Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

anyone work in universal credit? Migration question...

50 replies

Inbedbynine · 25/04/2019 19:44

Is there anyway to find out when I’m likely to be migrated into UC? We are one of the last areas and if there is a change that warrants it we will go on UC but I don’t envisage any changes. Iv been squirrelling money to try to make sure I have enough to cover the long wait. How can I find out roughly when this could be?

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 25/04/2019 19:50

Our area went to UC for new claims in october18 but no migration yet

Are you on HB? You will get a two week run on which would decrease the gap from 5 weeks to 3 weeks for housing costs

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 25/04/2019 19:52

Yes I do get HB. I’m just trying to be prepared. I rely on tax credits month to month too. I want to make sure I have enough to pay at least a months rent , ideally 2 due to the delays. My area I think was September/October for new claims....

OP posts:
ElsaMars · 25/04/2019 20:20

A managed (compulsory) migration won't happen anytime soon but if you have a change in circumstances, then they would tell you you have to apply. Be aware though - this is not always correct, so seek advice first. I work for CAB.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
Original poster
Inbedbynine · 25/04/2019 20:41

I asked HB last month and they said they have no idea when. They must have some idea what year at least? I know it won’t complete until 2023 and I really want to know if im likely to be say next year or not.

OP posts:
Original poster
Inbedbynine · 25/04/2019 20:42

I won’t have a change of circumstances as I won’t move out the area, don’t have a boyfriend to move in etc i just want to know when they’ll migrate me over.

OP posts:
CatToddlerUprising · 25/04/2019 20:45

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/changes_that_trigger_Universal_Credit
Info here but no definite yet.

ivykaty44 · 26/04/2019 04:32

Op overpay your bills, electric and gas have extra on cards
Have a store cupboard of food in tins and dry goods for three weeks
Overpay rent - if you’re social housing you can overpay directly to landlord and be a few weeks ahead
Have some savings
That way you’ll be prepared, but it’s not just the migration it’ll also be months with two paydays etc when money alters that you need to be prepared

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 26/04/2019 06:20

Yes that link is what I was reading, it’s so vague!! I’d like to know what year at least. If I’m 2023 then the money Iv been squirrelling away is put into my credit card! But I might be this year.

I have a store cupboard, I can’t over pay my landlord as it’s private. I don’t ever get paid twice in a month but Iv heard of being paid twice in a ‘period’ whatever the 4 weeks is called. Isn’t that to do with the date you start a claim? I read to claim mid way through a month not at the end/beg. I get paid on 28th sometimes my boss puts it in early (don’t know why) and obviously if it’s a Sunday get paid on say Friday 26th...

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 26/04/2019 07:53

If your employer is late inputting data to HMRC this can also cause 2 payments in one month, or if you’re weekly paid and then it’s 5 weeks in one month this will alter UC. For the former you can put in a complaint as you’re employer can be told of for their timekeeping regarding PAYE

I’d pay all the money off your credit card as you’re paying interest on that money and it’s costing you, pay as much of as you can

The reason they are so vague...they have no idea what or when or how it’s going to happen. Our area was going to UC three times and it was delayed for 9-12 months each time. Originally it was going to be rolled out in 2014 to the whole country

Pay of your debts and then at least you’ll save any interest

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 26/04/2019 08:05

I can’t pay off my credit cards, they are too high. I’m still paying money off to them each month but have been putting money aside to cover 2 months rent which is over £2k. My credit cards are higher than that.

I get paid monthly. On the 28th. My boss uses an accountant to do the wages. So Sunday would be my pay date but wages went in late last night...

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 26/04/2019 20:15

Inbedbynine

How much is the interest on the credit card?

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 06:18

I have 2, I have bounced between them with 0% balance transfers over the last few years. I’m not % I’ll have to look. I was going to save until I had just over £2k so I knew I had 2 months rent as that was the most important thing to pay as would affect my credit rating. I’m still managing to pay more than the minimum on the cards. If stupid UC hadn’t started I would’ve been much closer at paying them off but I’m no way near. I’m a LP with disabled dc so no I can’t get a second job, my situation is what it is.

