Help understanding Universal Credi

[iamclaireandfleabag]

From September I will be working 16 hours a week following a relocation. 2 children, no partner. I have checked what UC I can claim already but my question is what happens if you occasionally work more hours and therefore earn more but it's not guaranteed each week? This will be a temporary situation until I have the children fully settled following the move and I will go on to work full time then. Really don't want to get into a mess with it all.

If your earnings are variable then the amount of Uc you receive will be variable too. How old are your children - have you checked that 16 hours will be acceptable ? Uc works by giving you a total amount built up of elements - so a standard element for yourself, rent element if you rent and 2 x child elements. Then wages reduce that amount. If you rent they disregard the first £287 of earnings a month before wages reduce it. So if you earn more one month there will be slightly higher deductions and therefore less UC. You will still be better off working extra though as each pound you earn reduces UC by 63p.

If it's variable it just goes up and down each morning depending on what you earn

Each month!! Not morning!

I should have also said that they look at what you earn in your assessment period and then the amount of UC is paid seven days later. So if you earned extra your next payment would reflect that and be slightly less. UC is adjusted monthly.

Primary school age children. No childcare costs whilst part time. Do I have to submit a new claim every month if there is a change?

The UC adjusts along with what you earn, so should be easy enough to manage.

Another question - I've never claimed anything before so a total newby! Do I put the claim in the day my hours drop to 16 a week?

They will expect you to work 25 hours a week with primary aged children, I'm not sure how far they enforce that though. The claim just rolls on. they will know your earnings automatically through HMRC when your employer report them.

To be honest I'll likely do around 25 but my contract is only 16 at the mo.the other hours will be in another job on a zero hours basis but not sure how it's all going to work out yet

They will expect you to work 25 hours a week with primary aged children
That’s not actually true, they expect you to earn nmw x 25 ,whether that takes you 25 hours, 16 hours , or any number of hours.

I'm moving to a different area on 20th I don't have my new tenancy agreement as yet but I know I will be moved on to uc as I will need to claim housing benefit when would be best to do this before I get my tenancy agreement or after as I don't want to get behind with my rent