Universal Credit help

[Sailorontheseasea]

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

 

[Crazycatty]

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.

 

[Warpaint]

I'd advise going to CAB to get the finer details of what to do or it could get quite messy.

 

[HoGi]

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

 

[Kim Mild]

There are some universal credit Facebook groups too

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

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.

 

[Sailorontheseasea]

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

 

[ivenotimetotiktok]

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?

 

[WhatABore]

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.

 

[ivenotimetotiktok]

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.

 

[ivenotimetotiktok]

Can someone help me please? My UC was less this month said based on your earnings but it was actually less on my wage slip so where did UC get the amount from?! I’m so confused and down this month and don’t know why. I’m happy for my UC to be less when I’ve worked more but my wages don’t reflect that

 

[linzilou]

Can someone help me please? My UC was less this month said based on your earnings but it was actually less on my wage slip so where did UC get the amount from?! I’m so confused and down this month and don’t know why. I’m happy for my UC to be less when I’ve worked more but my wages don’t reflect that

they pull it through from HMRC- have you got the hmrc app to see what your employer has reported your earnings as? or have you got wage deductions like student finance?

 

[ivenotimetotiktok]

I haven’t got the app. Maybe I need to look into this’s no student finance should all be the same as normal so my reporting wage and my actual wage don’t match somehow I’m now worse off which don’t normally happen

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

Can someone help me please? My UC was less this month said based on your earnings but it was actually less on my wage slip so where did UC get the amount from?! I’m so confused and down this month and don’t know why. I’m happy for my UC to be less when I’ve worked more but my wages don’t reflect that

Do you know what your earnings disregard is? Have they got your hours wrong, it could be that you've not got your full earnings disregard because they have you down as not doing enough hours to be entitled to it. Report it in your journal that the wage doesn't match what you actually earnt and give them the amount you actually earnt and send your payslip over and also tell them how many hours you do per week

 

[ivenotimetotiktok]

I’m defo doing enough hours they wanted me to do more and I have been since Jan and it’s all been ok until today.
It’s more confusing because it just don’t match like the more I earn at work the less UC I get and that’s cool but it’s not fair when the wages aren’t right but I have left a note of not I’ll chase with a phone call

 

[Bettyboop123]

Any help would be appreciated

I have found a house to rent and due to pay deposit on Friday of this week, this has been going through the last few weeks.
Although I have my probationary meeting at my job on Thursday. If the worst was to happen *touch wood it doesnt* how would this affect my UC? Can I still claim and will they still give me the housing benefit section of it too?

Thank you

 

[WhatABore]

Any help would be appreciated

I have found a house to rent and due to pay deposit on Friday of this week, this has been going through the last few weeks.
Although I have my probationary meeting at my job on Thursday. If the worst was to happen *touch wood it doesnt* how would this affect my UC? Can I still claim and will they still give me the housing benefit section of it too?

Thank you

You still get whatever the local housing allowance is for privately rented

It covers around a half of my rent, and I'm private renting

 

[btw]

Hey, not sure if anyone will have any knowledge but worth a try.
I’m inheriting £15,000 from a family member who passed away recently.
I am a single mum, currently work full time and received some UC which helps me pay the bills.

I understand with UC you cannot spend your savings unnecessarily / be seen as depriving yourself of capital in order to continue receiving UC.

It’s made me really anxious about how I spend the £15,000. I would like to change my flooring downstairs as the carpet has been scratched to death by the cat and therefore laminate flooring would be more practical and the kitchen flooring has dints from furniture.
They are liveable and not in need of repair but whilst I have extra money, I would love to change them to something more long lasting and durable.

Would this be seen as depriving myself of capital because it’s not a desperate need? I feel so stressed about how I spend this money. Completely understand the reasons why they have these rules though

 

[Melian]

It's about reasonable spending. It for example is deprecation if you come into £15k and spend it all on a holiday.

They know you need to replace things

There's no rule as such

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

Hey, not sure if anyone will have any knowledge but worth a try.
I’m inheriting £15,000 from a family member who passed away recently.
I am a single mum, currently work full time and received some UC which helps me pay the bills.

I understand with UC you cannot spend your savings unnecessarily / be seen as depriving yourself of capital in order to continue receiving UC.

It’s made me really anxious about how I spend the £15,000. I would like to change my flooring downstairs as the carpet has been scratched to death by the cat and therefore laminate flooring would be more practical and the kitchen flooring has dints from furniture.
They are liveable and not in need of repair but whilst I have extra money, I would love to change them to something more long lasting and durable.

Would this be seen as depriving myself of capital because it’s not a desperate need? I feel so stressed about how I spend this money. Completely understand the reasons why they have these rules though

No, it wouldn't. It would be entirely reasonable for you to replace flooring if you received a large sum of money. However, it wouldn't be a good idea to spend an exorbitant amount on it. Make sure you keep your receipts