UC -  dealing with Mandatory Reconsiderations

Can any one help please?

My client started employment about April 2016, working 45 hours per week and earning about £1425 per month before deductions.  His normal pay date is the 28th of each month.  However, due to weekends and bank holidays, his employer may BACs the payments before the 28th of the month.

Hi assessed period is between 28th of the month and 27th of the month.

Universal Credit have been using this early BACs to then calculate that he has been paid twice in that assessment period and therefore not entitled to any, or very little, benefit.

The following month he would be entitled to more Universal Credit as it would not show any wages during this assessed income period as the BACs was early the month before.  However, he would then be “capped” then losing some entitlement.

I sent in a MR on 30/10/2017.  He can see a copy of it in his journal so we know its there.  However no response at all and his rent arrears are over £4000. 

I am confident of the MR that I have sent and am asking DWP to use Regulation 61 of the Universal credit Regulations 2013.  Its just getting someone to actual look and action the MR.

**********************************************************************************************************Since this original post I have submitted SSCS1 without MR decision as UC caseworker says there is no decision so no MR.  The Judge has given directions for DWP to respond - Great !!

However, I am sitting here with the UC regs and trying to determine what to throw back at DWP as I know they are going to still say no decision so no MR.  I have found this

19.—(1) Where the Secretary of State has reduced the amount of an award of universal credit as
a consequence of regulation 81 (reduction of universal credit) of the Universal Credit Regulations,
that decision may be revised.

Anyone got any other ideas what counts as a decision for UC is it a rolling decision if the award changes every month?

Thank you in advance

Hi Katrina

There are no escalation numbers for UC I’m afraid. We’ve been told via stakeholders forum that you should contact your local partnership manager - in some areas it seems to work quite well but less so in other areas. If you don’t have the local contact you could try contacting the regional one to get a number - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-partnerships/national-partnership-teams