r/universalcredithelp

Hey!

I got the journal message of the review the thing is I am starting uni soon so I was going to close it anyways at the end if August.

When I requested to close it a review agent said I can't ? I honeslty can't be bothered and just wwnt to close this thing.....

There is a vicious troll here who mocks anybody who posts and calls them scammers, and is obsessed with Wetherspoons. I would like to ask the admins to remove it because it makes it very hard for people in distress to post here I certainly never will until it goes. I know we should ignore such pathetic creepy individuals, but it would be better if it was blocked

As far as I understand it, being placed into the LCWRA group means I should receive an additional amount on top of my normal Universal Credit, and that this should be backdated once the relevant waiting period has passed.

My first fit note (I have provided consecutive sick notes before the expiry since) was on 3 February 2026, and my Universal Credit assessment period runs from the 14th to the 13th of each month. I was officially told that I had been placed into LCWRA on 13 August 2026.

It has now been about a week since the decision, but I haven’t received any journal message or information explaining:
when the LCWRA element will actually be added;
how much I am owed in backdated payments; or
when I should expect the arrears to be paid.

I’ve sent two journal messages asking about this but haven’t received a response yet.
Based on my understanding of the rules, I believe I may be owed the LCWRA element for June, July and August, although I appreciate that because my LCWRA decision was made on 13 August, which is also the final day of my assessment period, August may not be included until a later assessment period.

I’m mainly posting because I’m unsure whether this is normal. I was expecting some kind of journal message or calculation explaining the arrears after the decision was made, and the lack of information is making me worry that something has gone wrong.

I’m also quite unwell at the moment, so I’d really rather not have to phone UC and chase this up if it’s simply a case of them taking a while to process the payment.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Me and my dad have been trying for the last hour or so to log into his account but no texts are coming through. Google says there is no known problems. My dad needs to log in before tomorrow so it's pretty important. Mine isn't working either.

Hi all, England here.

2 years ago my claim was closed for failure to provide bank statements. I reported a change of earnings late, got hit with an overpayment and fine (that im still paying off) and then they requested my bank statements. I didn’t give them.

Fast forward to now I’m on carers allowance and really struggling financially. I am a full time carer for an elderly parent. I’m mentally torn between:

not claiming UC again because I can’t be bothered to deal with the stress of being asked for bank statements and wondering what they’ll say if I reapply and they notice my claim was closed for refusal to give them back then (would they ask to see those from 2 years ago? would they ask why I didn’t give them? would they ask to see some from now at the application stage? would my overpayment debt be an obstacle?)

OR

Claiming money I believe I am entitled to that would alleviate my financial situation. I think my monthly could go from the £345 I’m currently getting to £600? It would certainly help, and I’ve also been told my work commitments would be nonexistent, so no appointments or anything like that.

Please can someone advise. I’ve been thinking about whether or not to reapply for UC every day for months now.

I’m panicking . Should had phone appointment today as always . No call, waited 30 minutes and wrote in journal . In 10 minutes received reply that they called and I missed it . That is definitely not true . What can I do ? How is this possible ?

Never changed my number . Checked that can receive calls .

is anyone else dealing with this right now? i had a video appointment at 12:10 today but the website will not send a code to log in on either my laptop or phone. i called the number too in order to at least try and get it sorted, pressed 3 and it beeps a few times then cuts me off. i’m not sure what’s happening and if it’s a bug on their end or not?

I don't know what to make of it. I was assessed on stuff that wasn't even covered in the phone call and there is important information not included and a lot of inaccurate information. If my name wasn't on it I would think I'd been given another persons report.

It seems to contradict a lot of what I said on the phone call. I'm struggling to agree with any of it.

Is this normal?

Anyways of getting round submitting bank statements?

I informed UC last September that me and my husband had split up and I thought he would be leaving the family home very soon. They advised me to close our joint claim and open a single claim and put that he lives at the property still on our tenancy I did this. I was then asked in October to check my claim details I did and had put that there was 2 people on our tenancy and named him as the other person living here. During this month I was told to remove him as other person living here as he was on the tenancy agreement and they had that info from the housing association. So I did this. A few following occasions when I had to update details every time it showed 2 tenants on the agreement and ALL live at the property. I messaged them to make them aware that my ex had now moved out and will be signing off the tenancy this week ive now had a message stating I never made them aware since my declaration that my ex was living there and they have sent me to a decision maker. Im sure i have followed their advise and at no point have i hidden my ex was still living at the property. Who is right or have I not done something right?

Hi

Does anyone know if there’s a limit on how many times you can get a new claim advance, if you still owe from a previous claim?

As in, if you make a new claim, get an advance, the claim shuts, so you make another new claim, can you get a new claim advance again?

Thanks

Hi there,

It‘a 3am because I can’t sleep worrying about my UC review. I understand that my claim may be stopped and I understand that I may owe them money. The hardest thing is that I am in the middle of buying my first home and this review could see the end of that.

