Please help universal credit

[GlamMuma]

Hi I'm just wanting a bit of advice really , has anyone been transferred into university credit if so how has this affected you ? Has it effected you massively?

It depends on so many factors, eg whether you're transfering from other (legacy) benefits.

It affected me in a good way. I got paid housing benefit for 3 extra weeks to help with the change so was about £400 better off just with that the first month.
In a normal month my household is about £120 better off than we were on tax credits and hb

Sorry, posted too soon.
If you're transfering from Disability benefits and you're not 'protected', then, yes, you will be worse off.
Can you give a bit more detail?

If you have been migrated on to UC from a legacy benefit so JSA or ESA for example than you will or are supposed to be "protected" and not recieve less than you do now.
If it is a new claim then use a benefits calculator like Turn2Us which will give you an estimate.
Have you been told to make a new claim?

Also because it's always based on the current month, when anything changes the effects are immediate. So if you say have work and your hours are reduced you get more help straight away. Or you income goes up then reduce straight away...so dont end up in loads of debt like tax creds

Like the above poster, U/C works for me. My initial fears were largely unfounded. I am paid monthly, though, so avoid the negative issues caused by weekly pay.

I’m changing over atm. Have an initial appointment at the job centre today. Due to a change in circumstances we are now entitled to help with housing costs so have to change from tax credits to UC. We have the added complication of me being a student (who are penalised against) and DH is employed but off sick long term.
Honestly it’s been grand so far. An angel from the council came to the house and filled out everything for us, made the required phone calls etc.
It’ll be 5 weeks before our first UC payment and we won’t have TC in the meantime. We will access the advance payment to see us through. We will be £500+ better of a month in the end and so incredibly relieved.
We are in Scotland and will have the option to change to fortnightly payments and rent paid direct to council if we choose.
The only downside for us is that we will be hit with the bedroom tax. The council allocated us a 3 bed as they are short on 2 beds. There is a separate fund we apply to cover this though.

Can I ask if anyone knows if you are on esa in the support group and are moved to uc will you still get the extra premiums?

No.
If you receive SDP on ESA you are not allowed to move on to UC. The ruling was made at upper tribunal Jan 2019.

There are no severe disability premiums on UC.

Queen - If it's a managed migration, then your payments are protected.
If your move over to U/C is triggered by a 'change in circumstances' then you will be worse off.

Thank you!

If you lose the SDP Queen then they can make you claim UC however while you have it legally you cannot claim UC.

Just bare in mind if after an assessment they take you off ESA or remove the SDP I would advise fighting it and not claiming UC because the second you do ESA does not exist anymore. Even if you have the decision overturned once you claim UC that's it.

Sadly job centres have given out the wrong advice to so many people which had left them worse of when they did not need to be.

I had no idea. I have been told contradictory advice from the job centre. Thanks for sharing that information!

It's not the JC staffs fault to be fair.
It's a complicated benefit and is subject to changes which don't get filtered down to staff such as the SDP ruling last year.

Some staff are also under the impression that should you lose ESA and make a madatory reconsideration you can claim UC then go back to ESA if you win. You can't.

We advice people to claim nothing while they wait for a man recon decision as if they then appeal to take it to tribunal they will be put back on ESA at the assessment rate until the tribunal decision has been made. If they win they go back on ESA.
If they claimed UC at any ointment they stay on UC even if they win.

Downside is nil income for the man recon period which can be up to 4 weeks and any HB or Ctax support will stop. However these will start again if you go to tribunal.

Im pretty clued up on uc.ifu give me a little bit of information i can help you work out what you'll get. Turn to Us calculator is not accurate and neither is the entitled to calculator.

Are you single/ couple
Under/over 25
Number of children
Rent - council/private/mortgage
Anyone receiving DLA/careers

Working wage per month
How often are you paid wages, week/fortnight/4 weekly/monthly on set date e.g last Friday every month, or set date each month, e.g 28th every month

If you receive housing benefit and move to UC then you will get a two week run on - which obviously helps with the 5 week wait for payment.. as it reduces the wait for help with the rent part to 3 weeks