Tax credits or universal credit

[bellbaeu]

Hi I currently receive working tax credit and chid tax credit, due to my hours being reduced at work I am now able to claim housing benefit.

I spoke to my local housing office and they have advised to claim housing benefit I will need to claim universal credit now instead of tax credits.

My question is has anyone else changed from tax credits to universal credits. Did you find yourself worse off or better off?
I've heard quite a lot of people complain about universal credits so just after a bit of advice please.

Have you any savings? Because over £6000 and they start to reduce your UC entitlement. How many hours are you working as with UC they can make you apply for jobs to make it up to full time hours.

You could get advice at the CAB and do those online benefits calculators. Council tax benefit is separate to housing benefit and UC so you can apply for that from your council.

Yes, savings will be taken into account and if you have no health conditions, your children not tiny and you are not a Carer, you'll need to sign a commitment to undertake work related activity up to 35 hours.

You'll be offered an advance payment of around the amount of your first payment. This is an interest free loan

There's other stuff to be considered as well.

For queries, contact the UC helpline on 0800 3285644.

Some people are better off on Uc some worse. the work commitments part of Uc is harder - lone parents are no longer able to work 16 hours and be topped up. Once your youngest child is 12 you are expected to be earning 35x nmw although how much they enforce this rule I don't know. The work allowances on UC ( the amount of wages that is disregarded before earnings reduce your UC) that you receive if you have kids I think are pretty generous.

Thanks for your replies. I'm currently on maternity leave and due back in January when I will be doing the reduced hours. My new hours will be 17.5 a week.

I have a 16 month old and a 4 month old. Also a lone parent! (Babies dad decided to walk 6 weeks ago)

Also I don't have any savings now

I would really encourage you to join the Facebook group universal credits essential. There are some very knowledgable people on there who can help.
The turn 2 us type calculators can be very out but they have a calculator that is pretty spot on.

Thank you. I've just joined.
I did the entitled to calculator and that said I would be better off but still unsure.
I have made a claim but now I'm worried I've don't the wrong thing.

My rent and council tax at the moment are more than my monthly wage, whilst on maternity. That's the reason I've made the claim!

Sounds lihe you've made the right choice then.