Advise on claiming UC for 2 working parents please

[RaeSunjet]

I didn't realise you until recently that some people can claim UC even if they are in work. My partner is on £30,000 and I will be going back to work part time after my maternity leave ends in Sept- I work in admin in the NHS, so I don't know exactly what I will be on but it won't be a great deal.

I have had a look at the gov website but can anyone please tell me of their real life experience of if they receive any help, even when both parents work and how much ish they receive, just out of interest. I'm still really confused and find it hard to believe. If it's true then I am relieved and hopeful.

Thank you

You can use a benefits calculator online but it doesn't sound like you'll be entitled to UC based on one 30k salary plus a part time salary. There's so many things that can effect it so your best just calculating with your own details.
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Whether you receive help depends on lots of factors such as whether you rent or not, how many kids you have, whether you pay childcare costs, how old you and your partner are, whether anyone has disabilities etc. use one of the online calculators.

You’d be surprised, if you’ve childcare bills and rent you might qualify.

The link has messed up but it still works. I believe they're not 100% accurate but may give you some idea of what to expect.

Many claim as if they don't have partners I suppose. I know at least 1 person like this.

I am not entirely sure you would be entitled if you have a mortgage on that wage but if you rent and have childcare you might be

UC is an in work benefit as well.

Use the turn to us benefits calculator,
You'll need to work out your wage though to know what you might receive.

Without details, it's impossible to say. UC works by adding up elements of entitlement, then deducting a portion of your income.

Anyone who applies is entitled to the standard allowance. For a couple with one person over 25 it's £628.10

For the first two children, you can get £292.81 each.

So if this is your first baby, that takes your base entitlement up to £920.91

Then, if you rent, you'll get a rent allowance of either your whole rent if you rent from the local authority, or the Local Housing Allowance rate for your area. If you have a mortgage, you don't get any allowance.

Then, if you pay for approved childcare, you get 85% of the amount you pay, up to a limit.

All of this is added up.

Then your total wages after deductions have a work allowance deducted from them (it's slightly higher if you have a mortgage), and then 55% of the remainder is deducted from your total allowances.

If the remaining figure is positive, you get a UC payment of that amount. If it is negative, you don't get UC.

As @lougle says the start point, the lowest amount you might get for living costs is £920.81. Based on your partner's £30k and assuming you're on half that tapered income, after a work allowance, would exceed that by £500/month.

However rent, and/or childcare costs, could very quickly tip that the other way even if only by a small amount. There's no real help with mortgage costs.

There are on line tools such as entitledto which are accurate provided you put the right information in.

Or put all your figures for earnings, housing costs and possible childcare and call Help to Claim www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/contact-us-about-universal-credit/.

That's brilliant, thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. We currently rent. Doesn't sound like we could be entitled to anything, but I will definitely have a look at those links to see.

I guess it will depend on how much rent you pay and whether in a private let or social housing. If it's you, DP and one child then in a private let you'd be allowed 2 bed rate of LHA.

In an expensive area, often use Outer NW London as an example, the rate is £1350/month.