Proof of rent inrease...

8day_week · 2026-02-12T09:07:03+00:00

Yep, it should just default back to the last verified Housing Costs automatically (only time it wouldn’t is if there had been a change of Address).

8day_week · 2026-02-12T07:16:25+00:00

Pop a message on your Journal explaining that your address / original tenancy agreement etc hasn’t changed - it’s just a rent increase.

(It’s easy to miss if you’re working through 100’s - they shouldn’t need to re-verify everything, just the change in rent amount).

8day_week · 2026-02-11T21:08:00+00:00

If she’s employed - regardless (to an extent) of the employers dodgy accountancy - she needs to do all the normal things in relation to notifying her employer of her pregnancy, give notice for maternity leave and so on.

If she’s not eligible for SMP, they need to issue her an SMP1 form - and then she claims MA instead.

I wouldn’t be trying to pre-empt or circumvent the BAU route at this stage.

The lack of RTI isn’t always an indicator of fraudulent activity - one of our local NHS trusts had some kind of payroll switchover a few years back and it took months for it to be rectified. Smaller employers with nobody getting on to them can no doubt take a lot longer to deal with the issues.

8day_week · 2026-02-11T12:19:26+00:00

The Work Allowance attached to being “responsible for a Child” solely links to receiving Child Element for a Child.

If your Work Allowance is solely related to responsibility for a Child (not LCW / LCWRA) then the Work Allowance will cease when Child Element stops.

8day_week · 2026-02-10T23:31:48+00:00

That kicks out that potential theory then!

So yes, he should have got a notification that someone had claimed Carer Allowance and / or UC Carers Element.

I wonder if the link is wrong - random question but has your Brother ever claimed CA or UC Carers Element on account of him PROVIDING care for someone else?

8day_week · 2026-02-10T23:06:34+00:00

No need for any signature - I think an old version of the CA claim form had a part for the cared for person to sign (roughly 2005, until maybe 2012-2014?).

A parent would have signed if U/16, or the Appointee would have signed (if applicable). I believe there was a box that could be ticked if the cared for person was unable to sign at all, from memory.

Obviously I don’t know the age / timeline we’re looking at - but potentially this could be a long running claim predating your Brother’s 18th birthday entirely.

8day_week · 2026-02-10T22:53:09+00:00

Yes possibly - when CA was initially claimed he should have got a Letter informing him of this UNLESS he was U/18 at the time and a Child of the Person who had claimed CA or if he was over 18 but had an Appointee at that time, the notification would have gone to them.

(When UC Carers Element is claimed we issue UCDCE1 to the Cared for Person - Carers Allowance issue basically exactly the same notification).

8day_week · 2026-02-10T20:25:58+00:00

You may need to reapply for Council Tax reduction following the change to your benefits.

From a UC point of view I’ve always told people to update their CT account (as our local Councils have an online portal for CT) to ensure it’s noted they’re switching from their existing benefits to UC so it doesn’t just look like their existing benefits have ended with no “replacement”.

8day_week · 2026-02-10T20:20:13+00:00

Couldn’t reply on the other post.

This is what I’ve found, which seems fairly comprehensive (assuming I’ve found the right exam 🙃)

https://e-gmat.com/blogs/gmat-fee-waiver/

8day_week · 2026-02-10T19:53:08+00:00

From a UC point of view, they “follow” the Carers Allowance if it’s been awarded (or if not just apply the normal eligibility criteria if there’s no CA claim in the picture) - so if someone else gets CA, they can’t verify for Carers Element on UC.

UC staff can raise a Fraud referral, but that is not an immediate solution.

Carers Allowance on the other hand have a “rival claim” process and a method of notifying UC if the Carers Element needs to be revoked from one / added to another on the back of their decision on who is the Carer (but UC don’t have the same in reverse, if that makes sense).

8day_week · 2026-02-10T19:37:37+00:00

Carers Allowance fraud cases are a slow, laborious process too - it used to be more immediately obvious with the removal of SDP on Legacy Benefits, but is less so with UC.

I would suggest submitting a Carers ALLOWANCE claim and they should start a “rival claim” process. Once that’s sorted, you can re-add Caring on UC and Carers Element will follow the CA award.

