How can I get a breakdown of how my new UC is calculated?

Hi Team

I just migrated from ESA Support Group to UC LCWRA. Working out what I've been paid, when and by whom is proving to be as clear as mud.

I started my migration at the start of January. ESA and Housing Benefit didn't seem to get the memo and carried on paying me over the 5 week handover period regardless. This created overpayments and I've been told I'm going to get deductions in future UC payments. Simultaneously I noted that the sum total of the first series of UC payments I have received didn't seem to match the amount I believe I should receive (housing, previous ESA rate and transitional protections etc). I don't know if this is because deductions have already been made or because I'm not being paid at my previous rate. I believe it's the latter. I don't have any additional income or savings that should affect my rates.

Rather than just get a single lump sum from UC I've been paid in multiple obscure sums with zero explanation.

I've asked a few times for a specific breakdown or statement of what I've been given, when and by whom and haven't received one. Instead I've been sent letters consisting of 2 - 4 sentences saying 'You're getting X sum' with no further clarification or 'You were overpaid ££ from ABC date because you received a payment'. I've received 2 letters now telling me about overpayments. If these letters are to be believed UC are going to take away over a third of what I've already been paid despite the fact it ostensibly appears to already not be at the full rate.

Meanwhile I need to pay rent and bills whilst not knowing what money I can count on to stay mine out of what I've been paid.

How can I get a clear breakdown of what I've been paid, when and by whom? So far my requests for a statement have been ignored. Would a SAR from the date of my UC claim help? I would have hoped migration would be basic maths (previous rate over X number of weeks etc etc) but it's not proving to be that.


Thanks for your assistance

Hi David

Thanks for the reply. I have now found my statements on the UC portal. Previously they hadn't been uploaded and what was uploaded was incomplete. It seems the transitional protections are calculated by a separate department and this means the money and the information is given piecemeal. It also appears no one tells you this.

I appreciate the link. My portal is somewhat different to the portal in the link. My portal is labelled as a 'BETA' so I'm assuming they are trialling a new version.

Having seen the statements it's still very confusing. My assessment period is apparently 4 weeks and 2 days (7th January to 6th February).

If I'm understanding this correctly calculating my payments across the 30 days would be

normal weekly ESA rate x 4 weeks
housing x 4 weeks
ESA x 2 days (calculated by dividing previous ESA payment over the amount of days)
Housing x 2 days (calculated by dividing weekly rent down to a day rate)

Am I right in thinking this? If so, the sum I've been given by UC does not match that.

Best wishes and thanks

Hi David

Currently there's a only small overpayment between the amount I would have received in ESA and Housing Benefit for 30 days and the amount I received in UC. It would be small enough for me not to worry about in normal circumstances.

Considering I'm being told that there's also an overpayment of several hundred pounds based on the fact ESA and Housing Benefit carried on paying me I do need to get to the bottom of this if for no other reason than to work out how much of that money is mine or how to budget if I'm facing considerable deductions. At present I'm being told I am facing deductions and I 'don't have to do anything' but it would be helpful to know how much I'm going to be deducted and for how long.

EntitledTo doesn't show the transitional elements unfortunately. Using EntitledTo however does show that once the transitional elements are completely whittled away I'll be at least 14% worse off every week. This does seem to tally with the transitional elements amount that has finally populated in my UC statement.

What I'm going to do is get a full breakdown of the ESA and Housing Benefit payments that were made after I claimed UC and then do my figures again.

If I started my UC claim on 7th January and my previous ESA payment was made on 30th December when would my final payment be? Currently I've got ESA payments being made 5 weeks after I claimed UC. Housing Benefit is similar.

Best wishes and many thanks

I've just managed migrated (from income support and CTC I also get PIP). I started at the end of Sept 24.
My portal also says Beta.

UC is paid monthly not 4 weekly, so you get 12 payments not 13.
So try your weekly rate x52 ÷ 12 to get your entitlement.

Your next assessment period should be: 7th Feb to 6th March ( so it's going to be the 7th to the 6th from now on)

It's supposed to be like a salary if you were paid monthly in work.
If your circumstances don't change (once it's settled down) your payments will remain the same.
E.g: I got paid the same in January as February etc .

I had an overpayment of housing benefit (4 days) and it was taken off my first UC payment.

Re housing:
Say your housing cost was £100 per week (£400 every 4wks)
UC would say your monthly cost was £433.33 (its up to you to make sure you keep the remainder to pay rent).
If you have any rent free weeks they take that off too so:
4 rent free weeks @ £100 you would get £400 for housing each month.

Have you tried the Citizens Advice Help to claim line? They can help you up until you get the right first payment
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/unive...ut-universal-credit/

This .gov page maybe helpful:
www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-youre-pa...to%20your%20landlord.

Good luck