Urgent advice needed re universal credit please??

[Inbedbynine]

So Iv handed my notice in and next Wednesday is my last day. I’m on WTC etc and get dla and carers allowance due to having a disabled son hence why Iv had to stop work.

Should I apply today (last full pay slip was yesterday) or should I wait until I wait until 29th June when Iv had. My last, albeit small pay slip?

Yes, it's an overly complex system so difficult that even the dwp workers don't understand it.
The 'good' news is that as you're a carer you won't get harassed to look for work for 35 hours a week and log it on the online system (even if you don't actually know how to work it).

The universal credit essentials face book page is run by volunteers, they give advice based on their own and others experiences and use the official UC guidance to help support people with queries and their claims as there are lots of issues with UC...

www.uceplus.co.uk/

chick with that FB page how/who works it out for you? It’s says they don’t PM and I don’t want to put all my personal details on a page (yes I can see it’s a closed group but I have an ex who has stalked me in the past and has a court order not allowed near us but don’t want that risk of posting personal stuff on there)

You need to request to join the page, then post your question they will then private message you if you want to discuss figures and can work out your claim

@Inbedbynine Sorry - fell asleep last night! You still get Carers Allowance either weekly or 4 weekly (i.e. you current payment cycle doesn't change), it's just deducted off your overall Universal Credit. It's one of things people get quite up in arms about but it's exactly the same as it was on Legacy Benefits - The IS, ESA or JSA would only ever be an income related top-up.

Child Benefit remains separate too. As does the DLA or PIP.

You will need to apply for a Council Tax Reduction directly with your Local Authority too (most have online forms now).

Do you know which of my figures seemed out compared to your previous calculation? I think if anything I rounded down!

Ahhh I just spotted it! Disabled Child Element - Low Rate is £126, NOT £160. Sorry

Thanks for getting back to me. Iv just been on the website that chick very kindly gave me and Iv worked out the ‘maximum’ amount of UC, I just can’t work out any deductions? Mainly the carers element? I worked if out as £160.20 for being a carer but I can’t work out what I need to take off? I have no savings, no pension, no other income, nothing at all....

So with no other deductions you would just have £286.65 coming off for Carers Allowance (£66.15 x 52 / 12).

Thanks for clarifying. That’s the same figures Iv worked it out at. So if this is correct I will definitely be better off on UC than old system as on the old system it’s about £360 less but that doesn’t obviously affect carers allowance so I wouldn’t ‘lose’ anything there but it’s still higher on UC.

Is there anything I can do to limit the chance of having all these problems everyone else seems to have? I will have all my info ready and won’t be working by the time it’s processed so can get to the job centre ASAP.....

Also, if there is a shortfall between the amount of Housing Element awarded and your actual Rent I would look into applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from your local Council. Again, most will have online forms etc. but sometimes it's best to pop in and complete it with someone.

Are you private rented? Social rented all gets covered (less ineligible service charges) unless you are "Over Occupying" and then there is a 14% reduction for 1 bedrooms over or 25% reduction for 2 or more bedrooms over.

Find your LHA rate here >>>
lha-direct.voa.gov.uk

Then multiply by 52, divide by 12 and that's your max. Housing Element.

@Inbedbynine which problems in particular are you worried about?
The main ones people seem to struggle with are; 5 week wait for money, monthly payment issues (if their rent/pay is 4 weekly), having to budget jointly with a partner, some people are worse off, managing the online system, proving 35 hours of job searching per week, having to look for full time work when previously part time was ok.
Most of these aren't applicable to you thankfully. If you can think of something specific someone could probably offer advice.

Iv been on the FB group that was mentioned upthread and have read some of the posts and everyone is saying how bad it is, how they haven’t been paid correct amounts, getting into debt, having to use food banks etc as UC have ‘messed up’. Nothing in my life goes simply and I’m dreading also being one of those people!!

I think a lot of the incorrect payments are due to being paid twice in assessment period (eg 4 weekly pay), and the 5 week wait (some job centres also aren't great at managing in the 5 weeks).
I work as part of a project assisting people with applying for UC as well as referring to other organisations for other assistance depending on circumstances.
In our city the vast majority of people are paid on time and the correct amounts (I'm no fan of the dwp btw) but I can't confirm for other cities.

So if you haven't / can't "verify" online then you'd need ID plus Tenancy Agreement, Proof of Address, Proof of Rent Payments, Bank Details and NI number.

