To ask for help with a UC calculation?

[breakingfreeatlast]

Sorry not sure if there is a better section to post in. Just need some help from anyone who understands UC calculations. I want to check if I've worked out my entitlement correctly. Thank you.

Universal credit and legacy benefits advice is a fb group and they are brilliant at working out whats what and whats right, They will help you in 2 secnds flat! x

The Money Matters board might be of more help?

There's the entitledto.co.uk calculator

I used the calculator and it gave me a figure but I'm not sure it's right... just wanted someone to help with it.

I don't want to post on the FB group as I want to stay anonymous, there are 140k members in that group and you can't post anonymously. There's a good reason I need to ask anonymously, if that makes sense.

I can check the calculation if you explain your situation, earrings etc.

Earnings not earrings !

Post your calculations and will look through

Ah fantastic, thank you both!
Will post details now ...

Calculator tells me I could claim in the region of £440 UC per month, based on the following:

Single claim aged 37.

2 children, 1 born before 2017 and one after 2017. No disabilities for either child.

Childcare costs £118.50 per week.

Privately rented accomm (rent £600 pcm).
LHA rate £103.56 per week

Monthly income after tax & NI deductions £2,730.

No savings over 6k. No other income or capital.

Does this seem correct? Thank you.

Will look in a min. Are you in receipt of any benefits at the moment?
Are your circumstances changing.

The recommended calculators arent always correct... 2 separate ones told me i was entitled to approx £400 a month, but when i pit in my application i was awarded zero 😑

I should add that i did a live chat with UC before the application to check a few points about how details were calculated so i know the info was correct that i put in!

This is useful to work out what you could get

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/on-universal-credit/check-how-much-universal-credit-youll-get/

I also did a manual calculation, which gave me the same answer as the calculator, as follows:

Single rate over 25: 334.91
LHA: 446 (my rent is more than this so used this figure)
Child element: (290 + 244.58) = 534.58
85% of childcare costs = £513 x 85% = 436

Total entitlement = 334.91 + 446 + 534.58 + 436 = £1751.49

Earnings monthly = 2730
Work allowance = 344

2730-344 = 2386

2386 x 0.55 = 1312

Total entitlement of 1751.49 minus 1312 = 439.49
*
This figure agrees with the online calculator.*

No benefits at the moment.

@Happycow

That doesn't fill me with any hope 😕

Your childcare. Is that every single week? How do you pay. That’s the variable bit. I’ll do two calculations One based on 4 wks and other based on 5 weeks

Yes that's every single week unless the childminder is on holiday (she usually takes 3 weeks a year), in which case there's no fee. And if I'm on holiday for a week it's half the weekly fee that's payable (likely to happen maybe 2 weeks out of the year?)

I pay her calendar monthly. So some months there's 4.5 or 5 weeks to pay. Not sure if that makes sense.

334.91
290
244.58

448.76 rent

Weekly 100.73 childcare 4 wks is 402.90

maximum entitlement 1,721.15

Earnings 2730 less work allowance 344 is 2,386

55% of 2,386 is 1,312.30

1721.15-1312.30

£408.85

Oh bugger that didn’t format properly.

Basically try it this way.

max entitlement 1,318.25 less earnings taken into account of 1312.30 equals £5.95 a month UC plus whatever 85% of what childcare you’ve paid within that months assessment period.

so yes around £400 entitlement to UC. Get a claim in.

Any pension contributions?

Is your home private rent or council? If council you will have to check if you will have to deduct bedroom tax. (Dont know genders of children or how many bedroom you have, just checking what deductions i have each month)

T

Omg ive just logged in to my HMRC account to see their calculations for me and why they have rejected my claim as my numbers are similar to yours although my childcare costs are higher..... and they havent taken my childcare costs into account as the invoices i provided were dated before my claim! So they will review my claim once they can consider the childcare.... omg i hope this makes a difference, wow it will make such a difference to me!!

Than kyou OP for this thread !!

Fingers crossed @Happycow! Especially as those on UC are getting extra support with energy bills. You might end up getting a little more help than calculated!

Fantastic! So glad I made this thread now 🙂🙂