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.

I’m on child tax credit and quite worried about the ‘gap’. Can anyone work out the best time for me to start the uc claim please?
I get paid from my job on the 25th monthly.
I get tax credit 4 weekly, the December payment is due on 18 December.
The deadline to apply for Uc on my migration letter is 26 jan.
when do you think I should apply for UC?

Am I right that it would probably be on the day of the January tax credit payment? Or is that too late

As a carer on UC you have no work commitments so won't be asked to look for more hours.

Would @Fluttermummy not need to be getting the Carer Element, or at least doing the 35 hours caring, in order to be placed in the No Work Related Requirements group?

Yes she would need to be caring for 35 hours a week but sounds like she easily is if she is working reduced hours to care for her son who is on MR care component of DLA. She doesn't need to be claiming carers allowance to claim carers element.

Do you get deductions for children's savings over £16,000?

Savings that belong to your children are disregarded.

Only savings that count towards the £6/£16k limits result in tariff income.

I'm still unsure whether I need to declare my child's savings for them to then be disregarded. Or do I not need to declare them at all?

He has premium bonds and savings accounts. I'm honestly not sure whose name they're in as my ex husband looks after them.

I'm unsure of this aswell. My son has premium bonds which are in his name , but I'm the responsible person. He turns 16 next August so he'll be responsible for them himself

Can anyone help with this?
I'm in my 40s, single parent to two teenagers. I have a full time 'job' as the PhD. It is funded by AHRC, I receive a stipend each month of £1557. My contract says I cannot do any more than 6 hours a week other paid work. Sometimes I do the odd day of supply teaching.
I'm on Tax Credits based on my HMRC PAYE results which only showed income of 11k last financial year (6 months teaching before I started the PhD).
The stipend is non-taxable. I don't declare it to TC as it says they only want Taxable income.

I've had the migration letter for December, and don't know what to do. I read about a woman who had to repay years and years of TC when they decided they did want the stipend included (she is being asked for about £12k I think).

Anyone experience of being a FT student, parent and either TC or UC?

Thanks, I'm very worried. I fall into a gap - can't do paid work, can't apply for student finance, can't receive UC.

@PhDtax There is something here saying you will be protected if already a student and moved to UC under managed migration…
Not sure about the stuff you read about them claiming TC back - if you’ve been claiming according to the rules so far then that wouldn’t happen I’m sure x
https://revenuebenefits.org.uk/universal-credit/guidance/existing-tax-credit-claimants/managed-migration/transitional-protection/

@Candlestickchic
It is here - every time I speak to HMRC they give different advice about the stipend being counted or not, it's so confusing.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/jul/10/phd-student-hit-with-17000-bill-by-dwp-after-universal-credit-error

Having completed my migration and declared my savings I have to attend the jobcentre tomorrow with the last 3 months statements from all my accounts. It's been a real pain as my main savings and current account are app only and my printer doesn't have wireless connectivity so I've had to download the statements to my phone and attach to an email that I could access on the laptop to print them out. (of course I needed new ink and had to do a considerable amount of printer wrangling to achieve this😆)
And the app hasn't yet generated downloadable statements for September, hoping it'll be there in the morning, otherwise they'll have to scroll through my transactions on my phone! 😬
One of my savings accounts is a Help to Save account which only produces an annual statement so I've printed the most recent from June and a screenshot of the current balance, hopefully that's sufficient.

I'm really nervous! It's bringing back memories of the hoops I had to jump through to claim JSA when exh left, and the horrible woman who was my job coach then who threatened to sanction me if I didn't stay for my appt when she was running over an hour late and I told them I had to leave to pick up my 5 and 6yo up from school.

I've also had a final award notice from TC which says they've overpaid me by about £400 😕 I don't dispute it, I'm sure it's right but I assume that it will be reclaimed via my UC? as it says they will inform DWP of the amount. Does anyone know if that'll be as a lump sum or as smaller monthly amounts? Thanks

The overpayment will need to be paid back gradually. I think it's something like 25% of your standard element that they can take back each month but may be wrong on this. They won't take it back all in one go.

Thanks @Babyroobs that's good to know

I keep checking my emails for an update. They say a decision by 27th October. I’m assuming they’ll email me nearer that date?

@Rummikub My decision date is 16th October with a payment date of 20th I think and they only thing I've had so far is the appt to show my savings. They only requested that last Monday evening and gave me less than 48hrs notice to attend on Weds while I would be at work, so I replied through my journal that I could only get there after 3pm so they changed it to tomorrow as that was first available slot after 3pm, so if you're 11 days after me then you might get an appt soon. I guess it depends on individual jobcentres though?

Ah thank you @blueripple that helps. They notify you to check by email?

I work in a different city and I hope there’s flexibility about appointment times. I couldn’t take leave with short notice as I have pre booked appointments.

@Rummikub I got 2 emails, one saying I had an appointment and the time and another saying check your journal. The detail about what the appointment was for (ie bank statements) was in the journal. I was surprised how little notice I got initially, but i just said I was unable to attend that appointment as I couldn't leave work in time to get there but could do anytime after 3pm and they just changed it. I'm a school cook so my hours are not flexible either. 100 kids have to be fed at lunchtime and cleared up after, I can't just leave the washing up for another day!

Date top right is 26 sept

@Freezinghot

@blueripple ok good to know it’s safe just to look out for emails.

Good that they just changed the appointment.

Is there a reason why they ask to see bank statements for savings if you've openly declared you have over £16k? I'm just trying to work out whether I should order paper statements just incase.