Universal Credit. So confused.

[Laiste]

So i'll try and keep this brief:

DH self employed builder.
Me - stay at home mum to 8 yr old. (Also help disabled DM 84 who lives with us).
We're all happy with this.

DH injured his hamstring 6 weeks ago and had 5 weeks off work.
DH can now work but reduced hours/capacity and i have to drive him and pick him up again (3 hours a day).
DH has asked UC if they could help with the 5 weeks lost wages and any current shortfall.
This used to be called ESA.

He made his claim and it's grinding slowly into action, but UC are asking me to commit to looking for work.

What happens now? I'm not looking for work? They want me to do a commitment interview ... But i'm not looking ?? Do i have to look?

Can anyone shed any light?

Just to add - we're spending a fortune in petrol because of the 3 hours a day driving (me taking DH, coming home, picking up DH, coming home) so i asked in my journal if the appt. they made for me tomorrow can be by telephone to save me yet another half an hours driving just for that. But i haven't had an answer yet.

I can't get a straight answer from anyone about what they want from me.

I imagine that is correct, yes, given the age of your child. I think it's over the age of 3 and you're expected to fulfil work requirements. If you're a carer for your mum, though, you might be exempt from the work requirements criteria.

With a school ages child they would expect you to look for at least 25 hours of work. And spend 25 hours a week looking.
Unless you’re a carer in an official capacity?

Presume its a joint claim then essentially as UC, so yes with a chilf that age you shoulf be looking for work if you want UC payments

If DH has claimed UC, then you are assessed as a couple. If you are both of working age, then both are expected to be looking for work; it is part of the claimant commitment. ESA still exists for people who have significant health issues that prevents them working (in simple terms). UC includes elements for child care and Carer Allowance.

OK thanks.

Re: mum. I'm not an official carer for mum, she needs me on a random basis. Her shopping obvs. But one day i might need to do nothing, and the next she'll need me or have a fall ect.

Re: work. I have to be looking for work for DH to get 'sick pay'?

Short term sick pay at that.

Honestly if he’s already back at work it might not be worth the bother. You both will have to sign up to the UC commitments. He may have provide sick/fit notes to prove he can only do less hours. But as a couple without you being a carer or tiny children you will be expected work set hours between you. OR you job seek for the required hours to make up the claim. If you don’t jump all hoops your claim may get sanctions and benefits will be partly removed.

How much care does your mum
Need? Is she getting attendance allowance? Thai would mean extra household income plus remove you from having to job seek/work.

If your mum is on a disability benefit and you spend 35 hours a week caring for her then report a change on your journal to say that you are a carer. This will then exempt you from work searching or having any appointments. It will also give you an extra carers element on your Uc claim.
You have probably been called for a work commitments appointment due to your dh's earnings being low over the past few weeks. Ordinarily if his earnings are above a certain point you would be in the light touch group.
UC first payment is one month and seven days after the date you made the claim. You can ask for an advance payment to tide you over if you are struggling until first payment.

@Laiste

OK thanks.

Re: mum. I'm not an official carer for mum, she needs me on a random basis. Her shopping obvs. But one day i might need to do nothing, and the next she'll need me or have a fall ect.

Re: work. I have to be looking for work for DH to get 'sick pay'?

He could have claimed New style ESA ( contributions based) ESA instead but not worth it now if he is back at work. Whether you get any Uc will depend on his earnings in the first monthly assessment period.

Thank you.

Right.

Mind's boggling a bit lol.

Mum doesn't get disability ben. i'm pretty sure. Would that be means tested? She's got a lot of savings.

DH prepared to provide sick notes. He's spoken to the GP twice and we've paid for 3 private chiropractor appts.

''Ordinarily if his earnings are above a certain point you would be in the light touch group.''
Is that the official term?
I do remember someone gabbling about once DH logs a certain wage they might not need to see me.

Sorry. I'm clueless!

