Universal Credit help

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Sorry if there’s already a universal credit thread on here, mods feel free to move this there if that’s the case.

Sadly it looks like my partner and I are separating, however will need to continue living together until mid-next year when our tenancy ends - we also have 2 children and a baby on the way (please don’t come at me all mumsnet, the situation is genuinely just horrific but this isn’t about that) so it’s not quite as simple as moving to a parents house etc otherwise I really would. We get universal credit to top up our wages at the moment, could someone tell me if I am able to set up a single person universal credit account while also living with my ex partner? I want to get myself financially independent as much as possible so I can get myself in a good space before finding my own place next year. The advice online about couples and joint UC accounts/dependents and non dependents is very unclear.

Thanks in advance xx
 
Yes you should be able to - which one of you is the main claimant on your current claim? If it’s you, then submit a change of circumstances to UC. If it’s not you, you’ll have to make a new claim on your own, but make sure your ex partner also advises of the change of circumstances.
 
I'd advise going to CAB to get the finer details of what to do or it could get quite messy.
 
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I'd advise going to CAB to get the finer details of what to do or it could get quite messy.
I second this.

I doubt they would easily accept that you are no longer dependant on each other but you're still living together, especially as you could be entitled to higher benefits as a single person than as part of a couple. So CAB should be able to help with this
 
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Yes, you can. You need to inform them you have separated and that you are no longer living together as a couple but still need to share your house. They will end your current claim by removing the "partner" who needs to make a separate claim in just their name. You will need to decide who keeps parental responsibility for the children for benefit purposes. If this is you but child benefit is in your partner's name you will need to swap it over or vice versa, they will/should ask for evidence of this such as your Child Benefit award letter. Take a look at your tenancy agreement, I'm assuming you are a tenant rather than owner occ, if it has both names on it is easy enough to split the rent 50/50, if not it gets a bit more complicated but they should tell you exactly what they need in order to pay you both the right amount for housing costs. They shouldn't refuse to accept that you are no longer living together as a couple but they may ask further questions or even set a note to ask you more questions in the future.
 
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Thanks so much everyone. Really helpful advice and all noted. Universal credit can be so stressful sometimes and even more so when it’s not straight forward! Much appreciated xx
 
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Hey I was wondering if anyone could help. Im a single mum of 3 11 year old and five year old twins. I work 17.5 hours a week and universal credit top up my payments. All fits well around my children, I have just been offered a temporary job roughly £165 a week how would this affect my claim I know my universal payment will change but massively? Would I struggle etc? 🤷🏼‍♀️
 
Hey I was wondering if anyone could help. Im a single mum of 3 11 year old and five year old twins. I work 17.5 hours a week and universal credit top up my payments. All fits well around my children, I have just been offered a temporary job roughly £165 a week how would this affect my claim I know my universal payment will change but massively? Would I struggle etc? 🤷🏼‍♀️
Is that on top of your 17.5 hours?

If so, You'll have 55p deducted from UC per £1 you earn.
So your UC will reduce by around £90 a week.
 
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Yes that’ll be on top. Thank you very much for the reply. Wanted to see if I’d be working extra for very little but it don’t work out too bad and will also be a job that’ll fit around my children and what I actually want to go into so some extra experience would be fab.
 
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