AIBU to think i've made the wrong choice - universal credit and self employment

[singlemammy]

Hi, i'm a single parent of 6 children all under the age 16 and only a month ago went self-employed. I love my job and only work 16 hours per week due to having the children. Now am a little confused as when i signed up to go self-employed there was no mention of the way Universal credit would effect myself and children.
Currently i recieve child tax credits, working tax credits, housing benefit and a discount on council tax plus what i earn. Now to be honest i am worried. Can anybody tell me how the UC may effect me :/ thanks in advance

[JingleMum]

Posted too soon!

This is so confusing, i've had a look but can't find anything set in stone regarding how many hours need to be worked in order to qualify.

If your child is in full time school is it definitely 24 hours at atleast minimum wage?

It looks like if you're self employed you need to prove your earnings every week, they don't take annual profit into account. How will that work? Sometimes being self employed you have weeks/months where you need to buy stock, therefore making very little profit, certainly not minimum wage.

[JingleMum]

This is sooooooooo confusing.

I've l

[IneedAsockamnesty]

That's where it gets weird, if you don't work those hours you will basicly still qualify for what ever benefits you currently recive (taking into account the cap but that will only change the amount recived for large family's with at least 3 kids who do not work more than 16 hours )

But they will all be called UC.

So no its not the case that you won't qualify but say you only work 16 hours at nmw or any hours that pay less than either 24 at nmw would or 35 dependant on age of youngest child.you will be classed as under employed and you will be expected to go on courses attend,workfare,interviews attend any meeting the DWP or an agent acting on there behalf deems as needed and follow all instruction whilst at there beck and call on 48 hours notice. And you will be expected to spend the hours you are not at work job seeking and using there track able website until your job seeking and employment totals x amount of hours.

If you don't you will get sanctioned ( money stopped apart from hardship amounts)for either 3 months 12 months or 3 years dependant on type and frequency of the failure.

Basicly you will be treated as an unemployed person, some groups are protected from this such as carers but not many.

I'm not sure if they have actually passed it yet but the intention was/is to tie any housing costs into the process as well so if you are not in a protected group and you remain under employed you lose the rent sum of UC after being under employed for more than 2 years

[JingleMum]

Sorry sock meant to say at least 24 hours, at minimum wage.

[JingleMum]

Thanks sock is it correct that once your youngest turns 1 you have to work either employed or self employed at atleast national minimum wage, in order to qualify for UC? Is this the same for both lone parents & parents who are still together?

[IneedAsockamnesty]

No jingle it should only be changes that change your award the word they use is significant the examples they give are another child or from joint to single or other way or reduction in children

[SpottyTeacakes]

Same here scarlet!

[ScarletLady02]

Is it bad that I like to think I'm quite intelligent and switched on, but the more I read about UC the MORE confused I become?

[JingleMum]

sock

In october as well as existing claimants those claiming WTC whose circumstances change also get put on UC? Would that apply to me? I'll be temporarily changing address from november 2013 until may 2014, i'll be going back home in the may, but i need to tell the tax credits people about my temporary change of address. Is that classes as a change of circumstance.

So basically, if you're a single parent and your youngest is over 1 you have to be earning NMW and working atleast 24 hours to qualify?

He's a twat. Nazi dictator bastard.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Gosh it's so confusing! Dp earns around £400 a week. I have got a job but my boss is awful 'part time workers don't earn as much as full time workers that's just the way it is' is what he said when I questions why the new, less senior, person was earning what it took me five years to get so I was planning on a college course or something. Hmm lots to think about... Sorry for hijacking your thread OP!

[IneedAsockamnesty]

It depends on how much he earns,the gov has set a type of unit earnings thing dependant on the type of household and how many adults you have in it.

A single parent is safe from all intrusion when they earn exactly what nmw would be for the hours the gov wants you to work the hours are dependant on the age of your youngest child.

If your part of a couple you are safe when that 'unit' earns the equivilent of nmw for the required hours.

I believe a couple is required to work longer hours but do know know what amount of hours it is.

