The DWP are paying Universal Credit payments, that straddle the new financial year, at the old rate, without uplifting payments that cover days in the new financial year.
Universal Credit claimants will not be shocked to hear that the DWP is wilfully and systematically underpaying benefit claimants at the start of the new financial year – and did the same thing LAST YEAR as well.
As an example, someone single who gets their Universal Credit payment today, 25 April, is likely being paid for the month ending a week prior, so for 19 March – 18 April 2024. This is 12 days into the new financial year, at which there is a different rate in place, of £393.45, up from £368.74. However, instead of paying any of that new rate, the DWP are only paying £368.74, thereby paying the whole month at the old rate.
When appealing the amount being paid, DWP staff are disgracefully being wilfully obtuse and deny that there is anything wrong. Rather than assist claimants with their appeals to receive what they should be being paid, DWP staff are wilfully and disdainfully acting as a barrier to this and are therefore completely in breach of the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
They have, for example, claimed the amount is correct because it is paid in arrears. That is a “so-what” response, that does not address the fact that the payment, which is always paid in arrears, covers a period where a different rate should be used, and has not been.
DWP have advised that they arbitrarily pay benefit uprates in the new financial year from the first Monday – which was the 8th April. This means they are screwing you out of two days worth of the new rate regardless. Even if that is legal or legitimate, this STILL does not answer why they are not uprating payments that cover days AFTER that, to claimants receiving payments throughout April and into May.
DWP should, as occurred last year, pay the correct rates when a full month is due at the new rate, but the DWP will NOT automatically correct what was underpaid in the first month of the financial year. You have to make them do this – which in itself is disgraceful.
It is unclear how widespread this issue is and how many claimants are affected, but it very much appears that the DWP is relying on people not noticing the issue and then not following through to appeal against the underpayment, particularly with having to go through civil servants who are behaving like scumbags.
You are therefore advised to check your Universal Credit payments carefully, to ensure that you are being paid the new rate from at least 8 April, and if not, appealing the amount, and to not let the DWP fob you off with piss-poor excuses for not doing so.
DEMAND that you are paid your due entitlement.
These people are supposed to work for us.
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