People who claim Universal Credit are being urged to check if they need to report any one of 18 changes to their current circumstances.
Claimants of various benefits are legally required to update any changes or risk losing out, reports Cambridgeshire Live. Universal Credit is paid monthly - or bi-monthly for some in Scotland - by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The benefit applies to anybody on a low income, or with no income. To slim down the current benefits system, the DWP is replacing 'legacy' benefits with Universal Credit.
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These benefits being replaced include:
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credit
If any circumstances change, like moving in with someone or ending employment, you are obliged to report the change in circumstance. It is an offence to not update them, as you could end up paying out more than you're owed.
There are currently 18 changes that the DWP considers to be a change in circumstances. These include:
- Changes to your living arrangements, such as moving in with your partner, someone in your household goes to prison or your rent changes
- If you split up with your partner
- If you get married or divorced
- If you or your children start or stop full-time education or any training you were undertaking
- You or your partner reach State Pension age
- You have any health changes, such as you're ill or you're admitted to hospital
- If someone you're close to dies, such as your partner, child, someone you were caring for
- Changes to your immigration status
- Changes to your bank details
- Changing your name or gender
- If you're planning to go abroad for any length of time
- Changing your doctor
- Changes to your pension, savings, investments or property
- Changes to other money you get (for example student loans or grants, sick pay or money you get from a charity)
- Changes to the benefits you or anyone else in your house gets
- If you or your partner are getting back-pay (sometimes called ‘arrears’) for salary or earnings you’re owed
You can inform the DWP about a change in circumstances through your work coach via your Universal Credit journal. You can also call the free Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 any time between 8am-6pm on Monday to Friday, or text 0800 328 1344.
If you are suspected of taking advantage of the benefit system, for example by not reporting a change in circumstances so you continue to be paid more than you should, you may be visited by a Fraud Investigation Officer or asked to attend an 'interview under caution' about your claim.
You will be instructed to pay back the overpaid money if you are found to have committed or attempted fraud. You may also be ordered to pay a penalty of up to £5,000.
A sanction could also be imposed, which will result in your benefits either being reduced or cancelled.
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