Universal Credit Managed Migration - thread 2

[JanFebAndOnwards]

Not claiming any special knowledge myself (apart from am about to migrate in next couple of months!), but wanted to keep this going - will post link to the original thread next -) as it seemed to be helping and calming so many people.
Thanks for all valuable contributions everyone.

I'm not sure the best day for you to apply but I think the assessment period will be from your date of your claim for 1 month and then the first payment 1 week after that. I'm also pretty sure that if you are paid 4 weekly that there will always be 1 month per year with a double wage in the assessment and it's best to plan ahead for that if you rely on the money from UC.

First 24 hrs after submitting a claim:
Not impressed with the bullying tone of the "You do understand we can sanction you for not doing X, Y, Z or A, B or C? Or for doing P??" email.

I'm shocked at what ive witnessed over the last few weeks with UC..
The wording on the online form i have had to complete, is so ambiguous, i have had to spend hours trying to get a concrete answer as to what they need.
Last 12 months figures required, ok, but as i previously mentioned, im SE and PAYE. So which figures?

Advisor 1 answered after 2 days - 'We need your figures as your self employed', great but which figures i ask again?.. no reply
Telephone Helpline who i then ring, says both sets of figures.. hooray!
UNTIL a 2nd Journal advisor then replies following day, we need your PAYE figures only..
You couldn't make it up!

Gone, it seems are the days as with Tax credits, when you get some form of explanatory note, now we have questions written by people who use 'your' instead of 'you are', and who presume applicants are bloody mind readers!

Next we have 'Over the last 12 months, did you earn less then £££ at all?
Well yes, its seasonal work so in two months i did, click yes..
Then im asked to confirm i earnt less then £££ each month last year..
No i didnt every bloody month, ITS SEASONAL, it varies!
No other option apart from start again and click on 'no' even though its not strictly true!

Great way to keep claimant figures down, get them to give up out of sheer frustration! I could scream..
Rant over!

Has anyone got an extension? If so what reasons ? We have savings so trying to hold off until day before have to apply .

Also if savings above 16k do you need to report drops in them if they stay above 16k? I do understand will lose £174 a month moving from tax credits
only one biggish purchase drop will be within the first 12 months a much needed car.

Savings are protected for 12 month anyway so why would they give you an extension for that - so you can keep your Uc or your savings for a couple of months longer !! The only reason I've seen for an extension is where someone has a child coming up to 20 as on tax credits they continue until child is 20 but on UC wouldn't, so cases where they wouldn't be eligible for any UC for that reason have been allowed to stay on TC a little longer until the child turns 20.

I got an 8 week extension was meant to migrate in November but I left it too the last minute and got over whelmed when filling in the application and providing all the information they required so I phoned up and explained and they extended till January.

I was told only to inform them if my savings went below the 16000 but to be aware if they then went over again my transitional protection would end as would my claim.

I applied in January and have had my first payment but the process has not been without its hurdles.

I have been told in a rather abrupt manner that universal credits is not the same as tax credits and I can no longer sit on my arse and do nothing and receive payments the government did not add this part when they told people they would be protected for a year.

Everyone's experience is different some have a smooth switch over and others do not it all depends on your personal circumstances.

Can I ask when you called them , how near to the date? I have 10 days left but might call them soon as Im so worried about it not sure if children being unwell so not prepared and have anxiety counts as a good reason though? Hopefully.
Are you being made to look for work? My other half works full time and I’m i guess classed as a housewife and we want to keep it like that as it works well as his shifts all over the place so I do the school runs etc.

I called them the day of the deadline I suffer from anxiety and explained the process was causing me issues.

I have not been made to look for work yet as I have been handing in fit notes but I did have to complete a UC50 form and I may be required to have a medical assessment to see if I am fit to work I also attend work focused interviews every month at the job centre they did want to change this to weekly I only have one child who is 13 at this age you are expected to look for work 35 hours a week.

As your husband works you may be ok as it will depend on his income being enough to cover both of you I am unsure the rules on this as I am single and do not work due to health.

I just wish the information had been clearer before applying as I was totally unaware of the commitments I would have to agree too.

As I said the process is different for everyone dependant on circumstances I did try and get help via citizens advice and a local welfare rights organisation but getting an appointment can take weeks.

Did your tax credits continue during your extension period or did they end on the original migration date? Thanks

Yes I continued to receive my weekly payments my new migration date was 14th January which is the day I applied for Universal Credit I received my last tax credit payment on the 15th and have had my final tax credit notice I had a slight over payment which I did expect due to the extra payment on the 15th.

That's good to know ,glad they were understanding and you got the extension.

