Universal Credit Review -
Universal Credit Review - Really anxious, honest opinions please
Hi everyone,
I’m currently going through a routine Universal Credit review on a joint claim and I’m really anxious. I’m hoping for some honest opinions from people who have been through one.
We were asked for 4 months of bank statements. I uploaded mine and my husband’s. After I uploaded them, they asked for statements from my savings account as well. I don’t actually have any savings in it - I just move my Universal Credit money into it temporarily to stop direct debits or subscriptions taking money unexpectedly, then transfer it back to my current account when I need it. They gave me extra time to upload those statements because they’re paper statements.
Neither of us works. We care for our four children and Universal Credit is our only regular income.
My worries are mainly about the transactions on our bank statements.
My account:
Universal Credit is paid into my account.
I transfer money between my current account and my savings account.
All my bills come out this account.
Family and friends sometimes send me money if I’m struggling financially.
I’ve sold a few items in market place ect nothing as crazy
Some payments from family if they lend me money, I pay it back when I can.
I don’t have any hidden savings or any other income.
My husband’s account:
His account has a lot of William Hill transactions because he has had a gambling problem (he has now decided to attend Gamblers Anonymous & installed Gamban & joined GameStop I’m sure as he didn’t realise how bad things where)
His friend sends him money quite regularly. The reason is that his friend has mobility issues and isn’t good with technology, so my husband has been placing online bets for him using his own William Hill account. Sometimes he also buys shopping for him, and occasionally his friend lends him money.
Most of the money his friend sends is spent on William Hill shortly afterwards rather than staying in the account.
His account doesn’t build up money the balances are usually very low.
I’m worried the DWP will look at the payments from his friend and think they’re undeclared income, even though they aren’t wages or earnings.
I’ve shown the statements to someone who went through them with me and they said they didn’t think they looked like hidden employment, but they thought a reviewer might ask questions about the payments from the friend just to understand them. Has anyone had a similar experience where the DWP asked about payments from friends or family during a review? If so, what happened?
I’m happy to answer any questions they ask and provide more evidence if needed. I’m just finding the waiting really stressful.
I’ve cooperated fully and sent them everything over - I just need to send them my savings bank account which they have been fine and extended my date.
Would really appreciate someone actually talk me
through the review what it’s actually for thank you x
Scotland.