Universal Credit payments

[Hbear2016]

Hello, if I may have some help with understanding it all, i would be most grateful.

After a year or so of mental health issues and non communicative partner, I am going back to work again. My Partner (we live together) and I have a DS who’s 5. My partner has been claiming universal credit but I’m not on the claim (i wasn’t earning and we weren’t doing anything dodgy, i just didn’t want to get involved probably to our detriment).

Anywho… I’ve a new job that starts next week and I’m feeling much better about things, but my OH is now mentioning that I need to go on the claim and he’s worried it’s all going to be lower. Im also taking a second job soon as my OH was moaning we’re massively in the red and obviously the bills are increasing…. So I’ve tried to work it all out to reassure him, but I’m getting a bit confused so if anyone might be able to help to project what we’ll get together, I’d really appreciate it.

incomings
HIM
PIP (the middle one with the lower travel element)

ME
incomings (estimated)
job 1 £1000
Job 2 £500

as mentioned we have a 5 year old (born in 2016)

Thank you!

Best to go to entitled to website and put in your numbers. It’ll vary massively depending on whether you have rent/ childcare costs.

When you go on the claim ask if you can have help with travel for first month till you get paid.

You would have got more if you were on the original claim as there would have been an allowancefor both of you, you could have even got more support for your illness. Is your child on that claim?
Yes you need to be added and you should have been on the first one, it would have asked if your partner lives with a partner so he would have lied on his claim.
You (its not just support for him) won't necessarily get any lower being added to the claim, as others have said - you should enter your figures into a benefits calculator to get a rough idea of what you may be entitled to.

"My partner has been claiming universal credit but I’m not on the claim (i wasn’t earning and we weren’t doing anything dodgy, i just didn’t want to get involved probably to our detriment)."

Has your partner been claiming as a single person while you've been living together? That's not allowed - you don't get to choose whether to be added to the claim or not.

Your overall Universal Credit will be lower once you're on the claim. If you earn £1500 per month, they take between £740 and £825 away from the Universal Credit claim (it's 55% of that net amount, but I wasn't sure if the £1500 you stated was before or after tax). But that will still leave you £675-£760 better off per month.

Have you lived together for the entirety of the claim? If so then you really should have been on it from the start. The form asks if you are married or living with someone 'as if you
were married'. If he hasn't put you on and is claiming as a single person whilst living with you and your child then that's benefit fraud. Honestly, I'm not hoiking up my judgey pants or trying to frighten you, I could have got the total wrong end of the stick but it's something to bear in mind and get sorted quickly.

Thank you. Looking to get it sorted in the next couple of days.

From my point of view, I just have to deal with it going forward. Life’s been a bit tough of late. I know officially it wouldn’t be a defence, but in the last year, my Mums almost died following heart surgery, my BFF got diagnosed with a terminal illness, my dad broke his hip, big relationship problems, domestic abuse, police complaints for mishandling domestic abuse… I could go on… but I shan’t!

Obviously needs sorting and I’m now in a better place to do so, finally. I just couldn’t cope with it before.

What were you and your child living off if you weren't working and weren't on your partner's claim?

Not a lot!! My parents have helped me out massively… they knew how bad I was and it’s in their financial means to do so.

I know it’s not great and I need to get things straight, which is what I’m trying to do.