Migration to UC And Housing Benefits

[SummerIsDismal]

Surely this can't be right?? I am awaiting my migration letter so did a quick check to look at the figures. Here is roughly what I discovered (by 2 different benefit checkers) -
Current Tax Credit
Weekly £102
Council Tax - £11
Rent - £45.00
Universal Credit
Weekly - £105
Council Tax - £3
Rent - £0
So as I will be down £50. A week. They will be basically not be paying any of my rent anymore and they will no longer be taking claims direct from the council (like I do now). It also appears from the figures I read that I will no longer be eligible for free prescriptions/glasses/dentist.
For the record I currently work part time due to disabilities and claim lower rate PIP.
Any words of wisdom from anyone?

If you get Housing Benefit now that should translate into a Housing Cost Element in UC.

What sort of tenancy do you have?

I don't understand form those figures how it's been worked out. Uc is made up of elements. If you pay rent there will be a rent element on your claim along with a standard element for yourself and if you have kids then a child/ children's element/ s. The whole Uc award is then reduced by your earnings. A certain amount of earnings is disregarded if you have kids ( called a work allowance). If you explain a little more about your circumstances eg how many kids, whether your rent is private / council then I'm happy to do you a rough calculation.

Also if you claim PIP and your disability means you can only work part time you can hand in sick notes when you claim UC and wait to be assessed for work capability. This could potentially give you extra money on the UC claim depending on the outcome of the assessment.

If the OP is getting a Disability Element in WTC that might make a difference in the order suggested?

It wouldn't give her the LCWRA element, she would still need to be assessed for that. The disability element of tax credits would affect transitional protection.

@Babyroobs We're on the same page.

As you say Disability Element in TC would imply transitional protection.

LCfW/WRA, which would bring a work allowance and potentially a further element into the UC would need OP to request a WCA.

There's some ambiguity in the regs for Transitional Allowance and how they're are being applied by DWP. As a result some advice sources, including Help to Claim, are not providing benefit calculations including a TA.

Yes I can understand that. The TP rules are complex.

I do pay rent, which i put the figures into the online calculator. The results were housing benefit £0. I also have a 17 year old who is currently my dependent according to the council but is working and I do not receive CB for so I think she is an adult as far as UC is concerned. I work 18 hours per week minimum wage and my rent is £85 per week

If the DD is working then she's not part of your UC claim. Assume from the rent quoted that you're in social housing. Provided you're not under occupying, ie have only 2 bedrooms, the full rent will count for Universal Credit (UC).

In UC there's no such thing as Housing Benefit but the monthly amount 'the law says you need to live on', Max UC, will include a Housing Costs Element.

Based on what you say a prospective award of UC would thus comprise a Standard Allowance of £368.74 and Housing Costs of £368.33 giving a max possible monthly payment of £737.02. That will be reduced by 55p for every £1 of earnings so reduced to £287.05, though I suspect you'd get more initially because of the transitional element.

As @Babyroobs says you could get more if you ask for a Work Capability Assessment and that finds you have Limited Capability for Work you'll get a Work Allowance so you can keep approx £379 of monthly earnings before the 55p taper mentioned above starts.

If the WCA finds you have Limited Capability for Work Related Activity as well then you'll have an additional £390.06 added every month as well.

On UC there is no non dependent deduction on the rent element of UC for another adult living with until they are 21.

So the online quote must be right then?? I will get about £300 a month and have to pay my full rent direct to the council along with full council tax. Which with the £300 wouldnt even cover it! Hopefully I can stay on tax credits a little longer

You'll get a standard element of £368.74 and a rent element which should cover most of your rent if social housing. Then there will be deductions for earnings .Then your rent will need to be paid from whatever you get . As explained previously if you go on to be assessed for work capability there is the potential to get another extra element or even if only awarded LCW this would mean you get a work allowance meaning a portion of your earnings is disregarded before deductions come off your award. This would make you significantly better off and keep more UC. I would say that if your disability makes it difficult for you to work full time hours ( which Uc would ordinarily be expecting you to do ) then it is in your best interests to declare your health conditions/ disability when you make your Uc claim and hand in sick notes stipulating that you are limited in hours you can work. You can then be assessed for work capability and potentially be a lot better off on UC. Depending on your earnings, there is a risk you would not qualify for very much if any UC without being awarded LCW or LCWRA.

Council tax support is usually re-assessed after you've made a Uc claim as it's based on what you receive from Uc I believe.

CTR for people of working age is an absolute lottery.