Universal Credit overpayment

Thanks, yes the journal having closed is the most frustrating part of all this but i just cannot face starting a new claim
It is pure luck that the capital has stayed under 16k, my son does not need UC. Pip is more than ample for him whilst he is living at home.

To start a new claim would mean a new work capability assessment (he was LCWRA) and it's just too much to think about with the stress of this overpayment hanging over us (not for my son; he is oblivious and lacks capacity)


I do this it's odd they sent the UCD68 without asking for more statements. It makes me think they are just using the statements they have already.

But i have told them verbally and in writing. What more can i do?!

I will give it a month and see if anything comes of the MR.

I can't see how that can fail when clearly he never exceeded 16k.

Though - how he managed to stay just under was pure luck. It almost looks a bit suspect!!

But it really was just luck.

After a bit more online digging, it seems the ucd68 is just stage one. Hopefully, once the DM sees my explanation for late reporting of capital, he or she will give me a call and ask me for more evidence and statements then.


There seem to be a few of us in this same boat (according to some people's Reddit experiences) and they take months and months to sort out.
I am only on month 2!

I will keep a timeline here of what happens in case anyone else happens to find themselves in this position.

So far - capital updated Jan 2nd.
Interview at local job centre jan 15th
Claim closed jan 16th

Ucd68 received jan 22nd.
MR and response to ucd 68 put in post as 2 seperate letters to the Freepost address Jan 22nd.

I phoned UC helpline Jan 27th to see if anything received. Nothing was so i did a phone MR.

Also posted another reply to the UCD 68 in case my first mail was lost.

Have heard nothing since. No text to say they received the posted MR.

Yes, thanks. I know this will probably take the whole of 2025 to rectify! I'm prepared for the long haul.

I just thought i might get a text to say they'd received the MR form (as stated on the MR form) but i suppose with the volume of mail they get at that Freepost address, the chances of my mail having made the journey safely is next to nil. At least they have the phone one.

We are probably in a better position than many in that my son is not dependent on UC and also has capital there to pay back in one go. I just hate things like this hanging over my head. The sooner it's sorted and done with, the better.

I haven't done the MR to start claiming UC again; it's just so that they calculate the overpayment correctly and i was also hoping they'd re-open the journal and "to do" section to speed the process up a bit and enable me to get the extra evidence uploaded to them.

Otherwise it's going to be over 60 paper statements. With each statement 2 to 3 pages long - about 150 pieces of paper!

That can't be what they want, surely?!


What is the logic behind them closing the journal, do you know?

Could they not just suspend payments until everything is squared up?

It is maddening that they write to me in the journal, but i cannot reply!!

It seems really silly to close of a method of communication! They'd get their money back faster if they just talk to me! But i suppose there is some valid reason. I just can't think what it could possibly be🤔