Tax credits over to universal credit! How different is it?

[Userno6363637377373633325]

we currently get some tax credits but expecting to be moved over soon. I am totally clueless about UC, please tell me more and what to expect.

dh earns just over 30 grand a year before tax and national insurance. we have two dc, one of which gets DLA and I get carers allowance. We currently get £68 PW tax credits which really makes a huge difference, especially in these testing times. A UC calculator tells us we will get about £45 of Uc each week based on same circumstances.

We are also awaiting a DLA decision for my youngest. I also get a small amount of maintenance from my sons father but I don't think that effects anything?

we own our house if that makes a difference.

how does the whole system work? We are so used to TC basing it on the previous years income which hasn't changed much for a few years now. But it appears UC is done differently?

also, tax credits has been happy with me not working. Will UC be expecting me to work although I am a parent carer? - I want to work btw, it's just impossible currently with two children with sen.

anyone that knows a bit about Uc or have moved from TC to Uc, any advice would be appreciated.

I think the biggest difference is that UC require monthly figures rather than yearly, so if you have fluctuating income, then your UC fluctuates too, potentially meaning some months you may not get UC if your income that month was unusually high.

Uc is based on real time information so they will receive information of how much your dh's pay is each month from his employer then the amount of Uc you receive is worked out based on that. So if someone does overtime one month they may get slightly less Uc.
Uc is worked out by totalling up all the elements you are eligible to claim, so in your case you would get a couples 25+ amount assuming you are over 25, 2 childrens elements, the element for the first child will be higher if they were born before April 2017, then you will get a disabled child element. Whether you get the higher or lower disabled child element depends on the rate of DLA they get. Then you will get a carers element because you are a carer. All these elements add up to make your total UC. As you have a mortgage then the first £573 of your husbands earnings are disregarded and any net pay he brings home above that reduces your total UC amount by 55p for each pound. Carers allowance continues to be paid seperately to UC but is deducted pound for pound. DLA, child benefit etc continue to be paid seperately. You won't have any work commitments as you are a carer. If your other child is awarded DLA then you will get another disabled child element making the total Uc even higher.

I personally think that UC is a much better system as there are rarely any overpayments. I accept that not everyone will think the same. It's easy for people to work out what they will receive if they work variable hours. It can cause problems for some people who are paid weekly or four weekly but if your dh is paid monthly and paid the same each month then the amount of Uc you receive each month should stay the same. I also like UC as it's more fluid. People's circumstances can change and elements can be added easily. If a couple split then the claim can become a single one easily without too much disruption to pay dates etc. Everything is managed via an online journal which can save lengthy phone calls as long as your case manager answers messages ! It's useless for people who are not able to manage their account online.

I put our figures into turn to us and our tax credits will stop under UC credit as we have the house therefore more than 16k in equity

Thanks guys. Dh is paid on the last working day of the month each month, around £2000 a month give or take. He does sometimes do over time but not every month and can go quite a few months without doing any!

Watch the Martin Lewis programme on last week. Get on the calculator to see if you will be better off or not. If not wait until they change you over. Once on UC you can't go back. Most will be changed by 2024.

Personally I preferred UC to TC because it was updated and adjusted in real time and none of this ridiculous owing and repaying nonsense that used to go on

ok just as an idea

basic couple = £526.75

child element = £244.57 first and £244.58 second

disabled children = £132.89 (low/middle) £414.88 (high)

carer element = £168.81 (on top of carers allowance)

Your carers allowance is classed as income so this comes off each month and then your need to work out how much they will deduct for your partner working.

the first £344 doesnt affect and then for every £1 they earn it reduces by 55p.

any questions pm me as I have two kids with dla

@Tfutcher thank you, my son is on MRC, we are awaiting a decision for Dd, if she even gets it, she does have an EHCP and some sen, but no official diagnoses (I know you don't need diagnosis for DLA) but I'm finding proving her needs a lot harder.

I am totally clueless about UC so thank you!

I do think for now we are better off on Tc, so we probably will just wait to be moved over! Ty!

Are you talking about the house you are living in?

@IncessantNameChanger a house you are living in doesn’t count as an asset as you can’t live off it.

The work allowance which is disregarded would be £573 for op as she has a mortgage rather than claiming rent element.

Please don't compare the amount of Uc you would receive to another person as it is different for everyone depending on circumstances/ whether they rent or have a mortgage/ how many kids they have and whether any savings. Go to one of the online calculators.

It would only be equity in a property that you weren't living in that would count and make you exempt from claiming. The house you live in is completely disregarded.

Oh I didn't know that. It wasn't clear from.the workings. We have a btl but live in rented accommodation. That's something to think about as I think that's going to change at some point. Interesting to see it's not impossible to claim in the future if we go to back to residential owners. Thanks

I had two wages added together from end one month to another so I'm classed as living on double my wages.we where given 54.00 I only work parttime have son at college I don't find universal credit that good at the moment and its going to be same next month because they have my wage days as my assement period 28th to 29th roughly how is that money my boss pays me per calender month why isn't universal credit in line with your earnings.

I recently migrated and what I would say is there is a 5-6 week gap from applying to first payment, and as soon as you apply your TC are stopped. I basically applied the last day my TC went into my account before the deadline to move, and I had a couple of weeks of shifting cash around as I had to wait nearly 6 weeks instead of the usual 4 for a payment.