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Original poster

UC and adult son.

29 replies

tootiredtospeak · 23/02/2022 21:55

My son has ASD he has completed a college course and from it secured a PT job 10 hrs a week on 6.56 an hour. He wont earn much but is over the moon. College advisor has told us to apply for UC to top up his income as he is entitled to it. My question is is this right. He lives with me and my DP we earn 60k between us. He is a single adult living in our household with no children. When I have tried the online calculator it doesn't ask about mine or my partners income anywhere. I dont want to waste time applying and making him do the appointments if it's going to be a no as with ASD he finds that sort of thing stressful. But if it helps him be independent and gives him encouragement it might be worth it.

OP posts:
Imonlydoingwhatican · 23/02/2022 22:06

Hi, your son is a separate claim to yours, so your income is unlikely to impact his claim. You can try entitledto. To work out his entitlements especillay if he claims pip. My son claims pip and uc though hes not in work yet.

Original poster
tootiredtospeak · 23/02/2022 22:19

Thanks yes I have been on that and it does seem like he is entitled. I was just surprised it didnt ask about our income anywhere. He does get some PIP care element but I think when that's reviewed it will probably reduce as now he is working if he manages okay they will use that as a reason to reduce it.

OP posts:
RoyKentsChestHair · 23/02/2022 22:28

Tbh the claims process can be very stressful, it’s not as simple as just put in a claim and get money, he’ll have to keep filling in his online journal and keeping on top of it re how many hours they expect him to work and proving if he’s not able to work more hours etc. if you as a family don’t need the money it might not be worthy the aggravation for him to claim.

RaininSummer · 23/02/2022 23:02

Your income has no bearing on it but I agree that for the small amount he will receive in benefit, it may better for him to not claim. He would have to go to the job centre to meet with his work coach pretty much weekly to discuss how to get more work .

MrsMoastyToasty · 23/02/2022 23:07

PIP isn't a means tested benefit so earnings won't make a difference.

Creeping5Vin · 24/02/2022 02:31

If he is not working enough hours

He needs to claim something, because the National Insurance credits go towards state pension & other benefits

Thoosa · 24/02/2022 02:45

He’s an adult so a separate financial household to you and your finances have no bearing.

I won’t bore you with the details, but in his circumstances you might find he gets more money than you expect and less demands to meet. So be prepared to offset that with savings advice and a housekeeping money arrangement, so that he doesn’t get unhelpful expectations of discretionary spending capacity.

They’ll probably assess him for potentially having “limited capacity for work” because of his additional needs. That would mean additional money and fewer hoops to jump through.

Original poster
tootiredtospeak · 24/02/2022 07:39

Thanks everyone you have all summed up perfectly my concerns. Do I stress him by having to jump through hoops when we dont actually need the money. He himself uses very little money as his life experience is so limited. But his college tutor says that I am not helping him towards independence if I dont. He needs to understand that if he doesnt or cant work FT in his life that he will need to get used to the benefit process. I am his appointed representative for PIP and did it all as the last time we claimed he was 16 but not sure if it's the same for UC. Can I just do the stuff I have so far with the journal ect but I have shown him what I am doing. If they ask him he will just say he isnt bothered about money and whilst he would like to do more hours. It needs to be slowly slowly as he is only just getting used to the working environment and even his 10 hours at the minute is very new and quite stressful as it's all unknown.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 24/02/2022 10:26

Yes he can claim UC. If he does make a claim he will need to hand in sick notes and be assessed for limited capability for work if his health condition limits him being able to work full time.
It can take some months to be assessed but if awarded LCWRA then it would be well worth him claiming as would be well over £500 a month and he can still do a little work. You need to be aware they may ask him to work search until he has been assessed, however if you have a good work coach and are handing in sick notes hopefully they will not push him. You need to make it very clear how stress impacts him and not stand for any of their nonsense !

santasnothere · 24/02/2022 10:45

I get your points that he doesn't need the money and he's already got lots to deal with re the new job.

However if he's going to be independent in the future he needs to be able to learn and deal with his own administration and money.
Are there charities that can help?
I hate to say it, but one day you will be gone and your job as a parent to to get your child set up to deal with life without you.

