10k in it 10 years ago before I claimed, iv lost all details to it and tbh iv forgotten which bank it was.

As it's not capital I don't know if I should bother declaring it? I know it has nothing in it and would be next to impossible trying to find statements for it.

Thanks

Hi everyone i applied for pip on 21st of September this is when i sent my paper form out and i recently had my telephone assessment on the 26th of November, does anyone know when DWP are reviewing what the health advisory wrote to them do they take in consideration your paper forms or just exactly what the health advisory wrote?

Hi guys is this just a mandatory process that they do with everyone or? I have already submitted my ID with a picture of my face next to it and 4 months of bank statements?

As a private tenant using a prepaid meter, how do I go about getting the 150 Warm Home Discount Scheme? do I have to have the landlord coordinate with the actual energy supplier on my behalf to get a top up card? I live in a house with five flats and we each have a prepaid meter. I got a letter from the govt saying I am eligible but they need to know who my electricity suppllier is so they can send them a 150 credit. But my name isnt on any energy supplier account. I just buy top ups for my metroprepaid meter

Hi, we receive UC and the Scottish Child Payment. I am starting seasonal work this month and due to be paid on the 10th which is the last day of my assessment period for UC nov-dec. I am due to get a Scottish child payment before this date. My earnings mean that for this month only I would expect us to get a 0 payment for the UC and then next month it will return to normal as my contact ends this month (working nights so it doesn’t impact childcare as my youngest is on the pathway for adhd and autism and has a health condition so it’s not unusual for unexpected hospital admissions is is hard to work during the day/find regular work to suit me but we had out disability payment rejected). Anyway, I know that a 0 payment means there will be no SCP but since it will have already been paid in I don’t want it to look like it’s been claimed unfairly or will we just miss the january payment instead? Is there anything I need to do to notify the SCP? Like I said this will only be December and then back to normal come January whilst I go back to looking something to fit in with my son.

Haven’t got long left to fill out my application and the website isn’t working. Any ideas?.

I’ve just won my tribunal and been awarded enhanced daily living and mobility from 22.06.2023. Can somebody help to calculate what my backpay will please and the monthly rate I’ll receive and when?