Redundant. Update HMRC tax credit app? Or apply for UC for first time

[Bringringbring12]

I’ve been made redundant

Should I update my HMRC app to confirm that made redundant and await response OR cancel tax credit claim and apply for UC as a new claimant?

How much I will receive from either is irrelevant at this point.

Sorry you've lost your job.
Have you been dismissed with immediate effect and pay in lieu of notice? Or will you be working your notice?
Have you been working and paying national insurance for the last few years?
Do you have a partner and if so are they still working?
Do you rent or have a mortgage?

If you have enough NI contributions to qualify, you should claim new-style JSA the day after your last day at work (ie your first day of being unemployed). See www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-jsa

Whether or not you should then stay on tax credits or claim Universal Credit depends on various factors hence my questions above.

Thanks so much

Have you been dismissed with immediate effect and pay in lieu of notice? Or will you be working your notice?
Redundancy is from 08/03/2020. I Will be paid next week and then that’s it

Have you been working and paying national insurance for the last few years?
Yes

Do you have a partner and if so are they still working?
I am a single parent of two children (7 and 9)

Do you rent or have a mortgage?
I have a mortgage

Bump

Sorry - just very worrierb

Worried

Redundancy from 8.3.20 - so was that your last day at work? If so you could have claimed new style JSA on 9.3.20 and it can't be backdated so you should claim ASAP (you can do it online).

As a single parent of 2 children you will get some Universal Credit in addition to new-style JSA, so you should claim that too - but I advise you to wait until the day after you have received your last pay packet.

Unfortunately you won't get help with mortgage costs so if you don't have a savings buffer you may need to ask your bank for a break or reduction in payments.

Oh sorry I forgot that you are already on CTC. Are you or any of your children disabled - any of you get PIP or DLA?

Update tax credits. They will revise your award. At the very least call them (if they are still there) and get advice. IME the tax credits support staff are very good and will tell you what is best.
Stay away from UC until you absolutely have to.

Why is how much you will receive irrelevant? You might get nothing from UC if you have savings. Very sorry you are going through this. I would run the figures first before deciding what to do personally. A lot of people decide not to tell tax credits as they would get less/none on UC.

God I am sick of all the amateur advice about universal credit on here lately.

OP the problem with tax credits is that while they might adjust your award slightly, the calculation is a bit convoluted so you may well end up getting more on Universal credit (which is based on your actual monthly income as opposed to tax credits which is affected by previous tax year's income even after adjustments).

Cross post btw

Are you AnotherEmma? That's very interesting, but as someone whose income has fluctuated massively over the years I have found tax credits are well able to cope with this as long as you keep them informed.
She may get slightly more on UC. She may also have to wait a very long time to get anything (all the people who have suddenly lost their incomes are currently making UC claims. and the system is going to be very overloaded), and once you have made the switch you can't switch back. So, my advice remains-call Tax Credits and find out before you make a decision.

Thank you all

Redundancy is surely a significant change and I will be put across to UC?

Anyway - no neither me nor children have a disability.

Advised of redundancy on 08/03. Will be paid next week.

@AnotherEmma

Am I correct in thinking you are a benefit advisor in RL?

The government website says in current situation advice to advise of change in job situation ASAP if lost job

Yes, adviser and supervisor. Bit tricky to advise on mumsnet as I can't ask all the questions I usually would and don't have my benefit calculator at my fingertips. As you're already on tax credits it is a bit of a trickier question to answer about whether you'll be better off on tax credits or UC. But what is definite is that you should apply for new-style JSA, with that you can choose to stay on tax credits or claim UC instead.

Thank you v much

But would I even have a choice? Surely this change warrants automatic move to UC?

That's why people don't notify tax credits til renewal, hoping to find a job by then

I can confidently say I won’t find a new job in the next month!

"Surely this change warrants automatic move to UC?"

No it doesn't

You will lose working tax credits but could theoretically stay on child tax credits.

So I should apply for new style Jsa

And in respect to uc/tax credits?

"So I should apply for new style Jsa"
Yes

"And in respect to uc/tax credits?"
Do a "better off" calculation - you can do it yourself using an online tool eg Entitledto or Turn2us. Or you could contact Citizens Advice. You'll need your tax credits award letters, P60 for 2018-19 and payslips for the last 3 months.

Why doesn't it warrant an automatic move to UC, @Automatic Emma? That's good news (my job looks ropey too and UC is a lot less for me) but I thought it would count as a change of circumstance?