He might surprise you at what he is capable of, and you are lucky you have time to assist him begin to learn about these things that are set up to support him

Original poster
tootiredtospeak · 24/02/2022 11:00

Sick notes from who though the doctor. He hasn't seen a doctor for a while was diagnosed years ago and after a Cahms assessment we have pretty much been left to ourselves.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 24/02/2022 11:08

@tootiredtospeak

Sick notes from who though the doctor. He hasn't seen a doctor for a while was diagnosed years ago and after a Cahms assessment we have pretty much been left to ourselves.
Yes Gp would need to provide a sick note to say he is not capable of full time work or is limited in what work he can do.
Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 11:18

If you are his official appointee you can make the UC claim on his behalf and handle his claim.

He will however be expected to increase his working hours, and you will need to meet regularly with his work coach if you don’t provide a fit note stating his health conditions.

If you provide a fit note he will have a work capability assessment which assesses his ability to work. He could be found:

  • Fit for work
  • having limited capability for work, where he’d be asked to undertake activities to prepare to work more hours, and would receive a work allowance meaning some of his earnings would be disregarded before it affects his UC payment.
  • awarded limited capability for work and work related activity - meaning he doesn’t need to look for work or work, but can do as he will get the work allowance, he would also get the disability element of UC.

PIP doesn’t affect his UC payment

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 11:19

A fit note doesn’t mean he will automatically be treated as having LCW/LCWRA he will need a work capability assessment to determine this.

His work coach should however tailor his commitments to his circumstances.

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 11:20

Not true. See my response above.

Jeanluc · 24/02/2022 11:22

Use one of the online calculators like entitledto and see what your son could possibly get before you go through all the stress to see if it would be worth it.

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 11:25

He would get the standard rate for a single person which is

Single and under 25 £257.33
Single and 25 or over £324.84

Then for every £1 in earnings £0.55 is deducted from his entitlement, he’ll only get the disability element if awarded LCWRA, if he had savings over £16k he won’t be eligible for UC

gogohm · 24/02/2022 11:51

His application is separate to yours, help him apply, he may not qualify but it doesn't hurt, plus if he wants to move out in a couple of years eg into supported living he would be in the system.

Of course the downside is the may pressure him to work more hours, something that may put him backwards so to speak. It's for that reason dd didn't claim, she couldn't cope with the pressure

HollowTalk · 24/02/2022 12:19

I think you should help him put in a claim. If he doesn't need to spend as much money as he receives, I'd get him to pay you rent and then save that money in an account in your name. If he has too much in savings, his UC will be affected. You can save the money for him and use it for whatever he needs in the future.

Original poster
tootiredtospeak · 24/02/2022 12:24

God it so confusing how much can he earn before it changes. So at the minute its 10 hours at 6.56. But in October he will be 21 and then its 10 hours at 9.81. Will that change things if it's just going to end in October I dont see the point but if as his appointee it's just me doing it and he isnt involved then that's no stress. I am used to it with the PIP forms and reviews.

OP posts:
Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 12:42

As long as he doesn’t have savings above £16k he is entitled.

His UC entitlement is £257.33
His earnings are roughly £262.4

For every £1 he earns his UC is reduced by 0.55

So:
0.55 x 262.4 = 144.32 is what his UC is reduced by

257.33 - 144.32 = 113.01

He would receive £113.01 from UC

Original poster
tootiredtospeak · 24/02/2022 12:47

Thanks so when his pay goes to £392 £9.81 x 10 hrs it would be reduced by £215 yes so then only £42.

That seems pointless then

OP posts:
Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 12:50

When his earnings go up he’ll receive approx £41.51

It’s worth applying and submitting a fit note as if he’s awarded LCW or LCWRA he’ll get to keep his UC as he gets a work allowance which means he can earn £557 before it affects his UC payment so nothing would be deducted if he earns less than this each month.

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 12:51

Also if he’s awarded LCWRA he’ll get the disability element of UC plus the work allowance

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 24/02/2022 12:53

Word if warning though the work capability assessments can take months to be completed

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