UC

[Sidebysws9]

Does anybody else miss the old system working tax credit?. There seems to be no incentive to work more on UC and its waiting for the childcare costs to be refunded back if at all depending what you have earnt in that assessment period. I cannot understand why you have to wait longer than 4 weeks sometimes to claim anything back despite uploading a receipt anybody else fed up too?

There was no incentive to work on tax credits. People could work ridiculously low numbers of hours like 24 hours between a couple and be topped up with working tax credits. Then if you did end up working more you would end up with tax credits overpayments. Uc is a much better system, the more you work the better off you should be due to the taper rate. I agree can be a bit problematic but it is usually paid with your payment seven days after the end of your assessment period.

I have no issue with UC. I don't have a problem with it. I usually have a rough idea what we will get every month and if I am not given hours at least I have the back up from UC. Plus less likely to get an overpayment from TC. We have had to pay lots back. Some would say we are lucky to get 85% paid for childcare so maybe don't moan about that too much.

@Babyroobs ahhh so I should of added a positive that I find personally with UC. Having no overpayment is good and being able to see your total monthly earnings is great. The childcare paying upfront is an issue though as a single parent too I have to book inadvance and it means over a 6 week wait depending on my assessment date. People on UC can still work low hours because it depends how much your take home pay is (hourly rate). Once you've uploaded proof of childcare costs why do you have to wait?

Interesting to read all the moaning from ones migrating over now. Years of plenty of savings and no pushing to work more hours unlike those who have been on UC for years. Lots of "too much hassle to claim UC" etc. Makes me wonder if they actually needed the TC.

There are many variants with UC. It's UPTO 85% depending on what you earn. Sometimes I don't get hardly anything back. I'm entitled to moan because 6 weeks of childcare upfront in the summer holiday becomes expensive don't you think? Single parent too.

It is because they calculate it using your assessment period hence the four week wait. They just pay for what you paid in that four week period. It makes sense as that is how UC works ie in arrears.

@WithACatLikeTread in reality people have to book playschemes inadvance because spaces of limited .Like I said once you've uploaded a recipt you should be able to get a some money back. For example I had to book in Jan for Feb. My cut off point was 10th Feb. My childcare costs won't be paid till March. That is how it works.

You are getting it back though? Just have to wait for it unfortunately.

@WithACatLikeTread you don't always get it back. Don't assume. UC is am umbrella benefit and there tends to be a lot of assuming. How do you know what I may or may not get back? I've already pointed out to you that's it's UPTO 85% and here you are again having a dig. Is that what you have to add to the thread? 😅

Summer childcare costs are a huge issue for UC claimants. With TC your costs were averaged over the year. It very easy to have childcare care costs in the summer way in excess of the monthly allowance but not if divided through the year.

Not having a dig. Have you started a new job or significantly increased your hours? They may pay it up front instead of paying in arrears.

@WithACatLikeTread NO I haven't started a new job. I work 2 jobs but that's not the issue at hand. It's UC so for example to be clear my assessment period was 11th Jan till 10th Feb. As you said UC pay in arrears so partly is because I've paid early but I have to so secure a place & so my childcare costs get approval in time. Half term starts after my assessment period has ended (10th feb). Summer holidays is a nightmare. Tax credits you could call thenm up and also didn't you get a bonus for working 25 or was it 30 hours a week. I know some schools charge for breakfast clubs and after school clubs too. I honestly can't see what the incentive is to work more hours unless they sorted the childcare part out of the UC system because its a struggle at times. There's no valid reason that once you've paid for childcare it should be paid within 4 weeks maximum.

I genuinely think some people who comment on UC aren't fully aware of how it actually works....

How else can they do it though? If you earn more in February than in January, then giving you the money in January means you'd be paid too much. They have to assess how much you are paid in the month that the childcare takes place.

They have to wait until the end of the monthly assessment period to know what childcare elmeent to pay you and what you have earned in the assessment period because your earnings reduce the whole award. that's just how it works. They can't just pay you all your childcare costs mid assessment period when they don't know how much they will need to take off you due to earnings ?

Sorry cross post with Lougle.

@Babyroobs you've made some good points. As I have said though if you have paid childcare costs in January and then don't get anything back till mid March it's a long time to wait.

Would you rather be hit by a large overpayment later then? The posters have basically said what I said so yes I am aware of how it works.

You seem to have a shitty tone in a few of your posts and I'm not sure why? It's coming across as very unpleasant. "You'll just have to wait unfortunately" have you started a new job? Maybe they will pay upfront. You can't know that much about UC otherwise you wouldn't be asking and assuming that everyone gets 85% of childcare costs back automatically.

I haven't been rude to others on the thread. The point I have made is its a long time to wait as a single parent and I cant see how this is an incentive to work more hours thats all. Are you a single parent? Are you in a similar position?

Who are you to judge if people really needed TC? Also I haven't been claiming UC for years.... don't assume people's circumstances!

I never claimed TC but have had a good experience with UC and am very grateful for it. I do agree the childcare cost upfront was tough but now you can ask for it in advance I believe? I have always received 85% of my childcare costs back, I know it's 'up to' but I've always received the full amount.

You're supposed to get the childcare costs back in the assessment period you pay them, not the period they're used for, so if you paid on 31st January (for example) and reported that in your assessment ended 10th feb they should have been paid in your feb payment. If they're not you need to chase through your journal.

@Sidebysws9 as a technicality, if you claim for childcare costs, you will get either 85% if the actual monthly amount or 85% of the maximum monthly amount in your initial Universal Credit award. Your earnings will bring the entire award down, but whatever is left still contains the 85% childcare allowance within it.

As another example, we rent. Our initial award includes our whole rent. Just because we get more deducted from our final award than we pay in rent, doesn't mean we didn't get a rent allowance. If we hadn't had our rent allowance, our final award would be even lower than it is.

It's hard to see, sometimes, but you can't just say that you don't get 85% of your childcare paid. You do get that as an allowance and it is simply your earnings that bring it down.

@Lizzt2007 based on your example (and mine). UC won't pay me in Feb because my assessment period ended on 10th Feb I called UC to confirm this also. So it would be March!

I was talking generally about other groups I am on. I claim UC so why would I be snotty? Anyway I will leave you to it.

I think tax credits was a much better system. If it wasn't for transitional protection I'd be worse off now. The taper rate plus costs of actually working can mean it's not financially worth working extra hours or so borderline and to the detriment of your family time that its not a viable option. I also dislike the ideology of UC and the nasty attitudes that have been whipped up towards those who need it.

@DrCoconut the posters talking about potential overpayment are correct although I never experienced that. Having to find 6 weeks of summer holiday childcare as a single parent is hugely being over looked some people simply are not in a position to do that.