We've been fortunate enough to not need to go near the benefits system for a good few years now. Last dealings with it was housing ben. (before UC) Not good - we ended up having to pay them back a fortune even though we'd carefully submitted details of every penny of DHs self employed earnings every year and the wage i was on back then.

@Laiste

Thank you.

Right.

Mind's boggling a bit lol.

Mum doesn't get disability ben. i'm pretty sure. Would that be means tested? She's got a lot of savings.

DH prepared to provide sick notes. He's spoken to the GP twice and we've paid for 3 private chiropractor appts.

''Ordinarily if his earnings are above a certain point you would be in the light touch group.''
Is that the official term?
I do remember someone gabbling about once DH logs a certain wage they might not need to see me.

No a disability benefit would not be means tested - a disability benefit would be PIP/ DLA or Attendance allowance. you cannot claim Uc carers element without her having one of those benefits in place.

Yes light touch is the work commitments group you would be in if he earns above £550 ( I think) a month.

I would just keep the commitments appointment and look for work if they ask. Once his earnings are increased, they may review it.

In hindsight it may have been better for him to have claimed new style ESA but it's too late now if he is back at work.

In hindsight it may have been better for him to have claimed new style ESA but it's too late now if he is back at work.

Hindsight is wonderful :)

We'd have gone to a physio right at the start and he wouldn't have carried on working for 2 bloody weeks in agony and do even more damage to himself than he needed to!
sorry. rant!

Yeah he did a 4 hour day on Tue and Friday of last week and today he's trying a whole day. He's hoping to get this week in.

I don't think mum gets any disability ben. I 90% sure she wouldn't even want to apply ... that's a whole new kettle of fish!

Thank you for your help here.

I'll have the phone call tomorrow and perhaps say that i can look for TA work or something. Used to do that. Was going to go back but pandemic hit - wary now because DM living with us.

ESA may still be an option - it's now contribution based only but does still exist. He may still be eligible if he's working less that 16 hrs per week and earning under £152 per week (this tax year). He will have to have paid enough NI in last two full tax years (19/20 and 20/21). ESA can also be backdated by up to three months. It's paid at £77 per week (maybe more after work capability assessment). It's in the claimants name only so no requirement for you to work.

If staying on UC and caring for mum, mum should apply for Attendance Allowance (AA) and you can be her carer as PP have says then you are not required to work and will get extra amount of UC. I'd actually recommend claiming Carer's Allowance as this can be backdated to start if Mum's AA claim (or 3 months if she already receives AA).

Even if not officially a carer, UC should still take into account your caring responsibilities when setting your work requirements eg by lowering the number of hours they expect you to work.

Self employed earnings don't count towards light touch regime. Your DH would have to be earning over your joint conditionally earnings threshold for you to not have to work (unless you meet one of the other "exemptions".

Have you claimed Council Tax Support?

If he does claim ESA though ( it does sound like he may already be doing over 16 hours ?? ), it would come straight off any Uc claim , so he wouldn't be any better off by claiming it. If you have rent to pay, kids etc, UC will still be likely to pay you more, but you they can be claimed alongside each other.
I think in your situation it sounds like it's just going to be short term, you may just get some help from Uc this month and then not qualify once he is back working normally. Depends how quickly he builds back up to work really. Same with council tax reduction - if only for a few weeks you may not feel it's worth it.

Thank you @WelfareRights.

Perhaps we will look into ESA instead. I don't know if it's worth it now at this point.

DH earns up to 1k on a normal week. It depends what he's building and on the weather. He'll do a 7 hour day today, I've spoken to him and he's doing ok, so prob do tomorrow as well. Rest Wed, back on Thu? I don't know. I think we're out of the threshold already.

No we haven't claimed council tax support.
As i say we shy away from claiming anything. It bites us on the arse!

With the disability ben for mum, is it aimed at covering costs incurred from specific health probs? She has a blue badge. That's as far as we've looked into anything for her tbh.

