Universal credit issue

[jaggyjaggy]

Can anyone help please.

Split up from my husband recently, its amicable and neither of us can afford to move out (believe me that is preferable!) we have two kids, 3 and 7. We both work but we have always claimed a UC top up.

So after finally deciding to split we notified UC and our old claim turned into my husbands own single claim and I had to make a fresh single claim of my own. We put a child on each of our claims as this seemed fairest way, as I tend to do most stuff for the 3yo and he does more for the 7yo.

We sent all evidence UC asked for, tenancy agreement showing we pay half rent each etc. Was supposed to receive a payment on 14th april for around £1350 (rent is covered, childcare, standard allowance, child allowance) but instead received £950. Ex has said he received nothing.

We have tried calling, leaving messages but no one will help they just say “under review please wait”

Then last week received a notification to say my claim has been put on hold but no mention of why or what I need to do or any details. Since then all my messages have been ignored.

Yesterday I called to escalate this and was told it would be referred to a case manager who would be in touch before 6pm today (friday) nothing as yet.

Am I being unreasonable here? I refuse to believe this is an unusual situation with housing crisis that we need to stay in the same property for a few months.

I am extremely stressed out and I am running low on food and I haven’t even paid my rent yet which is due on Monday!

Any help much appreciated.

There are lots of divorced partners who still live under the same roof and claiming UC. It is normal, especially in London, where studio flat costs from £1100/month. Not surprised people can't find rental property. Be ready to proove that every single thing you pay separately from your ex-food, bills,etc. They even ask a proof that you both pay half of TV licence, etc.

And would get benefits of £1350 on top of both of them working and earning?! Wow!

Their benefits are the same amount as my monthly salary after I’ve paid taxes.

Time to be responsible and get a full time job op and stop relying on the taxpayers.

Can you increase your earnings?

@jaggyjaggy are you and husband divorced?

You should contact your local Citizens Advice on Monday (phone or in person). They can usually help with calculations and contacting DWP.

If you're genuinely low on food you could also ask for a food bank referral.

Contact your landlord ASAP to explain why rent will be missed, always keep communicating.

Not sure why people are having a go at you. Wages are so low in this country, I thought most people who receive Universal Credit also worked? Blame employers for shit wages, not the benefit safety net.

So neither of you work full time?

You still have not said if you have 1 tenancy agreement or have reported to LL/council you have separated and so have separate tenancy agreements. If you have separated UC would expect 2 separate tenancy agreements.

"You realise we pay tax too right"

Well no you wont be paying income tax on £850 a month will you.

Why are you both earning less than minimum wage? Is xH full time?
If your business sustainable if you only earn £850pm?

I presume a lot of that UC goes straight on the rent.

My husband works five days a week at a school and gets the same amount as the ex. It doesn't mean he isn't full time.

@IVFmumoftwo
i believe @Blondebrownorred
is referring to the fact that her ex husband wage reflects part time hours. Same as your DH he is not full time 38h a week 52 weeks of the year . Your DH would be I presume term time so salary would reflect this .

Its the equivalent to having been paid £500 of your employment wages and expected just to sit tight and hope they decide to give it to you at some point.

No.

You've put yourself in a wild situation by doing seperate claims whilst living together and for 1 child each, hopefully it's sorted soon but anyone else reading this don't do this!

its actually kind of infuriating that OP think that they are in anyway contributing as a taxpayer.
He has a take-home pay of 16,200 which means he earns in the region of 17,600 per year, which means he pays in the region of 120 in deductions a month.
She has to take on pay, which means she practically doesn’t pay any tax.
Yet for some reason she thinks that because they contribute to 120 between the month they are then entitled to up to 1300 per month…Or more now that they’re separated. And I will blame the system, yes, but I would also, blame the OP for working the system because clearly with those salaries neither of them work full-time. That’s not how this should work we shouldn’t be paying people to both work part time live in the same fucking house and get two lots of benefits because they’ve decided that they don’t want to be together. As I’ve said @jaggyjaggy if you want to live separately then live separately, save up and move out or declare yourself homeless and move out. You cannot decide to stay in the same house and expect it’s to not be questioned. Can you not see how ridiculously dodgy it looks? You are taking the ultimate piss and you know it.
Rant over!

