Universal Credit

[lucymcd2295]

Hey..

Do any mums on here claim for universal credit? Looking for some advice :(

I am going to be downing my hours from 37.5 hours per week to 16 hours after Christmas.. I phoned tax credits and got told to apply for universal credit and that my tax credits wouldn't change from what they are.

Do universal credit take into consideration what you earned the previous year, how does it work when I'll be earning less and still having to pay rent on no money!

Thanks x

Tax credits have always helped me out with childcare. I work 30 hours a week, they only pay around 40 percent which I've never understood as I'm on a low wage but it's helped me massively with childcare. Now he is at school my mom has managed to get back into work herself in 2 schools so can help in the holidays. Childcare crippled me so I understand that issue.

Sorry for being abit blunt as its not meant badly, but many told me that if I worked the min 16 hours a week I would get the biggest award, but it will never top you up to any where near a full time wage. Especially when you mention it will be a reduction in income of 10k

Yeah basically when I was claiming for childcare I was getting the minimum help as I earned too much apparently. My childminder was wanting hundreds of pounds upfront which I didn't have to hand over for summer holidays when I have my rent / council tax which I also got no help with .. my bills all together was coming to nearly 800 a month which was leaving me with nearly nothing when I have my kid to keep .. on top of this I'm struggling with childcare working full time as I have no support family wise. Sorry if this is coming across a sob story but it's not meant that way - it's just the truth ... so my work is quiet just now and said if I wanted less hours the option is there.

I will phone CAB tomorrow and see if I can get any more advise. I opened this forum as I know no one else in my position :/

I don't think it's a sob story. I understand how incredibly hard it I. I always assumed I got 70 percent help but it was only recently I worked it out and turns out it's only been 40% so no wonder I've struggled. I honestly don't earn much either. Little more than min wage.
I am just so lucky my mom's secured work in school as I was actually getting scared for the school hols. Childminders all wanted payment for 52 weeks a year when all I needed was 8 weeks. There was no way I'd pay that out.
Hopefully they won't switch you but I agree with a PP. Make sure you know which one is best for you before making any moves

Universal credit bases their payment on what you earn the previous month.
If you earn nothing one month e.g. lose job they will pay full amount you're entitled to, when working you will have a certain amount of wage each month (Don't remember the amount) which doesn't effect payment and after that they reduce payment by 60p per each £1 of take home pay.

Ok, so if you need to claim housing benefit then this is why you would need to claim UC as you now need help towards your rent and there are no new claims for housing benefit in a full service UC area.

I assume you were earning too much to get working tax credit which is why you didn’t qualify for help towards childcare?

You should however be able to get help towards childcare costs of up to 85% of the costs under UC. As long as you qualify for UC and are in paid employment (or have a job offer) you should be able to get this help. You should also get help towards your rent.

You may find that you are required to work a set number of hours. If you have children under 13 you should only be required to do work that fits around school hours.

Be aware that UC is paid in arrears and it can take 5-6 weeks from applying to receive your first payment. UC may also vary each month depending on changes in earnings unlike tax credits. Another thing to be aware of is that they will backdate changes to the beginning of your monthly assessment period. This can work in your favour or against you. For example, if you left a property mid-month the change would be backdated to the beginning of the assessment period and you could lose 2 weeks help towards rent.

Given your circumstances you may find that UC is better for you (ie you may be better off) but I would recommend getting a proper benefit check done at your local Citizens Advice.

This all sounds a bit clearer now. Not sure If I've done the right thing but I genuinely can't afford anything when I work full time Monday to Friday and can't afford all these school holidays for a childminder !! Thanks everyone I will phone Citizens Advice today x

So you're dropping 10K so the tax payer can pick up your child care bill and pay you to do less work?

Sorry but this does come across as a sob story to me and I've zero sympathy. Thousands of people are in your boat and they don't drop hours and sit there with their hands out. Not just single parents either but two parent families who still have no other family or holiday cover.

Have a word with yourself.

your full time wage must have been really good to not get any help with WTC/Childcare?
I have a friend who earns around £20,000 a year and they still got help towards childcare (albeit very small).
I do have sympathy only because I know how hard it is on your own, paying everything out and how expensive it is to put in place things like childcare. I was left in a huge amount of debt by my DS dad, this year we have only had maintenance payments 3 times which in all honesty I dont know how I have managed. I have struggled but have only reduced my hours by 2.5 a week around my sons school day. That way I only have to pay for his breakfast club every day. I have looked for holiday cover, but luckily my Mom can help which I have offered to pay for everything she takes him to. That is my choice but I have no problem doing this as its alot to expect a family member to have your child for that long and keep them entertained. It will still be much cheaper than childcare.
I cant understand though if you find everything financially difficult on a full time wage, how you expect to make it work reducing to only 16 hours a week? You will save on childcare which we all know is a huge saving, but the weeks and months childcare isnt required you will still have a very basic wage. Childcare is one thing, but bills will always be there and remain near enough the same, or even more.
Is there anyway you can look at term time work? Or elsewhere possibly doing 25-30 hours a week?
I could never contemplate now dropping below 30 hours a week. I actually miss the extra 5 hours I used to work, but I wanted to be there for the school stuff. But I know for sure there is no way we could live dropping 10,000 a year. Dropping only 1 hour a day hit me hard in the pocket.
I have never been on the UC side, only tax credits. They dont hand these things out as easily as people think. In september I was able to reduce my hours but hold my wage (no payrise for 3+ years). When I declared this my tax credits were reduced, despite my income being held. When I went for assessments at the job centre years ago, I was never given an option of working 16 hours. I was pretty much told I had to work at least 25 hours. Any changes for me have always been questioned, and an increase in hours and childcare requirements triggered an investigation. So I wouldn't be surprised if you were asked why you are reducing your hours by so many. Just my experience with the job centre was that 'dont expect us to pay for you' type of thing. Never expected them to, but in my experience they dont give you an easy ride and an open pocket.

I don't know if you've been reading this thread or not but I am in no way what so ever better off or gaining any more money than what I am just now! Probably will be worse off!

Until you've walked in my shoes and tried to bring up a kid alone then maybe I'd be slightly upset by your comments ..

I'm not going into detail about my life with someone who has no clue what they are talking about or know what position I am in with regards to my child and life. I've worked full time since the age of 16 and always done my best but this is the situation I've found myself in since my circumstances have changed.

Take your nasty comments else where your daft name says it all

CA will probably talk you through filling it an online benefit calculator to check what you are getting now and what you could get on reduced hours under UC. Its all online:
www.entitledto.co.uk/

I've been in your shoes. With two kids rather than one and yes, childcare is tough and expensive but reducing your hours voluntarily to claim benefits because you don't want to look at options for childcare is really short sighted. You'll work less than your child will be at school, how can that be right?

Arranging school holoday was a mixture of taking days off holiday, having them staying with friends whoseckids I would in return look after when she worked. A couple of days with their dad (and no more, he always had excuses not to do more days) and yes, some days in holiday clubs I'd budgeted for.

The thing is, the day they didn't need to go to afgerschool club felt like I'd won the lottery. In the meantime I got promoted to which I wouldn't have on a part time basis.

I.you end its your choice but it's not one that shows to be a good role model. You could have reduced to 30 days, and probably be entitled to tax credits.