Starting a claim for Universal Credit when on pregnancy ‘lockdown’

[Justinkase]

So it looks very likely that my self employed husband is about to be without any income for the foreseeable. I’m 7 months pregnant and due to go on statutory maternity pay when leave starts.

We, like millions of others, are struggling to see how we will make the ends meet to pay the bills let alone feed ourselves and our 2 soon to be 3 children. The mortgage may (or may not) be covered by a mortgage break but obviously lots of other bills to pay!

Does anyone know how claiming universal credit works? It’s not a situation I have ever been in before but I’m guessing it’s our only means of support through this.

Would we have to present there in person? Both of us? How would this work when pregnant and supposedly isolating? Surely they will have to make allowances?!

And this famous 5 week wait. Does this still apply at the moment. I have seen nothing concrete announced that this will be reduced unless I have missed it?

It’s all so stressful. We cannot be alone in this predicament so hopefully this thread will serve to help others finding themselves in the same boat!

I can’t even have a glass of wine to numb the worries!!

Hi @justinkase - When you make your claim for Universal Credit, you should be able to verify your I.D online. Following this you need to make a commitments appointment with a work coach (both of you) These are normally in person but at the moment if you need to self isolate they are relaxing the rules and will do over the phone. You need to tell them when booking the appointments that you require phone appointments. When you are 28 weeks pregnant you have commitments switched off anyway upon showing the Job Centre your matb1 - so if you are at week 28 you may not even require an appointment but your husband will. There is no relaxing on the 5 week wait as the government offer benefit advances instead to tide you over, but you do have to pay this back from your payments

P.S the 5 weeks starts from when you make your claim, so don't delay and make it as soon as you can if you are expecting no income for the next few weeks. If you ARE bear in mind it will affect your first payment.

You do an online claim and they give you an appointment to take in your proof and I.D. They are giving a month to do that, because of self isolation.

This is, from their Website.

For people who need to make a new claim for financial support
We understand people who are required to stay at home or are infected by coronavirus may need financial support, and quickly.

We announce that:

those affected by coronavirus will be able to apply for Universal Credit and can receive up to a month’s advance up front without physically attending a jobcentre
the 7 waiting days for ESA for new claimants will not apply if they are suffering from coronavirus or are required to stay at home – so it will be payable from day one
Employees and self-employed people
To make sure people in work can take the necessary time off to stay at home if they are suffering from coronavirus or to prevent its spread, changes have been made to Statutory Sick Pay and how Universal Credit supports self-employed claimants.

This includes:

people who cannot work due to coronavirus and are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay will get it from day one, rather than from the fourth day of their illness – we intend to legislate so this measure applies retrospectively from 13 March 2020
Statutory Sick Pay will be payable to people who are staying at home on government advice, not just those who are infected, from 13 March 2020 after regulations were laid on 12 March 2020 – employers are urged to use their discretion about what evidence, if any, they ask for
if employees need to provide evidence to their employer that they need to stay at home due to coronavirus, they will be able to get it from the NHS 111 Online instead of having to get a fit note from their doctor – this is currently under development and will be made available soon
self-employed claimants on Universal Credit who are required to stay at home or are ill as a result of coronavirus will not have a Minimum Income Floor (an assumed level of income) applied for a period of time while affected.

Even when there is a wait, they give you a loan to cover you, which they take out of your benefit award at a monthly rate.