Sick Day/ Universal Credit

[TiredHippo]

I'm very new to universal credit, and didn't really know where else to post. I work with a few colleagues who are also on universal credit, but do less hours than myself. Every month, one colleague in particular will take one or two days off sick, usually following a pattern of days off in a row, but that's a whole other thread. I haven't taken a sick day in years and will literally drag myself in as I just cannot afford 1 day off. I was feeling particularly off yesterday and the colleague said to just take a day off as I'm on Universal Credit, they'll just top it up if I don't go in!!!! I don't quite believe that's true, but out of curiosity I googled it and came up with nothing, that can't be right surely, or is this why he's not bothered about taking time off sickfor a few days as he gets topped up????

Well as I'm sure you know if you're on uc it's based on your income, so if you earn less ( as long as it's over the minimum you're expected to earn) then yes you'll get more uc. Of course they don't deduct wages £ for £ so they'd still have less overall, but potentially more of it would be uc.

I just wasn't sure about with it being a sick day, I still don't know how they work it out, even though a have seen what you can earn up to, as I do the same hours every month and every month the top ups are different, so I don't even know exactly how any hours it tops me up too. I'm not fantastic with numbers I'm afraid.

Do you not get paid sick pay?

If you don't get sick pay then UC will make up 55% of any lost earnings I believe.

Well you should get sick pay from your employers anyway .

however yes I have just taken 3 weeks off off sick . I had 3 days for sick pay to kick in . My universal credit was increased . But not the full amount . They take 55p out of every £1 you earn over a certain level .. so I got just over half what I lost in wages in my UC but my tax ,Ni and pension would be lower too .

I do get sick pay, but would have to stand the first three days, so I wouldn't get anything from the company until after then. I just can't afford to take time off even though I really should sometimes. @Starlightstarbright4 was the universal credit increase for the three weeks then???? Sorry, just wanted to be clear x

As if I took three weeks off, after the first three days, I would get full pay from the company x

They will make up for it but if your earnings go below the threshold that can make you need to attend an appointment. You can say you are sick if they were to ask the reason.

I know it sounds daft, but I've come in to work like death warmed up before, ad made myself more ill because of it, and waited for my days off to get better. I also have diabetes and some days I've woken up on a hypo and still managed to get to work (lifts, no driving myself) and for the rest of the day I've felt wiped out and barely managing to muddle through, just the thought of taking a day off with no pay at all worried me so much, but now I feel a bit easier knowing if I really really do need to, it won't be the worst case scenario x

I get paid monthly . The 3 weeks I was off I got no pay for the first 3 days so that reduced my income . I don’t have a high paying job so it wasn’t a huge drop .

UC is based on income . So if your off because you took carers leave it would be the same .

most have a minimum they need to work depending on the age of Dc and the NMW for that age .

I am also a carer for a child with SN ‘s so no requirement for me to work at all but I have supportive employers who help me manage it all .

I don’t think anyone is in a great position right now . Your colleague who takes a couple of days off a month would be looked at by most companies unless there is an illness management are aware of you may not .

My management are aware of stuff my colleagues aren’t about my health