Being moved onto universal credit and really worried

[zestylemonbel]

Hi.
I have two children, one who is 7, and my other has just turned 1. I've also recently moved boroughs and have just been informed by the job centre that I have to claim for universal credit now instead of being on the help that I get now.
I am really worried.
What does it mean?
Any help in this matter is appreciated
Thank you

Save everything you can. This has just happened to my sister, luckily I was able to lend her money. From the date you apply, it takes 5 weeks to get your first payment. In this time they will stop you tax credits and housing benefit so you will have no income other than child benefit for 5 weeks. After a week or 2 you can apply for an advance payment loan but it’s not worth doing because you then have to pay it back and you then get less payment each month.

It an abysmal system.

This is assuming you don’t work. From what I’ve heard, it’s not as bad if you’re in work.

The wait is one month and seven days to first payment. Realistically most people can't manage without the advance. You should get a 2 week run on of Housing benefit assuming you have been on it prior to going onto UC. Tax credits should stop as soon as you make the UC claim. The claim is made online and you then have an online journal which you will need to check regularly for messages etc. You may also need to go to the job centre for an ID interview if you cannot verify your ID online. If you are a lone parent then you will have no work commitments with a child under 3.

Yes I get help with my housing and council tax. I had to put my claim through today, otherwise the lady I spoke to said all my help will stop and it's compulsory for everyone who is other benefits to eventually change over to universal credit. I'm being moved over to it as I moved to a different borough a few months ago, and my baby just turned one so they want me to go in for a back work related interview (which is fine, I was looking forward to getting back into normality), and now I've been told I have to go onto UC. I don't understand how it can take up to five weeks, how do they expect lone parents to support their children? I rely on my payments and am quite good with keeping everything in check, and don't fall behind with bills etc, but I am so worried I'm not even going to be able to feed my children let alone pay my bills with such little notice of having to change over!
I've created an online account earlier today, do you know how long it will take for someone to get back to me about if I have to go into a job centre or something?

Thank you again in advance

You can apply for an advance payment and pay it back over 12 months. You should be able to get it same day you verify your ID

My sister has been in it for about 4 months now and no one ever writes back to her in the journal. Apparently they are really helpful in the phone though so it’s always worth calling them! Unfortunately you’ll probably have to get an advance, but I know my sister couldn’t apply for that for 2 weeks. Try not to take too much thiugh else you’ll be left with nothing for your next payment!

I don't entirely understand why you are having to move over ? If you moved to a new borough a few months ago and needed to make a new application for housing benefit then surely you would have needed to go onto UC then ? Your baby turning one isn't a reason to switch either. You would only need to go onto UC if making a new claim for one of the benefits that Uc replaces.

That was my thoughts too, when I switched all of my information over with the councils etc (I moved in June) I was not told anything about having to move over to UC. I had a letter a week or so ago to go and have a work related interview at my old job centre so I called them and asked why I was still going there as it's over an hour away and I have a local one 15 min walk from me now, I also told them and HMRC that I moved when I did, but anyway this has been the result of it..... to change over. I'm very confused and also worried how this is going to impact me.
I said to the lady who rang me today I didn't want to change over and she kept saying it's compulsory and I basically have no choice. But from what I have been reading there is no positive feed back from UC!

You fill in the claim form online, then you should be informed at the end of it what number to call to set up your Job Centre appointment. You go to your appointment and take all the documents they ask you to bring.

Do not assume they will able to source any information themselves. Treat it as your first ever claim for any benefits basically.

It will take 5 weeks for them to let you know whether you qualify. You don't get to find out what you will receive until 5 days before your due payment.

I believe non-working people have to go to regular meeting to prove they are looking for work, just as they woulf if they were on JSA. I'm not 100% sure however.

It is correct that you have no choice in moving over to UC. Eventually all benefit recipients will be on UC.

I can tell you this system is even more fucked up for employed for most ridiculous reasons, such as assessment periods etc.

Is it because you were moving from IS to JSA?

Unlikely to be moving to JSA with a child aged one.

No, not moving to JSA I was on income support, as a lone parent.
I think I've had to go on it because the area I have moved to, the job centre only does UC now?
What type of documents do they need? Just so I know and can be ready.

Also, if I don't qualify for it within their timeframe what am I supposed to do??? It seems like such a stupid system that is just setting people up to fail.

@zestylemonbel, when you ring up to make your appointment they will tell you what to bring, don't worry.

I don't understand what you mean by if I don't qualify for it within their timeframe what am I supposed to do, sorry. You will qualify because you're unemployed and have dependants.

Why don't you read up on it online so that you have a better understanding of what it is?

It's a sack of shit !

My payments keep going down each month even though I earn same n now they say I owe the tax credits for 2009 n so it's coming off my UC payments 

I dont understand why people are getting less on UC when circumstances havn't changed

There are many reasons for payments going down or varying each month. UC is fine for people who get paid monthly on the same day ( as long as your pay day is well away from the end of your assessment period ! ). For anyone who is paid 4 weekly, fortnightly or weekly UC is more problematic as Uc is calculated on what paydays/ earnings fall within your monthly assessment period, so if 5 paydays fall in that monthly AP your Uc will be less and if 4 fall in it your Uc will be more. People who get paid 4 weekly will have one assessment period per year where two pay days fall in the period and completely wipe out or greatly reduce your Uc entitlement for that month.

Sorry OP, to ask Babyroobs but I work 30 hours, & get some CTC & WTC.

No H.B as I'm buying.

Will I get moved onto UC & then get less help?

So that 5 weeks that it takes to get your first payment isn't backdated??? You're just supposed to suck it up?

Eradicate - you wont get moved to Uc unless you have a relevant change of circumstances. Everyone will be on it eventually but the date for managed migration keeps being put back. people that are migrated across to UC should get protection on their amounts so they shouldn't be wore off.

Soun - The five weeks isn't backdated as Uc is paid in arrears. People get a 2 week run on of housing benefit if they were previously on that and then they can apply for an advance ( like an interest free loan) to tide them over for rent etc until the first payment comes through. the advance is then paid back over 12 months usually so some is deducted each month before you even receive your payment. this is how people are ending up in a mess on UC , your monthly money is reduced before you've even started. For someone ( single no kids, young) on the very basic £250 per month who then has an advance payment deduction made is really going to struggle. Add into that that many people are not used to budgeting monthly then it can be a disaster. You can now request payment two weekly instead.

Thank you Babyroobs, you are always so informative.

Can I ask an example, If I get £100 a month in Tax Credits & changed to UC, would it still equate to £1200 total in a year?

If you are migrated across by the dwp ( whenever that happens) you should not be worse off, but if you had to move due to a change of circumstances you could be better or worse off. UC works in a totally different way to other benefits and some people are better off and some worse.

I had my meeting on Monday. All very vague and no real questions answered to how I'm going to pay rent etc for the next five weeks with no money and then also not wanting to get myself into debt already, why can't my income support stay as it is until first UC payment. That way no one gets in trouble. Rent is payed. Tax is paid. Bills can be paid and no one is in arrears. It's so backwards to me

zesty - You should get a two week run on of housing benefit if you are already on that. If your Income support doesn't stop as soon as you make the Uc claim you will end up with an overpayment. The advance is designed to help you through those first five weeks but yes unfortunately it is then deducted each month so your money is less before you have even started to ty to budget for the month.

When is your maternity leave over ? Can you go back to work now ?