Universal credit review
I’ve recently been asked to complete a Universal Credit review and provide 4 months of bank statements, which I’ve done. Now I’m feeling quite anxious about it and was hoping to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation.
My circumstances are a bit unusual. I live with my ex-partner’s mum, while my ex-partner lives with his dad. I relocated when I met him and don’t really have any family nearby, so when we separated I would have been homeless if I hadn’t been able to stay with his mum. She splits her time between this house and another property she owns, and living here has worked well financially. It also means my son stays close to his dad and his wider family, which has been really beneficial for him.
My ex-partner pays child maintenance every month, but he also repays money he owes me from debt he built up on my credit card before we separated. He also contributes towards our son’s ISA and sometimes helps me out financially because I reduced my working hours and changed jobs so our son wouldn’t have to be in nursery full-time.
Looking through my statements, there are transfers from him that might have references like “food shop” if I was struggling one month and asked for help, or “savings” when I was putting money aside for things for my son, such as birthdays or larger purchases.
I’m worried Universal Credit will look at these payments and assume something different about our situation. I know it’s not the most typical arrangement, and I’m concerned I’m going to be heavily questioned about it all.
Has anyone been through a UC review with similar circumstances? What was your experience, and what sort of questions did they ask? Any advice or reassurance would be appreciated.