Universal credit question, advice please?

[Justonedayatatime11]

Up until Jan this year I was claiming income support. I stopped the claim as I was expecting to go back to work. Unfortunately this didn’t happen and when I called back to restart my claim I was told my area was now under universal credit. I attempted to apply for UC but was told I’d need to be working/looking for work 16 hours a week. My problem being that dd is not yet School age and the area I live in has a waiting list for preschool! UC has told me I should be claiming IS, IS are saying they can’t do anything as they don’t cover my area. Last week UC told me to ‘go away and contact my MP’ . I haven’t had a payment since January! I don’t know what to do.

Speak to Citizens advice maybe. If your area is full service for UC and its a new claim then it will be UC I think. Are there childminders you could send your child too if there are no pre-school places ? UC will pay 85% of childcare costs.

There is literally no childcare places in the village where I live. I’d love to go back to work, but without childcare it’s not possible. I don’t understand how they can just fob you off and leave you with no means of income for 5 months, have just been passed from pillar to post and back again.

Are you still getting child tax credits or have they stopped too ? Surely you can still go onto UC but just explain to your job coach that there are no childcare places. You would at least be getting some money that way.

Just tax credits. Apparently a ‘work coach’ would still expect me to be looking for 16 hours a week. I’ve always worked prior to having dd, never planned to end up a single parent. And now I’m being treated as if I’m a scrounger who doesn’t want to work

My understanding of UC is that if your child is 3+ (& you are fit for work & you aren't caring for someone disabled), then you'd be in the UC "all work-related requirements group". This means you have to go to "work-focused interviews" (aimed at helping you to get work) & do some "work preparation" (e.g. skills assessment or training.). But - you would not have to actively look for work or be available for work until your child reaches 5.

There's a really good, clear guide to preparing for the UC work focused interview on the Citizens Advice website here which tells you about the requirements and making sure your is treated correctly.

If you are fobbed off / told you have to look for work, then definitely speak to Citizens Advice & complain to your MP - there are so many problems with UC and they all need to be highlighted as much as possible. Good luck!

Have you put her down on the waiting list yet? Have you contacted childminders to tell them that you are looking for a place and would they contact you if one comes up? Have you looked at childcare in adjoining villages/towns where you could potentially look for a job too?

What you need is to LOOK for a job, not find one tomorrow. You need to take steps to get yourself back in work. It might take a couple of weeks, it might take longer, but you have to show that you are doing something about it rather than just claim income support and wait for things to come to you.

To check what stage UC is in your area use the following. An exception even in full service areas is that a family with children cannot currently make universal credit claim.

ucpostcode.entitledto.co.uk/ucdate

UC does expect parents to look for work when child is younger than legacy benefits. If it is UC then you need to prepare the commitment interview, perhaps you could take a list of local preschools you have already approached.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/interview/prepare-for-your-interview/

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/interview/claimant-commitment-what-group/

Sorry people with 3 children can't make new universal credit claim.

Sorry people with 3 children can't make new universal credit claim.

Wrong

swingofthings

ODFOD

It is correct - people with 3 or more children cannot yet make a UC claim. However I can't see anywhere that op says she has 3?

My understanding is the same as PingPongBat - with a 3/4 year old child, you are expected to take active steps to prepare for work (eg training and interviews with a work coach) but not to actively look for work.

There's more info here:
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/who-is-affected-by-universal-credit

Baby OP doesn't mention three children. I mentioned it because OP is being told by UC/IS to claim the other benefit and that might be an explanation.