I have been on a 5-year journey of being signed off sick with PTSD, ADHD, PMDD, chronic pain and tinnitus - it has been Hell! Which let Ive started to function again this last year and work again, I have been saving every penny that I have to move into a shared ownership scheme back near my family to finally live peacefully on my own so I can better manage my conditions.

Obviously stopping my UC and having to make payments back is understandable. I get it. But what I’m terrified of is losing the home that I desperately need to support my recovery. I can’t tolerate insomniac neighbours anymore every night that the council don’t do anything about. I can’t take living in a dirty flat anymore because I am the only one who cleans it. I need to be able to control my environment and sleep in order to stay well. I’ll fall apart now I’ve come this close.

Has anyone been in a similar position to me and if so, what happened? I’m really concerned about how this is gonna go as I’m already in the process of buying my first home near my family.

So I really need some advice. It may seem simple to some honestly Its a tricky one.

My partner has a cousin. The cousin let's call him Fred has lived with his partner let's call her Rhonda for the past 8 years.

They live in a house in a nice town in Surrey. They live in Rhondas dads house.

Her dad still lives there.

Rhonda and her dad have not had it easy. She has a brother who has moved miles away and they barely speak with anymore. He moved in with his boyfriend a few years ago.

Rhonda and Fred met at work and both worked in child services.

Rhonda went on maternity to have her first baby with Fred.

Fred has always had a very complicated relationship with his mother who lives in a council flat in London.

Apparently Fred is on her Tenancy and used to pay her rent until he stopped when he found out Rhonda was pregnant.

Now Rhonda had the first baby and didn't return to work.

She stayed at home and claimed benefits.

This is where it starts to go left.

Rhonda shows off about Fred's job and his wages.

They show off that they live rent free in her dad's house only giving money for the odd bill.

They show off they have got a fancy car. Infact 2 fancy cars.

And she claimes benefits. He lives with her. And I believe she has said she pays rent to her dad and gets a decent amount of money on the assumption she is a single mum and Fred is not living with her.

She then after a couple years had baby 2.

At this point Fred gets made redundant and gets a nice payout and immediately finds a job again very well paid over 70k and she bigs it up massively.

Rhonda however still claims.

They still show off. She says they want to put 2nd baby into 15 hours free childcare next year but she will have to prove her work if 16 hours.

She plans to say she is working for her dad for 16 hours a week to qualify and just fiddle the books let's say. I imagine the plan is he pays her something and Fred pays it back from his personal account.

So I ask her.... why claim if Fred is making such good money.

She said....we dont want to pay from our own pocket.

This is where i get annoyed.

Very annoyed actually.

As myself and partner have to work and still pay for nursery fees and dont get extra.

Lots of parents at the school suffer working with little left over and paying for childcare ect.

And then they say its ok he is registered at his mums so no proof he is living there.

They plan for baby 3.

I just feel this is slightly appalling as they dont even have to pay rent.

Her dad also took out equity on the house to get the kitchen re done.

They dont even look after the house.

Don't paint or decorate and it feels so selfish of them.

Rhonda says when her friemds ask why they dont move she scoffs and says why would she they get to live there for free and save money. But that money is benefits.

And its in Fred's account they have savings.

She says its not fraud.

But it appears to be.

I was going to leave it and let it run its course.

What would you do?

I understand that wages have to stretch so far and its hard on one salary and I understand people do things to get by and some people genuinely do need the help and can claim as a couple or need that little bit extra if they private rent ect.

But to show off and rub it in is unpleasant.

So I suppose its a post to vent and post to get others opinions

I am writing in support of Mr in relation to his Work Capability Assessment for Universal Credit.

Mr is currently awaiting formal assessment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and reports symptoms consistent with Autism Spectrum Condition. These neurodevelopmental difficulties have a significant and ongoing impact on his day-to-day functioning. The difficulties described below are reported to occur on the majority of days and affect his ability to carry out activities reliably and consistently.

Initiating and Completing Tasks

experiences marked difficulties with attention, concentration, and executive functioning. He reports that he often struggles to initiate tasks without prompting and finds it difficult to sustain attention long enough to complete tasks from start to finish. He may become distracted or lose focus easily, resulting in incomplete work or delays. These difficulties affect his ability to follow instructions, maintain productivity, and complete activities within a reasonable time frame.

Organisation and Planning

Mr reports ongoing problems with organisation, time management, and planning. He may forget tasks, misplace items, or struggle to prioritise activities effectively. These challenges can result in missed deadlines, reduced efficiency, and difficulty managing workloads independently.

He would be likely to require reminders, structure, or supervision to maintain consistent performance.

Coping with Routine and Change

Mr describes difficulty coping with changes to routine or unexpected situations. He reports that sudden changes can lead to feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and reduced ability to continue tasks. He benefits from predictable structure, and disruption to routine may significantly impair his functioning and ability to remain engaged in activities.