Is that full-time all year or is that term time?

@jaggyjaggy one of you need to concentrate on moving out with their child to make it very clear that you are separated and being a single parent each.

You need to have a look at your business as it's currently not viable to support you as per NMW.

I would give the DWP the 5 weeks before asking for anything as they have paid you. Your claim is definitely in the system and has been recognised. So no need to worry, they will check and verify in this time and contact if they need more information.

At the moment it looks very dodgy: 2 single adults living under the same roof after previously claiming as a couple.

Each is claiming for one child.

None has worked enough to make NMW in full time employment.

Of course you are going to be investigated.

As others have already said, be prepared to demonstrate that you are living seperate lives financially, down to the last penny!

Wow!

Have you been living under a gold plated rock @RichWithNoSelfControl?

I can't advise you, OP, I can only empathise. Clearly you thought you were doing the right thing in being open & upfront at the earliest opportunity, and it's backfired. Of course you're feeling stressed, most people would feel the same as you, receiving that amount of money less per month, with bills and rent waiting to be paid. I hope it's sorted quickly. The one positive here is that the split is amicable - hopefully your ex will step up where possible & finacially support the running of the house in the short term, but keep track of everything you both spend, as you don't want that situation being interpreted to suggest that you are still a couple.

Can I suggest that using your on-line journal, you let them know that whilst you appreciate that the situation needs thorough investigation, nonetheless, the lack of communication and being left in limbo is having major repercussions for your mental health.

I had a situation recently where I had provided vast amounts of evidence, and my messages were routinely ignored. It affected my sleep, and caused me great anxiety. Only when I politely communicated this fact did they start communicating with me again - and they were very helpful. It still isn't resolved, but it eased my anxiety. They actually apologised to me for their lack of communication.

Maybe ask is there a time limit in which you can reasonably expect a response to a message? I expect they aren't responding as quickly as their guidelines suggest that they should.

Good luck moving forward, OP.

TA so term time but works five days a week. It is possible to work five days a week minimum wage and get roughly that though. I have calculated what I would earn if it I worked five days a week and it is about the same (mine wage).

They have had a few cases of massive fraud recently. I even read one post on FB of someone saying their claim was shut but it was obvious after a bit of digging that they didn't live in the country when they applied. I don't blame UC for looking at this case very carefully.

@DancefloorAcrobaticsI agree with you but I very much doubt they will separate the children. UC is a pittance if you are a single adult. Claiming for one child each is often advised as then each parent gets a lot more UC, rent paid, child benefit etc even if both children live under one roof. It’s a really common loophole that’s exploited.

Working term-time only is not exactly the same as working full-time though is it really, even if you work full-time hours during the term. yes during term time he works full-time hours but this is only during the school term which is typically what around 39 weeks of the year? I’m also guessing that his salary is pro rata to reflect the fact that he doesn’t work all year. Does he get paid over the summer?

TA is ridiculously low for what they do and I appreciate that and I wholeheartedly think that they should be paid more and paid over the summer. But earning 17,500 per year should not be considered full-time it’s not full-time pay. And that’s not your fault or your husband‘s fault. But he is available during the summer to take on a different job, I suppose.

Have you informed Child Benefit that you want the benefit to be split as you are no longer the primary carer for the 7 year-old? (Applicable to whoever currently claims, you or your DH, obviously if it is currently your DH, that he is no longer the primary carer for the 3-year old.) The decision to split the children between you for claims purposes seems designed to increase your benefits and reminds me of the Old Testament Judgement of Solomon.

Looking to the future, when you are living in separate households and are divorced / getting divorced, how do you see things working if each child’s primary residence is at a different location with a different parent, e.g. applications for schools, GP registration etc.

To be fair we switch it around and I work a lot at that time.