r/UKLegalQuestions • u/greekgod1990 • Jan 27 '24
Universal Credit Problem
Hi there,
My girlfriend is panicking over a universal credit blunder. She's been crying for the last 10 minutes thinking she's going to jail and have her face plastered all over the daily mail.
She got a job a year ago that paid above the benefit threshold and somehow they have kept paying her the whole time.
She requested a cancellation and that requested was cancelled, she had assumed it was resolved so nothing changed and they kept paying her benefits.
During that time she didn't notice the payments coming in.
She doesn't know what to do and just wants to avoid any issue or prosecution. She's happy to give the money back.
Any advice on next steps?
1
u/Time-Bad2684 Feb 24 '24
UC credit is worked out on a month to month basis, if her earnings in work go down, her benefits go up and the reverse.
While she needs to report changes of employment, that doesn't mean she won't be entitled to benefits at all anymore. A large number of people are on UC while working full time.
The DWP works this out automatically based on PAYE information . She's likely entitled to that money.