Social Interaction and Communication

Mr reports challenges with social interaction, particularly in unfamiliar environments or when interacting with new people. He may find it difficult to interpret social cues, communicate effectively, or work confidently as part of a team. These difficulties can lead to anxiety, misunderstanding, and reduced ability to engage appropriately in workplace settings.

Functional Impact

Overall, the combination of attentional, organisational, and social communication difficulties is likely to have a substantial impact on Mr ability to function reliably in a work environment. In particular, he may struggle to perform tasks consistently, maintain focus over sustained periods, adapt to changes, and engage effectively with others on a regular basis.

These difficulties are likely to make it challenging for Mr to undertake and sustain work or work-related activity on a consistent and reliable basis.

This letter is provided to support his UC50 application, and I hope it assists in clarifying how his symptoms affect his functional capacity.

Please do not hesitate to contact the practice if further information is required.
Yours Sincerely,

Is this letter good enough for lcwra or lcw I got my health assessment test coming up what results do you think I’ll most likely get

I got this medical letter right

Hi

In 2 months I will have finally paid of the advance from when I 1st started my claim. I owe some money to them from overpayment (such as new tax year they paid too much etc.) which they already set up a low monthly payment plan. My question is. When ive paid my advance will I then get that money or will they keep taking it and increase the debt repayments. Hope that makes sense thanks 😊

Hi!

I’ll try to keep this short. I recently lost my job so I am on Universal Credit and I have been getting the additional Jobseeker’s Allowance every two weeks. With my redundancy pay and selling my car (plus other things) I’ve been okay to get by for now and for probably another month.

I have just been offered some freelance work. It’ll be sporadic and my day rate is £150. I am entirely new to the world of freelance. Am I correct in thinking I don’t need to pay taxes if I don’t earn over £1000 from the odd freelance job?

Also, I know with any Jobseeker’s Allowance etc, you need to declare if you have found work. I assume that includes even if it’s a one off shift where I’ve got £150? If it’s one or two shifts a month then I am better off not taking the work.
I imagine the place who wants me will need my National Insurance number anyway so it isn’t something I want to lie about or get in trouble for.

I don’t want to sound like I am trying to cheat the system or scam the government out of benefits. I am just really trying to figure out if I am better off waiting for a full time position to crop up (I have a lot of interviews / have had a lot so hopefully soon) or bite the bullet and venture into freelance (I’m a writer and editorial researcher if that helps for any reason lol).

Hi, I am looking for some advice please. I was made redundant in April 2024 (before I applied for UC) and received a lump sum over 16k. I used this money to live off, pay bills, food etc… I owed my mum money which I paid her. Fast forward to early 2025 and funds had started to run out. I was reluctant to claim UC but unfortunately I was struggling to survive so started claiming in August 2025. I declared my savings which were well below 6k and provided all statements requested. At no point was I asked to declare any lump sums I received over a year ago. I was reading something recently and I am worried now whether I should have made UC aware of this redundancy payment and what steps I should take now. Thank you for any advice.

So I'm all of a sudden under scrutiny after moving flats with my flatmate who was also my flatmate in my last flat. I think because he's male and im female.

I was getting my housing costs/housing element in my last flat but since moving, I will not be paid housing element until I "prove" my flatmate is not my partner.

When I moved I reported a change of circumstances and uploaded my tenancy agreement as proof of housing costs and a council tax bill as proof of address.

They then made a to-do to upload further "proof of liability" which i did. The next day an Additional Evidence appointment was booked for me and I received a journal message that said this was actually "an appointment with the Verification Assurance Officer"

I was told to bring proof of residence and 3 months of bank statements.

I thought this was just for housing costs verification but at the appointment I was asked what my relationship to "the man you live with" is. I said he's my friend/flatmate (because he is) and she responded "ok well we will be investigating that because we find it suspicious" (like what?).

So i want to ask

- what they do to investigate this?

- What do I do to prove he's not my partner?

- How is a decision made?

- Why do my bank statements count as evidence to whether or not he's my partner?

She also questioned me on whether I contact the letting agent or the landlord. I showed her the section of my tenancy agreement that says i can contact either and she wasn't happy with this and again said she found it "suspicious". She said its suspicious and strange that a landlord would pay someone to deal with tenants if the tenants can contact the landlord as well.

Why is this suspicious/strange? What is she getting at with saying this?

Hello :)
So just wanting to know if this has happened to anyone else.
I’m waiting to start my new job in a couple of weeks but until then I’ve been on UC & was asked to submit bank statements for my claim review which is fine. I did this back in July and it says so in my journal too.

But I got a message today saying they didn’t receive any documents and I have to submit them. I did message them saying I’ve done this already and pointed out the exact date. Just confused why this would happen. Anyone had this before?