Is Universal Credit difficult to claim?

[LittleDandelionHeart]

I need to start claiming UC. However, my situation at present is really uncertain and unstable. I don't know what the future holds for my employment status and therefore ongoing childcare cost responsibilities.

I have heard so many bad things about UC it's put me off but it is getting to the point now I need to claim.

In the near future my child care costs will change, my income will change and the hours I work. Should I claim now or wait for my situation to stabilise? I don't know how long it takes to make a UC application, for it to be processed and then for when you actually start receiving the benefit.

The way universal credit is designed, it is meant to be able to take into account changing circumstances via the taper rate. It's fairly straightforward to claim as long as you are computer literate and complete all the sections. Obviously i can't tell you if you are eligible, that comes down to your income

No it's not difficult at all. Apart from the reduced payment amounts, inbuilt delays and extreme sanctions it's much much better than the previous benefit systems. Apply online, manage your account online, it's easy.

Put in your details to entitled to if eligible Id apply now and just update as you go.

I am entitled on my current earnings and childcare account. But it is all due to change. I guess I can always deal with any sanctions I might receive if I have got it wrong. My income is only likely to worsen though and childcare account to increase.

I found it hard work, we only claimed for the childcare element and every month it was wrong and needed chasing. Not a fan myself! But if you need to do it then you need to do it, just be prepared that it’s not a well run system.

I would say if I’ve found it really straightforward. I’ve been claiming for a year and a bit. As a working parent I have no commitments beyond check your account/ read our messages. Never had any sort of sanction. I don’t think the system works for those that are too ill to work but not ill enough to get pip etc. For working parents though it’s fine.

I've been on uc a year now, and I've had a lot of changes! Originally on maternity leave, then I got a job within a couple of months. Every month my wage is different sometime by a couple of hundred, I've had no issue with them. Oh an I've also had changes to my childcare. Just keep them up to date online. When I've been unsure of things I've had good responses back within a couple of days. Definitely apply now.

I changed Income and jobs and all it did was change the amount I got given and that’s what they do they assess you month by month for what you’ve earned and what they can give you you also get 85% back of your childcare costs paid for as long as you are in work it doesn’t matter how much your earn or what hours that you do

It is quite straightforward if you get paid monthly.

you get the elements applied and then it will reduce based on how much you get in wages( Your employer and HMRC) report the amount. It’s calculated on a monthly basis and is based on what you get in your assessment period.

Apply as soon as possible as it can take 5 weeks to get paid( unless you ask for an advance) and then if there are any changes you report them in your journal.
I’ve gone from maternity leave, new house, wages increase, new child care place and it’s not hard to report changes.

for childcare you have to pay up front then upload invoices/receipts to get reimbursed- sometimes there’s an issue ( like childcare dates falling in different assessment periods) but it’s easy to ask them to recalculate.

Ive been on it for about 8 months now. I'm a single working mum. I've found it really easy to apply for and to manage. The payments do change each month though especially the childcare ones and it can be a bit odd sometimes.

Currently the childcare is paid through the Gov.UK tax free scheme online. Does that matter? Also his father pays half the bill?

You cannot claim tax free childcare and Universal credit at the same time.

When I first applied, my ex was still supporting the bills until I sorted my housing out. I explained that at my meetings and it was fine, just had to send proof of bills and council tax with just my name on etc.

I thought that might be too good to be true about the childcare. Do I still get the 30 free hours then?

@LittleDandelionHeart
UC will pay more towards childcare than the tax free childcare account

you still get 30 hours and then UC will pay up to 85% or £646(whichever is lower) towards the remaining amount you need to pay)

@Danikm151 thanks for that. It's really helpful ☺️

@LittleDandelionHeart no problem
every bit helps 😀

If you can find it do a manual calculation using the information ‘Universal Credit Essentials’ website or ‘universal credit and legacy benefit advice’ Facebook page - unlike websites like entitled to, they also helps you calculate relevant deductions as well as full entitlement.

I need to apply for UC for the first time - I was previously on tax credits but DP moved in and now due to income drop we need to apply.

Is it an online process or do you have to attend an interview or have a phone call, does anyone know? It would be a major pain to have to go to an interview (DC at home and no childcare).

During Covid it became totally online process but, over the last 6 months or so, they make more face to face appointments for ID checks and initial commitment setting. If you have no childcare you’ll have to take the DC with you as, without the initial appointment they won’t sign you off for payments

Aaaah bugger. Thank you @LovedFedAndNoonesDead.

It's a bit more complicated than I mentioned as both DC are autistic and DS has high needs. That's going to make any interview tricky. When I say tricky, what I actually mean is impossible.

I'm also autistic/ADHD and I'm not a fan of face to face interviews. I was desperately hoping for it all to be online - for my own comfort as much as the DC.

I work full-time (self-employed) but DP is off long-term sick and is getting no sick pay so we're slightly buggered right now. If they insist on an interview might just have to try and cut back even further and forget about claiming. Honestly don't know how I'd manage it with the DC.

Balls.

Thank you anyway, appreciated.

@StalkedByASpider so sorry not to have given more hopeful news; however with disabled children you may get more leniency but, as someone self employed, they absolutely will expect 1x visit called a gateway visit which is to assess you regard SE, until you attend that, you would not receive any money as it’s a ‘payment blocker appt and, until you’ve attended, they won’t release any eligible money. You could try asking for them to make separate appointments so one can look after the children while the other attends.

Citizens Advice have a dedicated phone service to support people making their first Universal Credit application. It's called Help to Claim if you search their website.

I never had to go to a face to face appointment, I switched from tax credits to UC 5 months ago.

Just a quick update - as @LovedFedAndNoonesDead correctly said, I will need to attend in person as I’m self-employed.

Its a bit frustrating because they don’t want any proof of my income/earnings submitted in advance - I have to take it all with me.

I honestly don’t see how this is the most efficient process. Surely it would make more sense to get me to upload the documents to show my self-employment and gainful income? If they still had concerns that my self-employment wasn’t gainful they could then call me in for an interview then? It just feels unnecessarily painful to have to take everything into the Job Centre when the rest of the process is managed online.

I have no issues at all with providing them with the evidence but I don’t see why that has to be in person. DP doesn’t have to go in to have his employment or sick pay checked so why are self-employed people being treated differently?? I’ve been self employed for 13 years - when I claimed tax credits before none of this was necessary. There is no reason whatsoever why they can’t do the first round of checks online and then just ask me to go in for any further questions.

Gah!!