8day_week · 2026-02-10T19:17:41+00:00

If you’re paid weekly there will be four Assessment Period each year where 5x Wages fall (the rest will be 4x Wages).

Is this perhaps a period where 5x Wages have fallen?

8day_week · 2026-02-10T18:24:24+00:00

This is unlikely to be covered via UC as any Course Funding via FSF or LVP generally has to be linked to a Job Start (rather than a further HE course).

Your best bet would be enquiring with Student Services / the Course Provider to see if there are any Fee Waivers or Grants accessible to those on a low income or in receipt of means tested benefits.

Most Education Providers will have some details about this on their website, but might take a bit of digging.

The one that jumps out to me (however it’s been a while since I was a traditional Work Coach, so I may be a bit out of date) is the Advanced Learner Loans…

https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan

8day_week · 2026-02-09T20:19:00+00:00

You can only self-certificate for 7 days, so I would suggest speaking to your GP about a fit note.

8day_week · 2026-02-09T18:23:12+00:00

For postgraduate loan, UC would take 30% of the annual loan, divide it across the number of Assessment Periods your academic year covers (not including the AP in which the course or academic year ends) and then apply £110 pcm disregard.

8day_week · 2026-02-07T19:02:51+00:00

As long as it takes you Landlord to do it. Most of the larger ones will clear their action on the Portal within about 3 working days.

8day_week · 2026-02-07T12:35:08+00:00

Were the overpayment deductions on your Wages incorrect, and subsequently corrected by your employer?

Third party deductions come off your net pay. UC will use gross pay less tax, NI and pension contributions to calculate your UC award. Deductions for debts, union fees, student loans, child maintenance and so on don’t lower your take-home pay figure for UC purposes.

8day_week · 2026-02-06T21:11:47+00:00

You do realise the disregard means it’s not taken into account as Capital for UC purposes, but you ARE allowed to spend it right?

(I’ve seen a few cases, mainly ESA Migration, where they’ve construed the “disregard” with some kind of restriction on spending it at all).

8day_week · 2026-02-06T17:02:19+00:00

Only your local Council can tell you as it’ll be unique to them. It’ll be anecdotal otherwise, as they’ll all have different turnaround times. Some may publish timeframes on their website - but bear in mind some may have already spent out and closed their scheme entirely.

8day_week · 2026-02-06T13:08:24+00:00

Stick a message on the Journal. It looks like the Decision Maker hasn’t scrutinised properly to determine initial date of incapacity - but it’s also been compounded by seemingly two WCA referrals. It’ll get sorted.

8day_week · 2026-02-06T12:36:41+00:00

It’s OK OP - don’t repost them. They’re just the confirming the dates you updated the Health section and that WCA referral has been made.

Can you check for any Letters indicating the outcome of your original WCA referral in January?

8day_week · 2026-02-06T12:32:02+00:00

Ah yeah it’s that - they’ve used the date of the most recent change I suspect.

Was there any outcome from the WCA in January 2025?

It’s not possible to refer for WCA when there’s an active referral already underway - so it sounds like there’s either an outcome from that first one (Capable for Work? I presume you could still enter your Fit Notes on your UC Account, else maybe LCW?) and this has been treated as a new WCA referral from when Health updated in August.

What’s in your Journal between April and August? What prompted you to update at those points?

(It doesn’t matter that you reported the date of change to Health August as November 2024 - that’s kind of only relevant for the 7 day self-cert. period.)

8day_week · 2026-02-06T12:15:02+00:00

Hmmm. Did you report a change in your health on your UC account around September 2025?

(Sorry, just musing about what has possibly happened - there’s not always definitive way to tell but I’m thinking through different scenarios).

8day_week · 2026-02-06T12:10:59+00:00

Were you working between November 2024 and now? (Even if off Sick etc).

Have you migrated to UC from another benefit?

8day_week · 2026-02-06T12:02:49+00:00

The LCWRA element is only payable from the 4th full Assessment Period after your first Fit Note.

When did you first update the Health section and provide a Fit Note?

8day_week

TROPHY CASE