I thought my transition over was all going smoothly until today. I have been checking online/my journal every few days just to make sure there isn’t anything else for me to do. My statement isn’t due till the 3rd but it was available this morning. My payment this month is £0 🫠. I have no idea how that is possible as my payment on tax credits was around £730 - my income and childcare costs are always the same. They also stated that I have a spare bedroom when I don’t, I live in a two bed flat with 12 year old DS.

I called and spoke to someone who advised the child and childcare element are missing because they haven’t been able to verify that my child lives with me or something? She confirmed they have everything that they asked for, I’ve sent them proof of childcare costs etc. She has raised it with my case manager who will respond before 6pm on Monday the 4th. They’re not filling me with much hope if I’m being honest, my first payment is due on the 7th and I was relying on that to get us through the month - pay day was yesterday and I’ve paid all bills out of that. Trying not to panic!

Has anyone else experienced this?

They have a week to go until payment date so as long as the outstanding things are verified it should all be fine. Is today the last day of your assessment period ? if so then I imagine they can't verify childcare costs ( the childcare costs that have been used and paid for during your assessment period ) for the month until today. Your child not having been verified by this stage is a bit concerning and I would have thought they would have flagged that by now if they needed more information but could just be an admin error on their part.

@flutterby1 it goes on earnings not hours. The figures they give are a maximum based on minimum wage. So say you earn double the minimum wage you only have to do half the quoted hours.

Thanks x

So much good advice on here- this stuff can be a minefield so I really appreciate all the info!
I need to migrate to UC by 1st April. I get paid every 2 weeks ( 20 hours a week) and currently get tax credits. Please can anyone advise me when to make my UC application in relation to my paydays? Thanks so much.

not sure if I'm posting correctly as haven't used for a bit. Has anyone gone through the managed migration from child tax credits to UC and found it OK? I'm debating whether to just not bother as it may open up a can of worms for me. I have had a chunk of inheritance and know I wont get anything after the 12mth period. I am more concerned about the looking at my finances bit as my partner helps me out a bit very occasionally but doesn't live with me. Just wondering how intrusive it all is?

I can't see as i is possible to say in your situation really as if paid two weekly, these pay dates are going to vary each month and there is unlikely to be any date in a month where one payday isn't eventually going to fall near to your UC assessment period end. When paid two weekly there are going to be some months where 3 pay days fall into your Uc monthly assessment period and some where two do. On the 3 payday months oyu will receive less Uc and on the others more. Anything other than getting paid once a month will cause you to have variable UC each month.

Could I ask a question please.
I'm self employed with a year 11 ds awaiting my migration letter. I usually take around four or five weeks holiday a year which has fit in with sons school holidays. I don't earn any money in those weeks. Am I able to still have the odd week off under UC?

Also, have been claiming dla for son and was helped by the school senco to claim PIP for him. However,son refused to answer phone for his assessment, said he hates people thinking he is different, wants to go to college with no label and a new start.Good for him I think.
Do I just go onto the gateway account and tell them the date dla stops( 13th march). I did try to call tax credits on Friday ut they said they had a hugh amount of calls and to try again.
Thank you

I imagine taking the odd weeks holiday is fine. However if you take 5 weeks altogether and not reporting any earnings you could well be called in for an appointment with a work coach and be asked to look for more hours. Most parents don't just take 5 weeks off over the summer, they use childcare. If you are self employed on UC you will have a minimum income floor, so if they expect you to earn say 30 hours a week , your minimum income floor will be set at 30 x nmw per week. If you don't earn this ( which you won't be if taking 5 weeks off ), then they can treat you as if you are earning it anyway, and you receive significantly less UC that month. If your ds was to have his PIP re-instated or he applies again, then this would not only boost your monthly UC significantly but would mean that as a carer you would have no work commitments, so the minimum income floor couldn't be applied anyway.

Thank you Babyroobs. I usually take a week at Christmas, one at Easter and two over the summer.
I've also found another job,ready to start in May(nanny house keeper role) to fit around my eight cleaning jobs.
I've been fortunate to have received dla for son for 10 years but all this transition to PIP has just made son angry and question if he is different and as a mum I wont rock the boat. I doubt he would get it anyway now.

Is anyone in Northants still waiting to be migrated?

Whole counties migrate at same time don't they?

(👋🏻 I'm the same county as you!)

You'll be fine taking those holidays. Sorry for some reason I wrongly read it as you wanting to take 5 weeks off together.
Yes PIP is definitely a lot harder to get than DLA.

Ugh I've finally started my application. Despite stating that I'm employed and self employed I've got to fill in loads anout my work search - have I missed something.

Cocked up my id section as didn't realise passport had run out too.

I'm finding it really stressful.

Self employment on UC is not really straightforward which is likely what the work search is about. They will need to establish that you are gainfully self employed, that your self employment is viable, you will need to attend a self employment interview at the job centre, report profits monthly etc. What percentage of your earnings are self employed, is the PAYE job your main job?