Universal credit managed migration thread

[ChristmasCatBells]

Anyone else waiting for a migration notice this year?
Looks like they are planning to move people on tax credits only onto universal credit this year but haven't released any detailed timetables about areas.
Thought it might be useful to share experiences and information on here for those affected.

Googling seems to say they’re paid in arrears? Tax credits.

I'm sure TC (and all benefits) are paid in arrears.

I really hope you’re right Clementine.

I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. And be hopeful.

Well I think I'm going to cancel my claim tbh.
The verify my identity appointment was fine but the amount of bank statements they require is ridiculous. I tried to explain that some savings accounts only give a statement once a year and you can't just produce statements whenever you fancy. The lady suggested taking screen shots of the last three months. The amount of paper involved would be ridiculous. And I would need to print out at the library which hardly seems like a good idea in terms of security with all the other people around.
It's probably just unfortunate that I have money in different current accounts and saving accounts and also a few are my kids which are in trust until they are 18.
The lady implied she would need to scan them all and upload them so even that doesn't seem very secure. I know a previous poster mentioned them just glancing at them so not sure why it would be different at my job centre.
My advise to anyone who has not yet received their migration notice is to simplify your banking. Just one or two accounts at the most.

@spacechimp79
I just printed off my most recent statement of each account from my banking app inbox. I did have to go to a family member's house as I don't have a printer but it's only a one off. They only looked at them to see that it was approximately the figures I had given for each account number.

Reading this thread makes me happy that I’m paying tax so people on UC or tax credits can accumulate savings. 🙄

@EmeraldFox they honestly expect the last 3 months transactions of each account. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the last statement!
Glad your appointment went okay. Did they not scan and upload your bank statements like I was told?

What if they need a new freezer or car repairs? Are people on benefits not allowed anything more than the bare minimum? £6k isn't actually that significant to be honest.

I have 5 bank accounts. Males budgeting easier. They're going to hate me.

You know the majority of people claiming these benefits also pay tax?

You are not special

6k savings for emergencies isn't a huge amount. I don't have pets, holidays, drink, go out, smoke, have takeaways etc. If my car or boiler breaks I have just enough to get it repaired, although I don't have enough for a new car.

my tc claim ended on 20th September. I'm not applying for UC as it not worth it for the little I get and I am increasing my hours in October so won't be entitled to anything then anyway. My last tc payment was 7th September. Does anyone know, Will I get a tc payment from 7th sept - 20th sept

Damn it wish I’d read this re showing multiple statements. I have a couple hundred in a savings account o should’ve just moved it and shut it. Is it too late now? That’s an annual statement one. My emergency money has been decimated so last years will be higher than now. What should I do?

@whyalwayyou that’s what I was wondering too. It depends if tax credits are paid in arrears or in advance and some sites say in arrears so would hope yo you'd get something. I imagine they’ll check your entitlement for the period and then pay or recoup.

Blimey yes just what I was thinking. People on Uc cannot have more than 16k savings though or they would not be eligible. However people on tax have really been able to have as much in savings as they can and still be eligible. Now that they are swapping over to UC they will have transitional protection for 12 months but if still have over 16k savings after the 12 months they will no longer qualify for UC. The whole system has been a mess for many years which is why it is finally changing.

I'm a childminder and UC don't allow you the same expenses as HMRC do, so you basically have to do two sets of accounts. Because of these expenses, I'll only get a tiny amount of UC, whereas the TC payments are quite a lot.

Does anyone know what happens if you don't apply? Do the TC payments just end and nothing happens or do you have to do another review and pay any back or whatever?

All these people saying it's not worth their time to bother migrating Says it all about the state of the old system.

No, they only checked the balances against what I had previously declared. I wasn't asked for three months, just proof of capital.

For me, it's not worth losing a day's pay to attend an appointment, to get a fifth of that in a payment, for all the effort you have to go to, to beg and prove that you are entitled to it.

What does it say about the old system? Because actually the UC system is the one more people are suffering under. There are so many flaws in it - that never happened with TCs.

You didn't mean the state of it for the user though, did you? You juts meant you have heard some people were better off on the old system. That's not the case throughout though. People at the bottom of the pile have been pushed further.

Having an I come low enough to be able to claim tax credits didn't really lend itself to being able to save huge amounts of money every month, despite what some might think.

I earn £2k a month after tax, NI, and pension contributions and get a UC top up. I was dreading migration as I assumed I would get much less but it's actually been OK so far. Monthly I get about the same amount and I've found the system less complicated than TC so far. I have a small amount in savings for car repairs and household stuff so I'm expecting my payments to be less from next July when they take that into consideration.

@honestyisnotthebestpolicy

It’s not fair to say more people are suffering under UC. Some people will be worse off on UC once their transitional protection has ended, some people won’t qualify at all. Some people will find they’re better off on UC.

The fact that some people are choosing not to migrate shows tax credits up for the abuse they have allowed. If you can decide it’s not worth your hassle, clearly you didn’t need the help that much after all. Those genuinely in need will of course not have the luxury of not bothering.

UC has its flaws yes, but they are learning and will hopefully continue to improve. It was never going to be easy to overhaul the system. It is a far better system than tax credits and all the other benefits it has replaced. There is much less room for error (claimant and DWP).

UC is a real time, reactive, benefit which will be a huge improvement for tax credit claimants in particular.

To those complaining about having savings on TC. I apologise for trying to manage my money best as I can and putting away £10 a week in an emergency account for any disasters or £20 a week so I can pay for my car service and tax/ insurance.
Yes silly me I should have spent it all straight away on anything else.
How dare I try to manage my money as best I can.

I've got to migrate before end of Jan.. really really dreading it!
I do seasonal work, places i work and sell at are closed in Jan Feb, so i'm very worried as to how a monthly claim will pan out (as opposed to the year)
I did think about not bothering, but concerned they might want TC back if i do that.

This exactly. I totally agree about the abuse on tax credits, people working minimal hours in hobby jobs to get generously topped up by wtc for years on end, overpayments galore, having thousands in the bank and it not mattering because tax credits are only calculated on income. Sorry but it had to stop ! Many many people are better off on UC and some aspects of it like being able to claim a carers element even if you are over the earnings threshold for carers allowance, and the fact that there is no non dependent deduction for young people living at home until they are 21 has a big impact on helping vulnerable families and helping young people stay in the family home without impacting parents benefits for a few years until they find their feet.