Universal credit

[Anonjd3]

Hi everyone. I've split from my partner and living with my mum ATM. I need to claim benefits as my wage alone isn't enough to help me get back on my feet.

27, currently living with my mum rent free.
1 child (me and partner see him 50/50 3/4 night a week with him each)
No childcare costs
I have a 12hr work contract but do overtime where I can sometimes 28hr a week. On average my wage is £750 a month.
Me and my ex had a mortgage but he's taking it all on. My name still on it though.

I started making cakes for friends/family over the past two months but I'm under the threshold of having to register it with tax. (Less than £1000 atm) and now I've moved out I won't be doing this anymore until I get my own place and can start up again.

So my question is do they ask for bank statements? If so how far back. I'm worried these payments for cakes will effect my chances of they think I'm lying. I'm more than happy to wait for a month or two so they can see I have stopped it and my statements will only have my wage going in. As an example in jul-aug my 2nd month of doing them I have a total of £300 of payments from this.

Everything is still registered at my home address does this matter? We've been seperate for 1month I don't want to change everything until I get my own place really but if I got to change it all over before applying then no prob I can that. I just want this to be straightforward and I overthink everything 😔 I never claimed before so really confused how it all works

OP, you had some advice on your last thread- https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4858847-not-sure-what-to-do-universal-credit-help

Yes I used all that info and looked at my entailments. But I didn't ask if my things being registered at my old address will effect the application or the small bit of income I've received over the past two months will

Your past payments won’t affect it, but any new income from the business will and you need to tell them as soon as you start again.
Have you reported your owned property?

Great thank you. Definitely not doing anymore I can start it up properly in my own place.

Yeah on on benefits calculator it asked if I own any proper I said yes but my ex living in it and I'm not contributing towards it so it isn't taken into consideration

It isn’t taken in to consideration on the calculator but you do need to declare it unfortunately OP. Unless you put your ex is the main carer?

I will declare it. I will probably call someone instead of apply online if that's possible at least I can be clearer about the circumstances. We split childcare 50/50 but if it's easier on the application to say he's the main carer then no problem. Child benefit has always been spent on our son for things he needs so doesn't matter who gets it

What? If you say ex is the main carer, there's very little point applying.

What exactly are you asking? This sounds complex.

Who gets the child benefit?

In answer to your original question, I don't believe they ask for bank statements. In any case, they are only interested in current circumstances.

If you say he’s the main carer you won’t get any child related aspects of universal credit. If the child benefit comes to you you’re the main carer. They won’t look at your past earnings and will draw down information about your current earnings from HMRC assuming you’re employed and on PAYE which you should be even if you don’t reach the tax threshold. They’ll then adjust your payment each month to account for months you earn more/less.

If your self employed they ask you to declare your income and business expenses including tax, NI and pension payments each claim period. If you’re self employed they’ll meet with you initially to talk through the kind of work you do and how you’re paid.

If your child is school aged you’ll be expected to work 16 hours a week (which may well be the case on average even though your contract is 12 hours a week). If your child has a disability they won’t expect you to work 16 hours a week.

I know it feels tricky but once you get your head round how it works it’s pretty straightforward to claim.

You won’t be getting any UC or very very little without the child element, you would be entitled to the standard allowance and then your earnings will reduce it to pretty much zero.