Who isn’t migrating Tax Credits to UC ?

[treedragon]

Received a letter about migrating from Tax Credits to Universal Credit.

A deep dive into seems to show that a huge chunk will be taken due to savings over £16k. It also seems like a lot of hassle trundling into Job Centres.

I have decided not to bother with moving so do the TCs just stop?

Interested to learn who else has decided not to bother??

Well what happens if there’s an emergency and you need to fix something? Our oil heating is playing up atm so I imagine that’s going to be hefty to fix.
Plus a lot of people on tax credits are working full time including my oh. It’s just wages are so low they say (and I agree) that it’s not enough to live on. If you aren’t entitled maybe you are making a high enough wage that paying for an emergency will be easier for you?
I am not working anymore and for the moment because we have 3 sen children with health issues and it just got too difficult. So I took time out, which has turned out to be much more time than intended or wanted but such is my situation. In case it’s relevant we bought our house both working full time and thankfully got it paid down enough that it’s low now, much lower than rent.
I don’t have a lot of savings by any means and we have sacrificed to have them. My children have barely been on any holidays and never abroad. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t go out, I barely buy clothes. I have prioritised having savings.
I have some savings, I also have savings that I don’t consider mine but are in my name so would be counted. They are from my sons dla to do our garden so he has a suitable safe place to play. His needs mean he can’t play out like all the other kids his age. Add it to my savings and then I’m not sure how it works yet, but when my monthly tax credits, dla for 2 children, child benefit, and carers allowance come in does this count in my savings quota? Will my partners wage? So is it actually £6000 savings or £6000 in your accounts at any one time?
And calling it free money is ridiculous. It’s there so they can keep wages low and then top them up to just liveable levels and you have to jump through so many hoops to get them. Just raise the wages and most of this wouldn’t be an issue.

@Namerequired

Exactly this. I live frugally and don't have holidays. Last one was a week in 2019. Before that was 2009. I don't smoke, drink, party down the pub and don't have kids to support. I have been able to save because I listened to the government lecture everyone on saving for their old age and a rainy day such as home repairs. A rainy day isn't the abolition of a benefit because the government have gone against their own advice to people. The money I have saved some I put into a stocks and shares ISA on advise.

Also as a disabled worker I have been doing what I understand the government want. That's work. Seems to me I may as well resign and go on the sick totally.

Now all I can think is just go and blow all the savings all because it suits the rules of UC.

A new kitchen, bathroom, a nice brand new car - I have always fancied a Mercedes or even a Range Rover, a few holidays, a camper van. Think I will take out the full Sky TV package too.

All things I'd like but have gone without trying to be prudent for the future.

Think I will start boozing down the pub too and eating out in fancy restaurants. All so it's gone by the time the Transitional year is over.

Then when it comes to my old age the state can keep me on pension credit and the state can pay for my care fees if I need it.

@treedragon have a look at deprivation of capital.

I do hope they ban every UC claimant from buying cars, home repairs and taking a holiday then. So are we saying you can't go on holiday if you claim UC?

It's awful isn't it.

thanks @Babyroobs can't work out why my calc is so low... but I'm not rushing to switch - I have til the end if March thankfully.

Well I won't be switching, OH reaches retirement age in September, so would only get it till then. Wouldn't be able to claim pension credit because I'm younger.
Not had the letter yet🤔, would of thought we would of received it or got it in the next month🤷.

I do hope UC look very closely at all the holidays, cars, home repairs etc people have had over the last 20 years that will have deprived those claimants of capital because if they had not done those things they would have the money and not just pick on those that decide to spend all their capital now in one go.

So if everyone has an annual holiday I am effectively due 13 holidays this year from 2009. That will dent the old savings pot. So that's 13 weeks holiday this year for me.

@Namerequired any income you don't spend by the end of an assessment period is then considered capital. If you get money on behalf of your child, that isn't your money. It isn't as simple as 'money you have in your account'.

I genuinely can't work out what to do.

DH works and I'm SAHM to 2 kids, but we home educate because the kids have SEN, but we don't get DLA because CAMHS have a five year waiting list round here. I literally cannot get my kids into school, which means I can't work. We have savings from inheritance which we want to stay saved to cover future needs, mainly for the kids' futures. Plus I don't have a pension.

We get benefits now but I can't work out what if whether we'll get anything after migration. DH isn't good at sharing and everything is in his name since it was his inheritance, and this may well be what tips us over into divorce, where he'll presumably keep it all because it's all in his name and me and the kids are fucked.

I really didn't need this. We were just about managing.

You would make a joint claim so if you have a joint account you can get it paid in there and hopefully access it. If your DH would keep the benefit money for himself then that is financial abuse.

You don't need a diagnosis to claim dla if you have other evidence

Thank you. His savings are in my name and account (actually have a separate account for them but in my name). Will they not count?
Do you know whether your monthly money counts? I’m sure I can check all this stuff but the letter just came in and honestly just can’t deal with it right now. I have until March I think.

You don’t need Camhs to get dla, you don’t need any diagnosis. You just need to show how your childs needs differ from the average child their age. I got high rate care dla for my youngest before he had any official diagnosis. That came later. I know it’s more difficult if you don’t have professionals seeing your child though. Do you have anyone who can back up your claim?

Anyone know if money in a business bank account classes as savings?

Do you mean wages? If so yes they do.

@IwtHs

I expect so. Anything to generate an excuse to penalise someone. Even if it is money to pay suppliers I expect they whinge about it or you have to sit and "go through it" with a "work coach" in some Job Centre cubicle.

Every blooming post you've posted on here has been negativity and whinging about a benefit you haven't yet had any experience of !
As you are disabled and getting PIP and working part time, you can hand in sick notes to Uc and be assessed for capability for work and likely get extra money that way. You may even end up better off ! Just give it a chance.

No I mean my sons dla. I have some saved to do our garden for his benefit.

Indeed or just follow your own advice and don’t claim it if it’s too much hassle to receive free money.

Though I also asked if monthly benefits and wages count in the savings quota?

This.

You haven’t even applied yet and already complaining when you don’t even know what you’d get/need to do.

Just out of interest, where would you set the savings limit?

I don't think so as they will likely just go down over the month. It's money in savings on the last day of the assessment period.

@Babyroobs

Seems a bit of a contradiction in terms. I currently work but then I hand in sick notes (for what ailment) to be determined if I have incapability for work. The fact I do work I would think displays an element of work capability! So if that's the system it's topsy turvy already. You are either able to work or you're not!

I don't have to hand in any sick notes for TC. Never have they asked for any.

Not sure if you're asking me or op where we'd set the savings limit but I think 16k is fair enough. It's a reasonable buffer and a lot more than many people not claiming benefits have. I honestly think the situation where people on tax credits could have unlimited savings ( because they were only based on earnings ) and even second homes and minimize hours whilst being topped up has gone on way too long and these people moaning about switching have had many extra years benefiting from the tax credit rules whilst the migration has dragged out over many years.