@Laiste

Thank you *@WelfareRights*.

Perhaps we will look into ESA instead. I don't know if it's worth it now at this point.

DH earns up to 1k on a normal week. It depends what he's building and on the weather. He'll do a 7 hour day today, I've spoken to him and he's doing ok, so prob do tomorrow as well. Rest Wed, back on Thu? I don't know. I think we're out of the threshold already.

No we haven't claimed council tax support.
As i say we shy away from claiming anything. It bites us on the arse!

With the disability ben for mum, is it aimed at covering costs incurred from specific health probs? She has a blue badge. That's as far as we've looked into anything for her tbh.

It’s designed to help towards costs but they don’t take into account those costs when assessing eligibility. Eligibility is based on “care needs” and frequency but you don’t need to actually be receiving help for those needs to be taken into account.

For example, if Mum struggles to get in and out of bed and has to do in stages for example and she has to go to the toilet in the night three times, getting in and out of bed each time, that would count as care needs even if no one actually helped her.

You need to basically write as much as possible down including all the extra things she does ti manage normal day to day things and any aids and adaptations. If she has a blue badge, she’s 86 and you are providing care already she’ll probably qualify as it’s likely she’s doing lots of things at home to cope with normal daily activities already.

If you are not sure then contact Age U.K. or Citizens Advice for help completing the form. Ask if you can see someone specifically trained in disability form filing.

You can then claim carers allowance even if not claiming UC.

Good luck.

If he's self employed and not paid the right conts he won't qualify for esa conts so you may end up back in the uc cycle anyway.

@Laiste

Thank you *@WelfareRights*.

Perhaps we will look into ESA instead. I don't know if it's worth it now at this point.

DH earns up to 1k on a normal week. It depends what he's building and on the weather. He'll do a 7 hour day today, I've spoken to him and he's doing ok, so prob do tomorrow as well. Rest Wed, back on Thu? I don't know. I think we're out of the threshold already.

No we haven't claimed council tax support.
As i say we shy away from claiming anything. It bites us on the arse!

With the disability ben for mum, is it aimed at covering costs incurred from specific health probs? She has a blue badge. That's as far as we've looked into anything for her tbh.

1 k a week ?? Do you have savings ? If so they will affect any UC.

@TooManyPJs thank you for all that info. :) It sounds as if she could qualify - i'll see what she says.

@ArnoldBee he's up to date with his nat ins conts and taxes.

@Babyroobs it's not 52 weeks a year though. If we go on holiday he doesn't get paid. If too poorly to go in he doesn't get paid. He doesn't get paid for bank holidays or xmas hols. If the weather is v wet, v windy or below 3 degrees he can't work. The site closes for a day or two if the muck runs out or the fork lift breaks or if there's a supply problem with the bricks or if the powers that be decide its inspection day. He has to pay for all his own tools ect. Just the disc cutter for eg. breaks with alarming regularity - £300 gone.

Savings - we're renovating our house and our savings buffer goes up and down. We only have a tiny mortgage but unfortunately our buffer was a bit low when he injured himself. We got shafted by a shoddy plumber. Long story!

Oh and they've totally ignored my message in my journal asking to make it a phone appt. to save us petrol money.

I sent message on sunday aft. and today at 3 ish a short message above mine from a named member of staff (ie not comp generated) said ''don't forget your appt. on 5th at x town jobcenter''.

@Laiste

Oh and they've totally ignored my message in my journal asking to make it a phone appt. to save us petrol money.

I sent message on sunday aft. and today at 3 ish a short message above mine from a named member of staff (ie not comp generated) said ''don't forget your appt. on 5th at x town jobcenter''.

That will just be an automated message that has been sent. It can take a few days for them to read and respond to journal messages. Work coaches can have hundred of clients to oversee.

Oh well - they said tell us as soon as poss and i tried. Perhaps they'll spot it tomorrow.