Not eligible for Job Retention Scheme, need Universal Credit HELP!

[100percentpeachynessa]

So I started my new job (zero hours contract) on the 30th October. Working month is 21st to 20th to be paid on the 1st. JRS criteria says you have to have been paid on or before the 30th of October to be eligible.

Employer only told me I wouldn’t be eligible on the 21st of November (15 days into lockdown) so applied for Universal Credit and just had my first phone call about it.

My assessment period starts on the 21st of November the day I started the application. So because my employer took 15 days to tell me I wasn’t eligible for the scheme my assessment period will show me in lockdown for half of it and working for the other half. If my employer had told me at the start of lockdown my assessment period would show that I’ve had a whole month not allowed to work.

What can I do? UC say I can’t backdate my claim just because my employer didn’t tell me I wasn’t eligible. Do I ask my employer what to do? They couldn’t seem to care less.

You could go back to them, but it sounds like you'll just have to right off your entitlement for half that month.

@Ponoka7 Go back to who?

I’m not sure your employer will know what you should do about UC, it isn’t really their problem. You may just have to forget about the first half of the month if you didn’t apply until 21st.

@Racoonworld

I’m not sure your employer will know what you should do about UC, it isn’t really their problem. You may just have to forget about the first half of the month if you didn’t apply until 21st.

Yeah looks like I will. Just annoying as I had to wait from my employer for them to tell me whether I’d be eligible or not and it ended up taking 2 weeks for them to tell me I wasn’t. I know it’s only 15 days but still.

Have you been laid off? Or was it zero hours contract? If your employer hasn't paid you off and you are still employed by them, shouldn't they still be paying you?
UC can never be backdated as I understand it. Not sure if the job seeker alternative can?

@DianaT1969

Have you been laid off? Or was it zero hours contract? If your employer hasn't paid you off and you are still employed by them, shouldn't they still be paying you? UC can never be backdated as I understand it. Not sure if the job seeker alternative can?

No just ‘furloughed’ but without the 80% pay I would have gotten if I had been eligible for JRS. It’s annoying because if I had been told at the very start of lockdown that I wouldn’t be eligible I could’ve tried for a temp supermarket job for a month or at least applied for UC earlier.

The job centre I spoke to today were really helpful and just kind of said it’s bad luck that my employer didn’t tell me earlier as my assessment period obviously won’t cover the pay I would’ve missed out on at start of lockdown.

I don’t think they can furlough your without pay. Though if your zero hours are they just not giving you hours? Or are you contracted for a certain number of hours per week? If so they need to pay you.

@Racoonworld

I don’t think they can furlough your without pay. Though if your zero hours are they just not giving you hours? Or are you contracted for a certain number of hours per week? If so they need to pay you.

Zero hours (work in hospitality) but they can still furlough zero hours based on what you’d earnt the previous month but because I started a week before lockdown (30th of October) and wouldn’t have been paid until the 1st of the month I wasn’t eligible for the JRS (furlough pay). They didn’t tell me anything they just said ‘you might get furloughed’ on my last shift which was the night before lockdown then two weeks later I get the email to say I’m not eligible for pay.

They can buy my point is if you’re not eligible for furlough (Which you aren’t) then you’re not furloughed. Just thought if you had any contrived hours they would be liable to pay you but if you’re zero hours then unfortunately they won’t have to.

Yes its shit, your employers could have told you sooner.
BUT a cursory Google would have told you that you wouldn't be entitled...having literally just started a job did you not check yourself?! It was major news when they announced lockdown2/extended furlough

Absolute arseholes what a shambles the government with their cut off date your put of work through no fault of your own.
I'd understand if you hadn't paid your first insurance contributions or maybe a month.
It should be bloody backdated to your last day of employment.
It's a crazy set up.

@FunnyInjury

Yes its shit, your employers could have told you sooner. BUT a cursory Google would have told you that you wouldn't be entitled...having literally just started a job did you not check yourself?! It was major news when they announced lockdown2/extended furlough

I did check! There was seriously scarce information for employees and from what I had found I thought I would be eligible because it said I had to be on the payroll before the 30th which was sure I would having had completed my new starter forms and the hours I had worked were on the system the only reason I wasn’t eligible in the end was because I hadn’t had a PAYE payment. I spent hours trying to find answers.

Even so I don’t understand how it’s right that you can be employed, have your workplace closed by the government for a month and left with nothing.

@Emeraldshamrock

Absolute arseholes what a shambles the government with their cut off date your put of work through no fault of your own. I'd understand if you hadn't paid your first insurance contributions or maybe a month. It should be bloody backdated to your last day of employment. It's a crazy set up.

I know! Maybe they assumed all paydays would be the end of the month but ours is on the 1st so I was completely screwed.

I think in these circumstances they should be more flexible with backdating for Universal Credit as well. The crazy thing is I was working there before lockdown 2 had even been announced and next thing you know a week later my workplace is closed for a month and I’m left in the dark.