Moving from tax credits to universal credit

[elliejjtiny]

I've been dreading this for years but it's coming sooner rather than later. Dh and I are both disabled but not severe enough to get pip. We have 5 dc with disabilities (disclaimer: only 1 was diagnosed when youngest was born and youngest was the result of contraception failure x2). 1 dc gets pip, 2 get dla, other 2 not disabled enough to qualify. I get carers allowance. Dh works self employed. We would be financially better off if dh didn't work but hoping that working will be better in the long term.

How will the move to universal credit affect us? I'm worried about the admin side of things as both of us really struggle with that and also will they force dh to go back to being employed again as he earns less than full time minimum wage at the moment? He doesn't qualify for carers allowance but he does a lot of caring for the dc, especially dc1.

You might find you are better off on UC as some families with disabled DC are.

You will get
Standard allowance - £578.82
First child - £315
2nd-5th child - £269.58 x4 (assuming DC all born before 6/4/17)
Disability element x3 - £456.89 or £146.31 each depending on rate of PIP and DLA
Carer element x2 - £185.86 x2 (assuming DC on PIP gets the daily living component and at least 1 DC on DLA gets MRC or HRC you and DH can get this element even if DH doesn’t claim carer’s allowance.)
Housing element if you rent

The work allowance (£379 or £631 depending on whether you have a housing element or not) will be deducted from DH’s earnings. The remaining amount will be multiplied by 0.55 then deducted from the total award. Carer’s allowance is then deducted £ for £.

If DH has the carer element he won’t have work commitments.

Thankyou. All the dc were born before 2017. Dc1 gets pip, I think they call it the standard rate, it's the lower one anyway. Youngest 2 get dla. One gets high rate care, the other gets middle rate care and both get low rate mobility.

You’ll most likely be better off (we were and in a v v similar situation to you)
good luck

So you will get 2 disabled child elements at £146.31 and one at £456.89. Both you and DH will both be eligible for the carer element.

If you have childcare costs you can also get a childcare element as part of your award to claim back up to 85% up to a maximum of £1,108.04.

@ThomasWasTortured hi my two children get high rate care, very complex needs, my partner cares for one and I care for another but we only claim 1 carers allowance (me), are we both able to claim carers allowance? Both care for more than 35 hours per child per week. Wasn't sure if uc allow 2 parents to care for one child each, (each child in receipt of high care dla each).

@Autismum4 you can both claim carer’s allowance (subject to you both meeting the eligibility criteria), one of you can claim for child A and the other for child B.

For UC you can both have the carer element. Again, one for child A and the other for child B.

Thank you so much @ThomasWasTortured me and my husband have been struggling juggling care as they both need so much supervision and paying private nanny's. We would financially be better off if we both was able to commit to caring for them one each. Private nanny fees are so expensive, would not recommend :-(

Hi Everyone! Just received the migration letter today and have to apply before 7th of February. Does this mean i can even apply on the 6th Feb or even 7th Feb ? Also, i get paid on the 11th of every month for the previous month work i-e 1st Jan to 31st Jan work, i will get paid on the 11th Feb. Please can you advise what date should i apply as i am planning to apply closest to the due date which is 7th Feb.

My Child Tax credit Payments will be 17th November - 15th December and 12th January.

Any helpful advice would be very much appreciated

I think i should apply for UC on the 13th January so that i can get the Tax credit payment on the 12th Jan and then first UC payment on the 20th of February. If i get paid on the 11th of each month and sometimes on the 10th & 9th due to Bank holiday etc, i think i am safe from getting 2 payments in 1 assessment period ? Correct ?