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You may recall my earlier bulletins, highlighting the chaos caused by DWP’s retrospective review of UC awards made during COVID when the customary validation checks were relaxed, causing £6 Billion in overpayments in 2020/21. To counter the surge in overpayments, DWP created a Risk Review team (RRT) with…

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Our 23rd April bulletin explained, how DWP resumed its programme of forcibly moving “legacy benefit” recipients onto Universal Credit, and how it anticipated the migration process, of the remaining 2.6 million claimants, would complete by December 2024, except for those claiming solely, Income-related Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

DWP…

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Universal Credit recipients are due to receive a 10.1 percent rate rise, effective from 10th April 2023.

Due to the increase, Universal Credit standard allowances will increase:

From £265.31 to £292.11 for single people aged under 25 From £334.91 to £368.74 for single people aged 25 and…

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Our 16th May 22 bulletin explained how DWP had resumed its programme of moving “legacy benefit” recipients onto Universal Credit and how it anticipated the migration process, of the remaining 2.6 million claimants, would complete by December 2024.

In September 22 we provided an update as more…

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The Tribunal Service notified me, Thursday past, of two tribunal hearings, scheduled for 29th March. The following day, I received an email from DWP confirming, it had reversed both cases, in my client’s favour, and was seeking my urgent agreement, it could write to the Tribunal Service to…

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Around November last year, I was asked by my housing association client, in London, to assist a young single parent, with 3 young children, who was under threat of eviction for non-payment of rent, had accrued large debts, caused by a cancellation of her UC award, and was…

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One of my property investor clients, contacted me early January, having received an “invoice” for £1600 demanding repayment of an overpayment of Universal Credit. It covered the period, 26/05/2022 and 25/07/2022 and arose because his tenant vacated the property, without notifying both landlord and DWP. The tenant also…

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I hope you enjoyed the festive break and are looking forward to a prosperous New Year.

Just before we broke, I highlighted a case, referred by Cunninghame HA, which involved a tenant whose non-dependant mother died, causing DWP to create an overpayment, despite the tenant reporting timeously, the…

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I’m delighted to say, our rejuvenated  training events have been well supported, raising several interesting cases, which highlight, DWP staff and their support systems continue to be found deficient, causing unnecessary benefits loss and overpayments for already struggling tenants.

One such case, pursued after the event, by our…

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Last week, I received a call from one of my Letting Agent clients, seeking help with his young son’s claim for Universal Credit. The son had moved into a new apartment, and notified the change to Universal Credit, in early September, via his journal. Over the following 10…