AIBI - Universal Credit and Disabled Children/carers

[Stressedout99]

Ok...so a little background info first.
We have disabled children who are in reciept of DLA, I have been the main carer for them whilst my husband worked full time.
Over the past couple of years our struggles have taken their toll on both my husband and myself to a horrific degree ...to the point where he has had no choice but to leave his longstanding job to become a carer for one of our children, whilst I am the carer for the other.

Our children do not currently attend school because the council are dragging their feet sorting out a suitable placement that can meet their needs so the children are with us all of the time.

We have no choice but to apply for universal credit - which we have not yet done because I feel so uneasy about it. All of the horror stories in the press and not knowing how much money you will have to live off from one month to the next scares me. Is it really that bad?
Is there anyone on here that claims UC and is a carer? Are you expected to look for work? How do you know how much your payment will actually be?

Please dont judge me, believe me this is not a positon I expected us to be in but here we are.

Honestly, I don’t know. I have an uncomfortable feeling that you might struggle.

OK it's not that bad.
Fisrtly, I'm sorry you are in this position.
The answer to your question about being required to look for work will depend on whether both your children have been assessed as needing individual careers. If so, you will not need to look for work.
There is a 5 week wait from application to payment. From the date of your application, you have a 1 month assessment period. Any money received from work in that 30 days will affect your uc payment for that month. Use a benefit calculator online to assess what you are entitled to. They're really good.
At the end of your assessment period and about 5 days before your payment date, you are told the amount of your payment so you know what you are getting.
I hope that clears a few things up for you. Get it set up as soon as you qualify for anything to minimise the strain during that 5 week wait

Hi OP, I'm really sorry your having a hard time at the moment, but wanted to provide some reassurance.

You can claim the carer element of Universal Credit if a child is receiving the middle or higher rate care component of Child DLA. If you have the carer relement attatched to your claim, UC legally have to register you as "no work search or work related activity." This means they cannot ask you to look for ny work / do any courses due to your caring responsibilities, but you are completely within your rights to look for work if you choose to. Basically, they will leave you alone if the carer element is added onto the claim.

So if you have the carer element added on in recognition of your caring responsibilities towards child A, and your husband has the carer element added on in relation to his caring responsibilities towards child B, neither of you will be expected to do any work search whatsoever.

Please PM me if you need any help, ( I work as a benefits advisor) :)

Thank you so much for your replies, they are both in receipt of mid rate dla and we are both claiming carers so im guessing this should be ok?

If you each claim carers allowance you can both be carers on your UC claim and won't be expected to look for work BUT the rates for disabled children are worse than under Tax Credits, so only claim UC if there is no chance of either of you working. Ask your local CAB to do a benefit check for you if you're unsure.

Join the group universal credit essentials on Facebook. DO NOT use entitled to, it is unreliable when calculating UC. The group on Facebook will help you with everything xx

If it is the middle rate care component of DLA, ( as opposed to the middle rate mobility component, although of course they may receive that as well), then you will be absolutely fine.

R.E. Tax credits, you cannot make a new tax credits claim, although the above poster was correct, the payments for disabled children were higher under tax credits.

However, like I said no new tax credit claims can be made, so it will be a UC claim if there si 't a current tax credit claim in place.

OP, just so we can advise you correctly, can I just check whether you or your partner are currently receiving working tax credit or child tax credit ?

We currently recieve child tax credits

@NAFScamander Please may I ask why the entitled to calculator is not reliable? Thanks

Apparently it doesn’t cope well with the calculations and entitlements for UC especially when DLA and carers allowance need to be taken into account. On the FB group the calculations are always correct as someone works it out themselves.

It you currently receive tax credits are you sure this would trigger you having to claim universal credit? Im..also my child's carer ,we are still on tax credits though, there are various facebook groups ,for children receiving DLA,and a,lot of people in n these groups have been through similar ,mind you there is a,lot of misinformation and people,s opinions on those groups.

My husband has left his full time job. We need to claim UC to make up the shortfall from his wages to be able to pay the bills. As far as I was aware, claiming UC was our only option really

@Sootyandsweep2019 are you able to tell me if I will need to attend a job centre interview following my claim please? Im finding conflicting advice online. Also at what point do I find out what group we have been put in please? I know it 'should'be no work related activity but at what point is that confirmed please?

I am claiming UC and am a carer for my ds. You will have to attend the JC to provide your prof of identity/children etc but it’s very informal.
You will also be offered an advance which is roughly the same as a months UC rate and is payable over 12 months, directly from your allowance.

I claimed UC on the 1st of November. My first payment was on the 7th of December. I asked to have my payment twice a month in two halves as I’m a bit crap with money so I receive half on 7th and the other half on 21st.
All claims are done online. It’s pretty easy to navigate.

Carers allowance is counted and deducted pound for pound but you will receive a carers element.

@curiouscapricorn thanks for this info. I am dreading sorting it all out! Im a little worried because looking through a step by step guide it says we will have to sign a committment to look for work (even though we cant)