Can someone help me -univeral credit

[Ohfeckohfuckohshit]

We've never been on benefits and have been lucky that hard work has paid off the past 2 years and we've been earning "well" (all relative of course) most recently our combines income has been between 5-6k pm.

This virus is going to sink our business and put my employed husband out of work for a while, as his small company tries to stay afloat and ride it out. .

When our savings run out, probably 2 months time, we will have no income.

I haven't slept in a week I'm so petrified, but I know we are all in similar boat.

I don't understand the benefit system and am scared of it (that they'll get it wrong and we will get a big bill to repay- see this here frequently) .... will we get any help as home owners and up until recently good pay?

If we ever get to earn as we do now, in the jobs we love so much again, We will be so much more careful in saving. lessons have been learnt.

You apply for Universal Credit online. Go to the DWP site.

If you have savings of more than £16,000, you get nothing.

Isn't it savings of more than 6k? Or is that the threshold to it being reduced?

Apply online OP, they take your income per month into account as to what you are entitled to so if you aren't earning in a month (dependant on what is in savings of course) you will get more. You won't need to pay it back because once you earn more again you just won't be entitled anymore.

This is a great site that aims to help new claimants navigate their way through the benefit maze.
Universal Essentials
It gives information plainly and provides calculators to help work out if you should claim or not. The timing of a UC claim makes a difference to lots of people and you cant just stop and restart to get a better outcome so its important to check first.

The official site on Gov.UK also gives this information in a different but less clear way.

Once you make a claim online and verify your ID, (Experian seems to be the most efficient of the government approved ID verifying agencies) you have to call a number to arrange a face to face at a job centre. Surprisingly, that's still happening and they are booking in appointments. Be aware that the waiting time for that phone call was always long 20-40 mins. But t's now 2-3 hours on hold. But it's free.

Thank you all. My jobs are all uncertain so its hard to say what income will be. DH likely to be earning nothing so think he needs to apply.

We have 11k in savings but that'll be gone in no time as outgoings so high, though we are currently cancelling anything possible.

Surely 11k will last a good few months. Uc will reduce until your savings are under 6k. You won’t get any help with mortgage for 39 weeks and it’s now a loan

The standard allowance for a couple is approx £500. You’ll be deducted approx £4 from that for every £250 or part of over £6000 you have in savings (up to £16k which knocks out entitlement). Any children? There’s a child element too and help towards child care. When it goes well the claim process can be relatively easy.

.... and obviously any income will also be deducted if there’s still some coming in.

Surprisingly, that's still happening and they are booking in appointments

It's not. DH works with UC and from today, all ftf interviews have been cancelled. They're also no longer requiring proof that claimants are looking for work for 30 hours a week, and because of the huge surge in claims they're being fast tracked.

@quimJongUn does your dp know if PSNs will be sent by post. Dp needs to go get one but obv cant now (self isolating) and I'm worried my money isnt going to come through if hes not had that interview. I've sent a message via my journal but no reply after 3 days

Remember you can take a mortgage break of 3 months

You can claim UC with savings up to £16K. For any savings over £6K they will assume you are earning interest and will count this as income. This bears no relation to any interest you are actually earning and it is not linked to the base interest rate.

If you are a couple you need to submit a joint claim.

There is some help towards mortgage interest for home owners but it's not at all generous and it takes months to kick in.

You can get a rough idea of what benefits you might be entitled to on turn2us benefit calculator but don't rely on it, it is only rough.

benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou

If you think you might be entitled to some UC it's best to claim as soon as possible because it can't be backdated, however avoid claiming around the same time as your husband's pay day or you run the risk of sometimes having 2 paychecks in one UC assessment period which can leave you short.

If you're on a low income you might also be entitled to council tax reduction which is separate from UC and you claim it from your local council.