To think there will be a massive fuss when everyone gets transferred to UC?

[MozeTheSoldier]

Everyone keeps telling me I can claim tax credits for my new baby, when I have known for a long time that I am entitled to child benefit and a small amount of universal credit only as I have never claimed benefits before. I know they mean well but I'm getting a bit fed up of the slightly patronising attitude, thinking they know more than me about it because most of them either recieve tax credits or their grown up children do. Until now I kind of assumed most people had a vague idea of the changes.

Now I am against the current benefits changes in general for the sake of many that are left with no money for weeks due to the issues with the UC system, disabled people declared fit for work and so on. But I'm not complaining that my friends and colleagues on tax credits will have more money than me, they all work very hard on low wages to do the best for their children.

However, AIBU to think that if they refuse to believe me, they will be in for a major shock when they do get transferred over in a few years? Not just for the money but for the work requirements involved? I can imagine a much bigger fuss than there is now but I'd imagine it will be too late to change by then.

This isn't my first post but I know benefits can be polarising so my cowardly self thought it best to name change.

I voluntarily switched to UC from tax credits and it was absolutely fine.

Yes, there can be a wait but you can get an advance to cover the wait. This can be anything from £5 if you need it to the full monthly amount that you're entitled to. It's a same day transfer that you can get on the day your claim goes through. It's paid back over 12 months with no interest or you can pay it back quicker if you want to.

If you receive housing benefit and you switch over voluntarily (no idea if this is the case if it's a forced switch) you're entitled to 4 weeks at FULL LHA rate (even if you only receive 10% of that). So some people can actually make a bit of money this way.

People are already being declared fit to work when they're really not now so I don't see any change there.

UC isn't as rigid as the old JSA etc. I work 8hrs less than I 'should' for my claim but because it's a secure job my work coach said it would stupid for me to look for anything else and so that part of my claim is overlooked and they just leave me alone.

Childcare is a PITA but there is less chance of any over payments which are a nightmare at the end of the tax year.

So my own personal experience with UC isn't the doom and gloom everyone is hearing. But yeah, anyone telling you what you can/should claim when they don't know what they're on about needs to shut it

I'm glad it works for you. For us personally, the fact that UC pays out a higher percentage for childcare may work in our favour. I'm also glad to hear you're not being forced out of a secure job, I do wonder how I will be treated for working full time, but only 30 weeks a a year (term time). Tax credits count this as full time work but I'm not sure how UC sees it. I'd hate to go back to retail work just to get 'proper' full time. But hopefully we can get off UC once dc is in school.

I wont be eligible for UC, I earn too much for WTC now but I save what I do receive in CTC and CB because I don’t want to be used to spending it. I appreciate the benefits system immensely and it really helped me out of a sticky hole when I became pregnant.

People are just trying to help you, there was a poster the other week who hadn’t been claiming CB but had been a struggling SAHM for several years. She didn’t realise she could. If you don’t put in a claim for CB, even if you receive nothing as you earn over the threshold then it will impact your state pension, the application of CB covers your NI credits which go towards your eligibility for the state pension pot.

@MozeTheSoldier I’m termtime only too and when I last looked it counted it as full year as TC do as you get wages for 12 months.

I'm fine with them asking if I'm going to claim, it's when they try and argue with me about it and don't remotely believe me! Some have even said "But even if you can't get WTC you can still get CTC" and vice versa.

Hopefully it is counted the same as tax credits then, everything I've read about it is a bit vague.