OP posts:
Thatsashame · 27/04/2019 06:29

Save a little bit every month to pay for your rent if there is a delay. Hopefully by then you will have enough to cover.

ivykaty44 · 27/04/2019 06:33

Is there anyway you could get into social housing of some type which could be cheaper rent?

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 06:45

In been on the list for 10 years!!! I live in the south east, housing is non existent! My rent is cheap, it should be higher but I have a decent landlord and he hasn’t raised it as much as he could do.

OP posts:
Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 06:46

I do get HB so I would get the money sort of back once UC sets in, so when the payments sort themselves it would eventually go back to my credit card, I just need to get through that period. It’s really stressing me out!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 27/04/2019 07:19

We don’t have a list in my area and you instead have to bid each week on properties available- which is few, but people end up taken off if they don’t bid or respond to letters. About 4000 people registered with sometimes 20 properties a week

ivykaty44 · 27/04/2019 07:26

If it’s stressing you out can you take control of the situation and request to claim UC? You’d still get the 2 week run on for HB from the date you make a UC claim ( you’d have to tell HB the date of your UC claim ASAP so they don’t overpay you and cancell your claim) then make sure you get council tax relief with your council still as it’s not included with UC

That way you’d be moved over and can be in control of the events

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 07:55

But don’t you lose your transition protection if you do that?

Yes housing is similar here, I mean Iv been on the councils list for 10 years, same with HA we get a list every month of about 10 properties but they cover a huge area as we are quite rural and I don’t want to move out of our town. Plus you have to have ‘connections’ to move out of town anyway which I don’t have.

OP posts:
quietheart · 27/04/2019 07:57

You wont find an answer as to when you will definitely be migrated over as the government keep moving the goal posts and delaying the process. Current estimate is that it will take until 2023 to complete.

However it looks as though they will follow the same pattern of geographical areas as they did for the introduction of UC. As managed migration has started in areas that went digital first. Therefore if you were one of the later areas to go digital full service you will be one of the later areas to be migrated.

This first link shows the order of areas that went digital in 2017. Second link is areas in 2018. So if you're way down the list for the introduction you would be a long way off for migration or vice versa. If that makes any sense? And if the government don't change their minds again.

www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/UC-timetable/Universal-Credit-roll-out-2017

www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/UC-timetable/Universal-Credit-UC-roll-out-2018

ivykaty44 · 27/04/2019 08:04

Yes you would lose your protection. I would stay on HB, any slight change with any other benefit (a minor stop or 2p increase) and I’d be into council with two months bank statements and other claims awards giving to them - so they don’t have any reason to cancell change

But

If it’s really stressing you out then possibly taking control and changing may work, have you been on any benefits calculators to see if you’re better or worse if on UC?

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 08:10

I can’t see my town or any local ones on either of those digital years? I know that September 2018 was when UC came here for new claimants....

I have looked on calculators and they say I won’t be worse off on UC but that’s only because I have a disabled dc. I don’t trust them as Iv heard people do the same and then they are worse off!

OP posts:
MintyCedric · 27/04/2019 08:15

Hi OP I'm also in the SE, and have been looking into this recently for various reasons.

I can't recall where I saw it, but I was under the impression they would start migrating around October/November 2020.

Original poster
Inbedbynine · 27/04/2019 08:17

Hi minty is that your area or the whole of the SE? I could cope with knowing that.... I’d like to just know the year would be good! Presumably we must be quite near the end of the list to migrate if it’s only just become live since September or is it not that methodical?

OP posts:
MintyCedric · 27/04/2019 08:28

I don't know. I'm just off out for the day but if I can trawl back through my history and find anything later I'll PM you.

It's terrifying tbh. I've been looking at it all as I have elderly parents and my dad had a serious accident earlier this year. I work f/t and it would be great to reduce my hours to give them more support but I just cannot find a way to make it work financially as whatever changes I make (even if I were to get a higher paid job) the loss of tax credits due to UC criteria put a me back at square one.

Swipe left for the next trending thread