Does anyone have any positive UC experiences?

[WibblyWobblyWonder]

I finished uni just before Christmas, my ex and I split nearly 2 years ago, so currently I'm a single parent with 3 children and no job. At the moment I'm receiving child tax credit, child benefit and child maintenance from my ex. I applied for housing benefit but have been told by the council that they no longer deal with housing benefit and that I'd have to switch over to universal credit in order to receive any help.

Has anyone switched over from TC to UC and had a positive outcome? All I've heard is awful stories and I'm really scared to switch, but I'm also completely broke and really need the help with rent until I can actually get a job (another rejection email today ). I haven't been able to pay my gas and electric bill or my car insurance this month because the money has all gone on rent and food (and I budget HARD with food).

I'm just stuck in a shit place I guess and not sure what to do for the best?

How much is your rent? If you can cope paying for a short time then I would stay on tax credits .

It's £125/week. The problem is I have no idea how long it might take me to get a job. I'm not entitled to JSA because I haven't worked for the last 4 years while I've been at uni. I'm doing what I can to reduce bills, etc, but it's got to the point where there's no spare cash at all. I've maxed out my overdraft and credit card and I've got £1.28 in my purse to last until Monday. If I didn't laugh at how absurd it is I'd cry!

I've been on uc since September and I've had no problems with it, I'm also a single mum and currently looking for work.

Surely if you are unemployed, you should get your rent paid
Request a review of your benefits

Put a claim in today. They will book you an appointment to check your details and ID and things, and then you get your first payment in 5 weeks but can get an advance payment (where you borrow for those 5 weeks and pay it back once you start receiving UC). Maintenance does not count as income, so you should be counted as having £0 income. Therefore you should get about £850 in UC for living costs and the kids, and up to about £650 towards your rent. You would give up child tax credits, but still get child benefit. So unless you're getting £1500 in tax credits you should be better off. Also if/when you do find a job if you needed childcare help you would have to put a UC claim in for that anyway.

If you have no money for rent, what choice do you have?

I work FT (single parent to one child) and receive some UC to help with rent. I have had no problems with it.

Be careful which date you apply. Today would be best as the nearer to eventual paydays you get, the more problems people run into. Avoid jobs that pay weekly too if you can as the five week months can cause folks to lose a lot of UC (so I've heard).

And definitely apply for the advance.

On the whole it's not too bad. No worse than old-style benefits I'd say.

Completely agree with @Lifeisabeach09 re being careful with your application date, your best bet is to do so mid-month. Well, anytime between 10th - 20th of the month I'd say. I made a mistake of submitting my application on a 30th, the idiot that I am!

Also if/when you do find a job if you needed childcare help you would have to put a UC claim in for that anyway.
That’s not true if you claim tax credits you can claim Childcare as part of the tax credits claim.

@MyDcAreMarvel

But if you make any changes to your tax credits you will now be asked to move over to universal credit AFAIK

You can add in another element of tax credits. For example if someone claims income support and tax credits and gets a job then they can start to claim working tax credits without switching to Uc as long as they meet the criteria for wtc.

You really need to apply for UC and council tax relief, separately as your at least going to get your housing element paid towards

Yes you have to wait 5 weeks but you can get a forward on this money

Try entitled to and it will tell you how much you’re likely to receive

@AmazingGreats no only certain changes trigger a change to UC, starting work is not one of those changes.

@MyDcAreMarvel

Ok, good to know, but probably a moot point for the OP as her circumstances have changed and she can't afford her rent.

Yes probably not relevant to op, but I thought useful to point out for anyone else that may be reading.

Surely getting tax payers money for nothing is ultimately always a ''positive experience''?

@sall74 are you always such a dick or just having a bad day?

Sall74 often leaves remarks of this nature, never posts useful advice. So I guess has many bad days

"completely agree with @Lifeisabeach09 re being careful with your application date, your best bet is to do so mid-month. Well, anytime between 10th - 20th of the month"

Was glad to read this. I'll have to switch at some point and this is the thing that worries me most.

If I get paid between 26-29th each month (earlier for the December pay (20th), and I wasn't sure what date to apply.

Do you get your UC on the date of the month that you apply?

No it's usually 6 days later.

Your assessment period is 4 weeks from the date of your application then usually paid 6 days after the last day of your assessment period.

That's why if you have any changes that will affect you financially informing UC on the right day is key.

Example.

I move and now need to pay rent.
My assessment period ends on the 20th Feb and I inform UC i need rent support on the 21st Feb.
I will NOT receive rent money on on my payday 26th Feb. Instead it will be 26th March as I informed them when in my new assessment period started.

Had I told them 19th Feb I now need rent costs I would receive that extra money on my payday 26th Feb.

@SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing
You get your UC payment 7 days after the end of your assessment period. For instance, if you applied on Jan 10th, your assessment period would be Jan 10th until Feb 9th. All income received in this period will be used to work out your UC payment, which you would receive on Feb 16th (unless it's a weekend or Bank Holiday)

In your case, I would apply no later than the 15th if you can.

Thanks both, that's really really useful! Really appreciate that. I assumed first day of the month would make more sense, but can see the 10th would be sensible.

I'm on WTC/CTC for the foreseeable, no changes expected, so hopefully it'll stay this way for a little while longer, but at least I know what to do now.

Is UC affected by child maintenance payments?

I work with people who receive UC and most say that they are better off.

Gah, I've just done the calculator and it thinks I'll be £140 worse off a month. Fuck.