Millions of universal credit claims to be reviewed

Your universal credit payments could change as millions of claims are to be scrutinised over the next four years. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is conducting a wide-scale review of universal credit claims to try and clamp down on fraud while ensuring claimants are receiving the correct payments and support.

The review process may lead to changes in universal credit payments for some.

What happens if my claim is reviewed?

According to GOV.UK, DWP will contact you through your online account if your universal credit claim is selected for review.

You’ll be required to provide various documents to confirm your details and take part in a phone interview. If you fail to attend the interview, your payments could be stopped.

During the review process, you may need to submit documents related to your financial situation, including:

• bank statements
• housing costs
• earnings or other income
• self-employment details
• student finance
• childcare costs

You might also be asked to provide information about any children living with you and any caring responsibilities you have.

Potential outcomes of the review

The case review may reveal that you are receiving too much or too little universal credit. If this is the case, your future payments will be adjusted accordingly.

This could mean receiving an extra amount to make up for what you've missed, or having money deducted to recover any excess you shouldn't have received.

If you disagree with DWP's decision following the review, you have the right to challenge it through a mandatory reconsideration process.

Progress and safeguards in place

In May, DWP said they had reviewed over 200,000 claims this year.

• They’ve identified and  corrected nearly 50,000 cases, which have included details such as: unreported income of more than £16,000
•  wrongly declared self-employment expenses
• undisclosed second homes

DWP has also introduced measures to support claimants, allowing them to identify signs of vulnerabilities and complex needs that may affect an individual's ability to manage their claim, declare changes, and report up-to-date information on their circumstances.