I do know its the income not the actual hours so if one gets more than nmw you will hit that target with less hours but its ok because you've hit the target sum

[SpottyTeacakes]

I'm confused. Does this mean if you're a sahm with a child over 1, but under 5, you will have to get a job if the are claiming universal credit? Even if one partner works full time?

[IneedAsockamnesty]

I'm not sure why they had to include working people in it.

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

I struggle to find any benefit for the scheme other than not allowing people to keep popping out kids so they dont have to work.

But its not like theres alot jobs going, anything i've found are really stupid hours like 12 hours.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

I think they are piloting up north somewhere as they have picked 4 areas.

Aud if you get carers you will be protected from the stupidity

[aldiwhore]

Am I right in thinking that the farther away from London you are, the more likely it is you'll be a guinea pig? Please tell me they're not labtesting on the Scots again like they did with Poll Tax? I have Scottish friends, I'm always trying to convince them that I am nice and not in any way related to the government... it's wearing thin.

Is this a new twist on Life on Mars only with a fucking KICK after they've brought you down? Holy shit.

I have no vested interest, I'm simply really concerned on a social level. I'm not rich, I claim nothing, I actively avoid it if I possibly can (not through social conscience but because they fucked me around so much when I did go cap in hand for a tax 'credit')

I've always been a relatively ignorant social worrier... I find more and more I am deeply concerned about the state of us. Babbling sorry.

I am more tempted than ever before to fly so far under the radar that I cease to exist at all.

[AudrinaAdare]

DH is self-employed and is earning slightly less than minimum wage while putting in forty plus hours a week. We have one severely disabled child and another with a life-threatening medical condition so I am unable to work for profit outside of my caring responsibilities.

I might have spent the next few few hours trying to find a positive image to banish my worry and enable me to sleep tonight, but for GBBB's comment:

"And i have David Cameron hanging from big ben with a dildo up his arse"

Sweet dreams everyone!

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Sorry didnt notice the question.

Yes only they don't call it workfare its called something else but that's what it means, and if they feel like it they can send you to meetings to talk about your dress sense

[IneedAsockamnesty]

You don't have to walk its 90 mins by you usual mode of transport.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Stage 2 roll out also applies to any wtc claiments who change circumstances from October this year

[flaggybannel]

am seeking ft work now. Single parent working just 16hours a week atm. I need another part-time job to fit around my current position (no luck in 2years of searching as i am am contracted sundays) i dont work the same days every week only a sunday is my day i am in work for certain so fitting another part time job in has proved difficult. I need full time work by the time uc comes in but a lot of places seen to be 30hours a week, on nmw i dont think that will make me enough money to be able to come off in-work benefits. So will i need to do my (hopefully) 30hours per week but still have to attend the jobcentre, workfare etc etc?
I may need some thick sole shoes for my 90minute walk soon i think

[ihearsounds]

UC is very complicated.

At first it will only be in certain areas, known as stage one... Then, and only then if it is deemed successful will it roll out to stage 2 which from October will start to be nationwide, and this will be new claimants only. Stage 3, which will be everyone will roll out by 2015.

Now, someone said about age of child. However, this is the current legislation. If you have a child over 5, you are expected to claim jsa. However, under UC, the age reduces to the age of 1, bringing this in line with maternity leave.

The op asked specifically about self employed.
^Ministers recognise the need for claimants who are setting up a business to be given time to establish themselves and find sources of support. Therefore where a claimant has been self-employed for less than 12 months, a start up period will be granted. This means that claimants will not be required to satisfy work-search or availability requirements, and the Minimum Income Floor will not be applied thereby giving them time to concentrate on developing their business.

Ministers have listened to the views of stakeholders and as a result have decided to allow a new start up period every 5 years rather than once in a claimant?s lifetime.^

The latest up to date info can be found on the following, where there are lots of links
www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/latest-on-universal-credit/#uclssf

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

Don't fret they have said you can start your 90 min walk after the school run.

And i have David Cameron hanging from big ben with a dildo up his arse, before that happens.