To ask about universal credit?

[Universalfailure]

I'm sorry to ask, I thought I knew how this system worked (or doesn't) until I find myself in the boat of needing it. Now I don't get it at all.

I was working full time, Dh on sick leave. A combination of things lead to me also going sick and whilst sick quitting my job with immediate effect. It's not something I took lightly, I agonised over it for months and in the end that's why I had to go sick. I needed to get out for my health, it was an overly toxic work environment i couldn't deal with any longer. (As a side note they have lied about everything anyway so no point in tribunals and constructive dismissal is off the cards even though that's in effect what it was. I've explored that, it's not an option).

So I applied for universal credit with the hope that by the time it came into effect I'd already have a job. Way harder than I thought! I applied for soooooo many. From cleaning/shop work, to things I'm actually qualified for. I do actually have a job offer but it's not started yet and obviously I'll have to wait a month before I'm paid.

So we're accepted for universal credit. My claim date runs from the 26th to 26th each month. My last pay came on 28th March (left partway through march) comprising of a number of days and some holiday leave untaken (£2,000) and Dh had sick pay (£500). Now, I wont get any "work" pay in April and the UC payment was meant to kick in this week. However, it says we had too much money in the assessment period so my UC for May will be nothing. Dh got his usual sick pay a couple of days ago but our rent alone is over 600 so it won't even cover that.

Is this how it's meant to work?? I'm so confused. I have bills coming out tomorrow and the little I have left over from my March pay will barely touch the sides. I have an appointment this week with my work coach so will ask but I'm not sure what to say apart from "how do we live this month?"

I have nothing non-essential I can cut out. We don't have a car, I can't stop things like phone payments or sky as they're in contract so the money will come out anyway, they're not "instant fixes". There's no gym membership or anything like that, we have two teens who need lunches for college/school.

Has something messed up somewhere or are we just stuffed this month? I feel like even if my job said to start next week I couldn't afford the fares for the month anyway so might as well withdraw from it. Completely sucks.

Just to add, with hindsight I should have lined up a new job before leaving my old one, I did apply to a few places and had an interview but didn't get it. I wish I could've held out longer but it wasn't possible.

Ok so your assessment period is the 26th -26th and then you get money 1 week later so pay date of the 3rd of May. They are saying because you earned £2500 in your assessment period (26th march-26th April) you aren't entitled to anything on the 3rd may.

Your next payment will be due 3rd of June but you must must must check to see if you need to reapply as I know if your earnings went over the threshold previously they would end your claim (not sure of the ins and outs of that sorry)

Speak to your work coach tomorrow as I completely agree you cannot live for 2 months of one months wage which is theoretically what they are asking you to do.

I know it doesn't help now but anyone else who might read this thread you have to be very careful about exactly when you apply for UC due to the payment dates.

You should be entitled to an advance if you explain your circumstances to your work coach he should be able to help apply. You can also ring all your bill providers (although not rent if you can afford it as that can get messy) and ask them to delay all payments for a month. Tell them you are in financial hardship. I had to do this once and got a lot of my bills halfed for 6 months whilst I found my feet. Any bills you miss most companies will then let you spread that cost over the remainder of the contract.

Sorry you find yourself in this situation
UC is a fucking awful system that just seems to want to drag people down not help them up.

I'm sorry op but your stuffed till next month.
This happened to me when I started UC you can apply for a loan from them but if you've already had your 1st assesment period then you probably won't get it. You should be able to apply for free school meals for your dd through your council and for council tax benefit.
If you didn't apply for rent as part of your UC claim you can apply for it through your council.
If you are really lucky you might get a food bank voucher from your work coach but they only give you a couple of days worth and you can only get 3 vouchers/ referrals per month round here hope that helps some

Houseonahill your working out is correct there. I think luckily in my area your claim stays open until you don't qualify for 6 months, then it closes so this time I'd be ok as it's only the first month.

In the working out though, it says we would be eligible for "standard allowance" and money for 2 children, totalling £1007 a month. I'm so out of the loop, does this sound like it's meant to include rent? I know if it were JSA we'd qualify for full Hb of around 600 so this seems oddly low or is that just how it is?

Stressedout10 oh I forgot council tax is separate I think, will have to look at that.
I feel for you having gone through that as much as I feel it for myself right now, bloody sucks.

@universalfailure there is a breakdown of my payment so it doesn't sound like housing has been included? Do you rent or have a mortgage? Have you provided proof of your rent like a tenancy agreement?

Does your partner lice with you OP? Because it looks like you're only receiving the standard allowance for a single person.

This is our breakdown, although most of that is deducted due to our earnings but if neither of us were in work this is what we would get.

Also, you've said you have 2 children but your calculation only shows 1. I'd double check which details they hold about you. Why are you not getting the full amount of rent? Our rent is above the LA threshold but we get the full amount because its a HA property.

Ahhh sorry, I've just seen the breakdown above isn't yours OP. Ignore me!

Oh my gosh, ok I didn't know it broke down that much, no theres no housing cost on it! I don't know why...

Ah I think I might know. I submitted our rent/property details and then the landlord did but they got them wrong. No idea how. They said we have 2 bedrooms when we actually have 3. UC said I needed to contact my landlord and figure it out, so I contacted them twice but they didn't reply. I told them they needed to submit it properly or we wouldn't get the right amount of UC. I can't see how to find out the details on my claim account now, but I'm guessing my landlord didn't forward the correct details so now we don't get the housing cost. Makes sense now!

Thanks @universal
If you're not getting the rent element because they are waiting for a form from your ll then tell them that they won't get the rent from you until they submit it. That should speed up the ll, also under these circumstances (in Scotland) you can't be evicted for non payment as ll is preventing your Contractul performance due to their inaction. They can after 8 weeks non payment request direct payment from UC but again 1st they have to give the correct information to UC.
If the ll gets the form in before 26th may you'll get the back dated rent element or whatever they decide that this month should have been and whatever they decide for next month (should be more than your 1st payment due to wages) .
I'd love to be able to tell you it gets better with uc but it doesn't 🤬
Try not to worry to much

Stressedout10 the funny thing is, whether you're getting an element of housing benefit or not, rent is your responsibility no matter what, so LL's still expect payment either way. But if they took you to court over non payment and the reason you couldn't pay was as you said, the LL not providing correct info to enable you to access the right benefits to afford the rent, a judge would be pissed at them for bringing it. But they still can't seem to get their act together enough to sort it in the first place. I doubt they'd even be able to put court costs on the tenant in that situation so they'd be out of pocket for their own failures.

Well I've cancelled my council tax dd for tomorrow and applied for the council tax benefit. Luckily I have enough for the water and gas/electric that comes out tomorrow and I don't have any other Bill's due for a few days so I can try and sort something out. But blimey, after seeing it in action I'm definitely with the camp that say UC needs scrapping. It sounded semi sensible at one point but in practice it's a shit show.

@universal I agree completely with you when I 1st hurd about uc I thought brilliant no more multiple applications or juggling 3 different payment days a week (my wages child/working tax credits and child benefit) ha how wrong could I be.
Just be grateful that you don't have childcare costs as well as the system for that is beyond useless 😭🤬