UC total nightmare - can anyone advise?

[Temm]

I used to get about £600 a month tax credits, but then was managed onto UC in April. I thought that if you were forced off legacy benefits and onto UC that you would get transitional protection so as not to be substantially worse off? Since March I have only earnt approx £1,300 due to an extended period of illness (which has coincided with being moved to UC) and to date, I have received a grand total of £129 from UC, £0 for April, £24 for May and £125 for June. I am a single parent with 2 teenagers...it cannot possibly be the correct award, how do we survive on that?? I have just had my monthly interview at the job centre/benefit office and my coach is adamant that it is correct. What on earth do I do??

I'd be looking for a better job!

Did you not get sick pay?

It doesn't sound right to me. UC goes on monthly earnings so if you're not earning you should be getting a lot more than £125. I think if they're insisting this is correct you should speak to Citizens Advice and double check.

@ForeverFriendsAndPierrot No sick pay, zero hours contract, pay is good when Im working but I have been off work due to illness.

Well that's the risk with zero hours, as I said, I'd look for a proper job!

You won't be getting UC for that much longer anyway

@ForeverFriendsAndPierrot Why won't I be getting UC for much longer?

How old are your teenagers? If they stay in education until they are 18 you will keep getting the child element.

Rolling my eyes at the get a proper job comment. I am on a zero hour contract. I had to call in sick yesterday but luckily UC should make up the difference. You need to check your statements to check it is check. It doesn't sound right to me.

Roll your eyes all you like
Won't put money in the bank will it?

Check your statement. You should have a single standard element, 2 childrens elements and then if you pay rent, a rent element. Are they all there?

There will be plenty of reasons she might not be able to get another job.Are you going to give OP some more useful advice then?

I also want to know why you think OP won't get it much longer?

If you were getting ssp then on UC this is treated the same as earnings so that would give you more UC as you would still get the Uc work allowance ( an amount which is disregarded before earnings reduce your UC ). However if no ssp ( possibly because a zero hours job) then UC would be a lot less but it sounds like something is wrong. Do you have rent to pay?

Two starter questions:

1. Do you pay rent for your home. if so how much?
2. What were your earnings in the Assessment Periods for which you quote the UC payable?

With those I can do a back of the envelope cross check.

It sounds like possibly your childrens elements aren't on the claim? If they are missing you would also not have the work allowance. Can you post your statement obscuring any identifying details?

Are your teenagers still in full-time education?
Can you look at the breakdown of your awards?

@Babyroobs Yes, thanks, having checked it seems that I haven't got the children's element. This is just one more thing in a very long line of mistakes made by the benefit office since I was migrated 🙄

@Bromptotoo Earnings were about £1300 across the last 3 months, most of that was April's work that was paid in May. No rent to pay. Thanks.

@Temm

So MAx UC (what the law says you need to live on) is Standard All ce £368.74 plus Kids * 2 £584.58 = 953.32. If earnings (net) were £1300 in just one AP then £1300 less Work Allcce (631) = £669 taper at 55p means UC reduced by £367.95.

Monthly payment £585.37

Thanks @Bromptotoo That looks a bit better! I have contacted the office to challenge their decision.

@Temm, they need to explain why they think it's right. Not sufficient to assert that it is - you want the numbers.

What does your UC account say about how your award is made up?

@Bromptotoo It does say standard single person's allowance. This is how they calculated my UC for the month I was actually paid (I do have savings that they have deducted an amount for.)

Earnings reported by your employer
£1,192.25. The amount we'll use to work out your Universal Credit is £1,192.25
Your total take-home pay for this period is £1,192.25
Every £1.00 you earn in take-home pay reduces your Universal Credit by 55 pence.
Savings and investments minus‑ £169.65
We take money off your payment for any savings, investments or capital that you have over £6000.
Total deductions minus‑ £825.39

Does your award include a child element?

I guess not as you're not getting a Work Allowance.

How old are your teenagers?

If over 16 are they still in non advanced education (ie A level equivalent or below)?

Do you get Child Benefit for them?

Are their and care/custody issues with (eg) their father which might meant DWP have competing claims?

Op has said in her comments above that he child element is missing off the claim.

@Bromptotoo It doesn't mention any child element, no. One is 13, the other 17 and still in full time education. Yes I do get child benefit. Ex has them some weekends, I don't know if this is relevant?

Thanks, I saw that initially but didn't recall it when posting later.

Question of why though is still open.

Cock up, something overlooked/not done or unusual circs for@Temm

Question for UC then is why no Child Element.

Did you use the managed migration link to move across and do they acknowledge that every month they are supposed to therefore be recalculating your award manually?