So ID I'd go with passport, driving licence, CT bill, wage slip, tenancy agreement and bank card with supporting bank statement. That way they all "double up" - CT bill is ID and proof of address / residency. Bank statement confirms bank details and rent payments etc.

Most people manage to verify online if they have things like passports, bank accounts etc. It's really not that bad. Don't worry.

@kaytee87 But those payments aren't incorrect. I agree it's not always communicated well enough, but also people aren't very aware.

Lots and lots of people think Monthly and 4 Weekly are interchangeable. You see it when they can't work out why their UC is different to their estimate and their Maths is £9 x 37 x 4 or whatever and they're paid Monthly.

As it goes I too don't think DWP have done too bad of a job. I think a lot of (our local) support organisations have ignored YEARS of "UC is coming" messages though.

I won’t be able to use my passport as it’s in my married name (I’m divorced) but have my driving licence.

Will they want actual bank statements? Will they start shifting though it??

Also what about advance payments? Iv apply next Thursday my payment ‘should’ be 11th July. I’m concerned about my direct debits that all come out 1st month. I’m gojng to try to see if I will have enough to cover and use my credit card for food/fuel until my first payment then pay it straight back as I don’t want to be in debt before I start and then have reduced payments due to the advance. BUT id I do need an advance does it work like this......
Say my payment was £1k due to 11th July and I got an advance on 1st July of £500 my payment will be £500 on 11th July and then £1k on 11 Aug? I can’t move all the direct debit dates as I will be charged to do it on quite a few of them.

As long as it makes sense - so passport in Married Name but everything else in Maiden Name it should be fine.

If you get an advance it's paid back gradually and you pick the rate (from pre-determined options). So say you took an Advance of £500 and agreed to pay back @ £50 a month on the 11th July you'd get £950 (your UC less the amount you're repaying on the Advance).

OP, I understand that you are worried and stressed but you have already started multiple threads about this and it's not helping, you are just going around in circles and getting more confused and anxious about the different answers.

You got good advice on this thread and I did the calculation for you.

As I have already advised, you should claim Universal Credit immediately because you have now received your last full pay packet, and you will only receive a small amount at the end of June which won't affect your Universal Credit.

Stop stressing yourself out by reading horror stories on Mumsnet and Facebook, just follow the advice you have already been given and visit/contact Citizens Advice if you have issues.

@Inbedbynine you can probably still use your passport if you have your marriage & divorce certificates.

@8dayweek I know they're not actually incorrect as the system goes. But the people talking about incorrect payments are probably for those reasons.

Yes emma I know. I have been very stressed about it as money is tight enough as it is and I don’t know anyone in my situation and I’m solely responsible for my dc so I’m very scared of the whole process. I do appreciate the help,l from you as I mentioned up thread. Interesting that I have different answers about the date to apply, the last guy I spoke to in the citizens advice helpline said apply next Thursday as I would be actually unemployed. On the form it asks you if you work etc and if you’ve worked in the last 9 months. He said to wait until next Thursday as I won’t be in employment anymore....?

Yes I do have all the correct paperwork to show the changes of my names so I will literally take everything in and they can have what the they want then

You can claim UC whether you're employed or not.

Yes I know, I wanted to do it yesterday but as they ask are you employed I have to say yes, they then take all my current working details, the guy yesterday said wait asvit would have to be adjusted (once I left work next week) and that would delay my payment and would be best to start from scratch next week when I’m not working? Do you not agree emma? Also my last post sounded snipey reading it back and it genuinely wasn’t meant to, sorry.

No need to apologise, it didn't sound snipey.

I can sort of see why the person you spoke to advised you to wait. It would be more straightforward. But I would always advise someone to apply for benefits as soon as they are entitled to them. Basically if you wait a week to claim, you're missing out on a week's worth of money that you won't otherwise get. And if there is a delay in payment because of your change in circumstances (finishing work next week) you do have about £1k savings IIRC so that will help to tide you over. You can also request an advance payment as I advised (and no doubt others have too).

It's up to you of course, if you prefer to wait until next Thursday that's fine too. I just get the impression you might feel better if you just did it!

I have literally no idea! I wanted to do it yesterday So it’s done... but the guy on the phone said wait. You are right about the week and id rather my payment date was earlier in the month .... if I do it today as ‘employed earning x amount a month’ would I ring them up next Thursday to say I don’t work now? And they amend it or is that not simple?

I have £1k saved yes so I can at least pay my rent with a bit more form my current account but not to cover dd’s etc.

Yes you call or log into your Universal Credit account and update it there.