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??

I'm like many on this thread where my circumstances have changed over time. I started to claim tax credits as part a divorce process where ex -h legal team argued successfully in family court financial hearing that govt benefits could be used to mitigate ie reduce the amount, the very high earning tax payer paid in maintenance. My legal team agreed. I had never claimed a non-std benefit before that. My TC award bobbed up and down as earnings changed, reflecting a modern work pattern. I don't rent. My employer reduced my std hours and I take on additional work where I can. I looked at UC rules. I would be hit by the transitional rules impacting savings. I am in my late 50s. I looked with horror at the supposed experienced work dwp work coaches telling everyone of that age they could do retail, care or hospitality jobs. Ie minimum wage. No thanks I am professionally qualified and earn more than minimum wage now. Just stuck with part time and part term contract. Ageism means i no longer get anything like as many interviews as i did. So i shall retire early. My mistake on returning to work after a career break was to change sector. I am not moving onto UC.

Of course savings should be included! The equivalent of earning £16k after tax is a lot. Many people are well over the threshold of UC without any savings.

Absolutely this. I claimed when I separated/divorced and they were a lifeline I could not have survived without. They enabled me to leave a miserable marriage.

Christ, you sound like my middle SEN child. Everytime someone replies, you've got something else to moan about and another excuse not to even apply in the first place.

I was forcibly moved from ESA to UC due to a cock up in my housing benefit, so wasn't fortunate enough to receive transitional protection. I lost over £200pm overnight, with no warning or time to prepare. Due to my illness, savings are sadly long gone.

Now disabled, bed bound and on UC. After rent and utility bills left with approximately £300pm to cover food, clothing, Christmas etc. Plus also meant to be paying local authority over £200pm towards my care, but haven't been able to do that for 18 months and they're threatening to imminently pull the plug. To be frank, fuck knows what I do then. 🤔

So please, just consider how lucky you are. This country is in a cost of living crisis, with next to zero public services and an already enormous benefits bill, but you want to keep £80-100,000 in savings?! And you don't even have children to provide for?

I'd hazard a guess your attitude is part of the reason the UK is in the mess it is.

Having £16k in savings isn't the same as earning £16k though.

£80-£100k? Are you joking? You would be complaining about the lack of money to help disabled people even more.

@Babyroobs if you are in receipt of PIP then you will be assessed for the LCFW group this is either 146.31 or 390.06. this is the 'adult disability' element and you will not be bothered to seek work. @treedragon once you have confirmed your disabilities with UC you no longer have to get sick notes. If you are in receipt of PIP you will get a LCFW element and you will not be expected to seek/change your current working commitments. If it is a joint claim and you have enhanced daily living PIP awarded then a carers element is added to the claim. A further 185.86.

My claim has been running for six years now. I have 2 children who have DLA. I work but have not been bothered in the last six years once I had evidenced my claim.

For us (DH works, I care for children with SEN) Universal Credit has been far more generous than Tax Credits. The journal entries are responded to promptly and courteously. Even over Christmas, we were given an appointment within 3 days of requesting it.

I think single people or couples, without children, have the hardest time, as @Babyroobs said. I think they've got that a bit wrong. But for people with children, especially with disabilities, it seems fair.

The carer element isn’t just for those caring for someone with enhanced daily living PIP. It can be added if the person being cared for is in receipt or standard or enhanced daily living PIP, too.

Being in receipt of PIP does not automatically mean you will have a WCA or that you will go on to receive LCW (which now doesn’t result in more money unless it was established prior to 3/4/17) or LCWRA. Those assessed as having LCW may have some commitments to prepare for work.

They can only get carers element added if they have a partner on the claim caring for them though ?

You have completely missed the point of my post! I was correcting the part where the pp posted someone could only get the carer element if the person they cared for was in receipt of enhanced daily living PIP, which isn’t correct. A carer can get the carer element if the person being cared for is in receipt of standard daily living component.

Of course OP can only get the carer element if she is either caring for someone herself or it is a joint claim and that someone is caring for her. That wasn’t the point of my post.

You are only assessed if you start handing in sick notes. Doesn't sound like op wants to go down this route. Confirming disabilities with UC does not mean you no longer have to hand in sick notes, sick notes need to be handed in until someone has had a work capability assessment and been awarded either LCW or LCWRA. Until that is awarded, people can still be asked to attend appointments with a work coach although it is at the work coaches discretion.

Silly me . Thanks for pointing out my error.

Where are you getting your information from?

We get a small amount of UC. I've had one journal entry from UC in the last 12 months, 1. Not exactly stressful.

If you can do without the money (which lets face it, if you have over £16k of saving you probably can) then don't migrate. Simple

16k in savings will not last you long if you have to live off that money. Especially if you can't work a full time job for whatever reason.

People should be encouraged to save, to be able to own their own homes etc. No wonder there's so much depression!

It's not really a lot the savings limit hasn't increased since 2006. If the savings limit had gone up with inflation it would be over 26,000 now.

I agree with this totally. People need to be able to plan for future events, problems, etc eg to be able to save for a replacement car, new boiler, washing machine, appropriate clothing etc regardless of housing status. And to be able to support children to lead their best future lives. I agree with some controls on tax-payer funded benefits but it shouldn't be destitution before a family qualify.

My point is that many people not eligible for any benefits don't have any savings and in fact are in debt due to the cost of living so of course they should count. Even £15k is a lot more than many people who live month to month.

@Lougle I'm a lone parent with a child on DLA and UC is quite a bit less for me than TC (I get transitional protection though).

I'm sorry to hear that.

So in December my assessment period earnings was £880 and in January will be £1050 as it’s a 5 week assessment period for me. Does that mean that I’m not entitled to any prescriptions or dental help in 5 week assessment periods? Thank you

It goes on your last assessment period. You won’t get free prescriptions or dental care if your net earnings are more than £935 (if you have DC or LCW/LCWRA) or £435 (if no DC/LCW/LCWRA) in your last assessment period.

@DrCoconut all calculations suggest this is going to be the case for me too. I haven't received my notice yet but having discussed everything with a benefits advisor UC is quite abit less for me too. I also have a bit of savings under 10k (as a homeowner I feel its a responsible thing for me to do) which will mean I have a deduction, so even with TP if I get it, I will still be less each month due to my savings

Hello I am just like you. Decided not to apply UC. I let the deadline finished today. Do I need to do something to end TC officially ? So confused 🫤
could you please your experience with me ?

Hi I am just like you and decided not to apply. My deadline finished today. Do I need to do anything end the TC officially ? Please share your experience with me ?