Universal credit issues.

[Tink51971]

Just looking for advice, we got the dreaded tax credit migration letter and had to change over to UC by the end of this month.

We have 2 children one leave full time education this year as 17, the other is 16 and will leave next year (2025).

I work full time 37hrs a week, husband works 2.5 hours a week due to health problems (self employed)’ due to health issues (heart issues, chronic back pain, sciatica, kidney stones, diabetes, and on around 6 different meds every 4 hours), he earns 100.00 a month. I earn 2,481.42 before tax, NI and pension (local government worker). This has worked well for us over the years as he does all the housework, cooking, cleaning ect.

We got an identity check appointment on Monday, and I sent a journal on the same day to say I work from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday so could I have a telephone identity check (I had asked our welfare rights department for advice to say due to working full time they should honour it). They never got back to me until the morning of the appointment to say the only way to verify our identities was to go in person. I had to take the day off leave at short notice.

Attended the interviews and was made to feel like we were unemployed people looking for handouts, we got someone that had only just started in the job, she couldn’t answer any of our questions just made notes of our ID. Took 10mins if that for both of us.

Husband now has a gateway interview next Friday as he is self employed, and I have a message in my journal in regards to looking for more work wtf.

We did not want to migrate, it was a horrible experience but are worried that they will ask my husband to work more hours we don’t want any extra money for us. If we got less than £100.00 a month in child tax credits I would tell the, to shove the UC, but it is currently around £340.00 a month so a lot to lose.

I just hope that with my earnings it will cover him until we can stop claiming. When you look at thing like MIF and AET.

He'll need to apply for new style esa if he is unfit for work.

You are being slightly unreasonable to say that £100 and less is not worth claiming for. That is a lot of money to many people.

UC isn't that bad in my experience. Do you have a mortgage? Just with that wage you might not be entitled to as much. Maybe someone can do a calculation.

No don’t have a mortgage council rented, what I meant by my comment is reading universal credit posts on here people are state that they get less than that and they are not bothering as it’s too much hassle. I think that I read of Martin Lewis site that the take up of migrating to UC from chi,d tax credits was only around 26%, as also there is the savings rule to take into consideration.

Question why you need to look for more work as you earn over the AET

I got a message about what I am doing to look for work. However, that was before I had an interview with the work coach, following the identity check. I ignored it, because I knew I didn't have to look for work, which was confirmed eventually. I don't think your husband will have to do more either, because as far as I know it's total household income, but I'm on my own so not sure.
I earn a lot less than you and don't get that much universal credit. I know that when my child leaves 6th form I'm not entitled to anything, despite being on a low income. So just to be aware since your children are slightly older than mine.

Obvs different if you've got savings that will affect UC but a quick back of the envelope calculation suggests you'd get £600-800/month.

Not sure advice about NS ESA would work as your husband may not have the required NI but he should probably get a fit note and seek a Work Capability Assessment.

Yes thanks I am aware that the child tax credits will stop after July/aug this year for the eldest one, and am not sure if I would have been entitled to anything for the younger one, I think the child tax credit statement said around 74.00 a month for the younger one, but with pay increases this could cancel that out. One thing I have realised that over the years of claiming child tax credits I never declared paying a pension out of my wages, but we live and learn.

My thoughts exactly, as for a couple the Aet is currently £1,083.00 a month.

And the gov.uk website states “Additionally, if you’re in a couple, and your combined earnings are equal to or higher than the couple’s AET, you or your partner do not need to actively look for more or better-paid work”.

so I am confused.

I would post on a few universal credit groups with your earnings, if you rent or own, how many children you have etc. They can work it out. I imagine your husband will be the group not expected to work because they have low capacity to do so. I will say if you own your own house your wages might mean you are not entitled to much.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/415180582620485/?ref=share

If he is limited in what hours he can work due to health conditions then he needs to hand in sick notes and wait to be assessed for work capability. I presume when you made the application that he completed the health section ?
I have no idea why they are asking you to look for more hours - that sounds like a mistake and you are well over the earnings threshold.

Lots and lots of posts that I've come across on various benefit sites from people migrating form TC to UC, the claimants seem to have in excess of 16k savings and whilst that is disregarded for a year I guess many maybe just aren't bothering to migrate because of that and they don't want the hassle of how they spend their savings being scrutinised.

Does your DH get PIP? If so, you can claim a carers element on UC. He can register as having limited capability for work and can submit fit notes, then fill out a UC50 form to be assessed as having limited capability for work/work related activity.

I think the reason may be because he’s self employed. Even if just one half of a couple is self-employed then both are subjected to a combined minimum income floor, which will be the equivalent of min wage for the hours you are both expected to work, which could be 25 hours or more each, depending on children’s ages. The couples earning threshold for employed people becomes irrelevant. They will calculate that you are earning that much to decide your benefit entitlement, even if you’re not. Your DH may well be better off unemployed! It’s stupid, but UC is particularly punitive for self-employed people.

Yes this. Good point. Op your dh will need to go for a self employment interview, it can be tricky.
I think the only way for his minimum income floor to be removed is if he was awarded Limited capability for work or LCWRA after assessment.

Thank you all for your replies, I will try on another another forum. I suppose it’s just we have worked this way for 17 years as our son was born with something that needed surgery when he was younger due to my earnings he became a house husband and it has never been questioned by child tax credits.

no he doesn’t receive any sort of disability benefit, he always thought there are others out there that needed it more than him.

Just an update we attended my husbands gateway interview this afternoon, and as I earn above the AET, we both don’t have to look for any more work, he was advised to increase his hourly cost as it is below the minimum wage.

So for any other couple in the same situation as us, where one works full time and the other has a small self employment job, I hope this makes things clearer. I know I could not find any concreate Information on this, so hope this helps.

I think the AET rate increases in April to just over £1,200, and we will be safe until they change the rules and abolish the AET, which is a strong possibility in the future.

He manages to do ALL those household chores with his health issues ??

He has All those health issues yet manages All those household chores ? Strange

But if he was a female with children, that would not be strange then!.

He is under a physiotherapist as he has been disgnosed with osteoarthritis in the hips and knees and medical advice is to keep doing small tasks throughout the day to keep moving, plus daily exercises, he is also under cardio for his heart and they say the same small household chores tasks throughout the day, to keep him active.

I do think on here some men get the raw deal from some posters.

Not really. Its really not all those chores when it's spread slowly over the week. Shop online, quick simple meals or things with @easy preparation, robotic vac. Spread them out slowly do a bit hear and there. He has most of the weekdays to himself with DC who are teens, to rest and did a little bit here and there. Women are told all the time on here kids don't need a SAHM once they hit primary age and they should be working. Its really not all that.

Really need to hear from people who work similar jobs and claim universal credit. Recently separated and called CAB and should be entitled to small amount of universal credit around £150 a month. I have to use my car for work and get mileage money back or have to sometimes reclaim taxi fares which I have paid out and reclaim through wages. CAB tell me as long as work put through mileage in right way which they will as NHS then UC amount shouldn’t be affected. I have read stories of people saying it does affect it so not sure if worth the hassle of applying. I really need the money so would like to if entitled to it but scared I will end up with a big bill of having to pay it back if they take issues with mileage money being repaid to me. Does anyone have any advice??