Universal credit. HELP PLS.

[benefitshamereversed]

Please help, I need urgent advice.

•	Our UC payday is the 10th of every month (there are 2 outstanding advance loans being deducted monthly).
•	We have 2 kids (a 12-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl).
•	I have no current income.
•	My partner receives a monthly sickness protection insurance payment, which the DWP takes into account and deducts from our entitlement.
•	Our rent is £1000 pcm but will increase to £1150 pcm from 1/8/24 (we live in an overcrowded 2-bedroom house). We haven’t reported the increase to UC yet.
•	I am waiting to hear back about 2 jobs (one full-time and one part-time).
•	Our relationship is not going well for many reasons, and I want to move out as soon as possible, but I have nowhere in particular to go. I can sofa surf from friend to friend. We have a PO Box for receiving mail, and I’m sure my partner wouldn’t mind me getting my letters at our current address.
•	I would like to move out of town to a place where I can get a factory job and start to rebuild my life.

If I leave today, 20/7/24, and report it to my UC journal, will they ask me for:

1.	A forwarding address?
2.	Can I use a PO Box address?
3.	Can I use the current address as a correspondence address while sofa surfing?
4.	Will I be able to get an advance loan? (I have 2 outstanding advance loans on the joint claim at the moment.)
5.	Will the date of the current joint claim change from the 10th of every month to the 20th of every month?
6.	How much will they pay me?
7.	The children will remain with my partner at home.

So far as I remember, if you split a joint claim to two singles both retain the original AP. While I wouldn't rule a change of circs advance out completely I don't think you'd get one moving to a single claim with no housing costs.

Assuming you're over 25 the Standard Allowance for a single person is £393.45.

I don't think the address issue is insurmountable but probably better if it's not your old home. In worst case people who are No Fixed Abode have been allowed to use the Job Centre as an address.

Thanks @Bromptotoo

But what is AP? Pls

AP = advance payment 🤦🏾‍♀️

Sorry, AP is Assessment Period.

If payday is 10th now that suggests AP ends on around 3rd of the month. I think that remains the case where a joint claim becomes two singles.

Ok thanks for more info

But to also make things easier for partner when i eventually move out, i will like to move on a date that would change his payment date to the last day of each month before the 1st of every month so that rent can be paid with ease because it's another struggle breaking and stressing the family

I am also wondering if advance payment can be given to enable me rent a room where I will be moving to? 🤦🏾‍♀️ this is all very overwhelming for me

@benefitshamereversed I think both of you will, by default, retain the existing set up where the Assessment Period ends on approx the third with payment on the tenth.

I don't think that can be easily changed. Even if you close a claim and reclaim in a short period you'll still have the same dates.

In theory, if you were to claim as single while sofa surfing then find a place to rent you might get a 'Change of Circumstances' advance but I'm not sure how the fact you've two previous advances/loans might affect that.

Thank you very much

Are you sure you can’t wait until you get a job? You’re only going to get £393 a month.

I am considering everything and what will be easier for myself and partner and of course the kids

I wonder how much partner will get if I move out & he stays in the house with the 2 kids

He’ll get the single parent amount plus the child element for each kid too. You can check it all online.

You’ll have to pay maintenance too.

If he's renting he'll also get Housing Costs subject to the rules and limits in Local Housing Allowance,

Your husband will continue to have his health insurance payout deducted as now. If he's been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work/Work Related Activity then he'll keep that addition too.

The on line tools at turn2us or entitled to are a good start point.

I don't think that will happen in that his days will change

The date is from when first start the claim

So he will still have the same date from original claim

Yours will be from today /tomorrow whenever start the new claim

Job centre allows to use theirs as an address

Sorry if this isn't true

But sounds like you are moving out to try and get more money

A joint claim is £617.60
Single is £393.45

So if both do single then gain £224 a month

But then obv would be 2 sets of household bills depending where you live

Living off £393 a month will be very very hard

@Blondeshavemorefun I'm not reading 'more money' in anything the OP has said.

Seems pretty clear her relationship isn't working and that she wants to move out. If she does so it will be to an area where work will be easier to find and she cab rebuild her life.

Apologies if I read it wrong but she did say she wondered what partner would get and to me sounded like trying to work out the best way to get more money

But as I said if I read it wrong then sorry 💐

Ok so you won’t be entitled to any loan as the only one you would be able to access is a change of circumstance loan, and they only pay out if your entitlement is increasing which it isn’t.

You should be fine with a PO Box as everything is done on your journal - but stick a note in to say you will be temporarily homeless until you secure a job to keep them up to date.

Your entitlement will be a single person claim of £393 per month. When you move you will be entitled to the LHA rate of a room in a shared house (you can search this on your council website)

Because you will be a single person with no dependents you will be expected to work 35 hours a week, or spend 35 hours a week searching for work. They will sanction you if you do not meet this.

Be aware you will be liable for child maintenance when you move out.

I was just coming in to say out of your single persons UC you'd have to pay your ex maintenance for your kids. Are you sure you want to leave kids with ex? You might find it hard if you want to get them back at a later point.

I am not moving out to make money.

Yes, I asked how much he will be getting because at the end of the day, my kids will still be with him that house and I want the best possible for the - I do not want to make more difficult for him which will affect the kids 🤷🏽‍♀️

Yes, the relationship isn't working and not pleasant at all. He is dragging me back and I am capable of much more.

If things aren't right then yes you need to move out but it will be hard financially