Splitting up from husband

Adeline
Adeline Online Community Member Posts: 141 Empowering
in Universal Credit (UC)
My husband and are are no longer together but he lives in our family home still currently (we've turned the dining room into his bedroom).
He has a poor credit history and is finding it hard to find a place to rent privately. He's saving to afford 12 months of rent upfront on a new place but this will take us over the savings limit, but then when he leaves he will have spent it all on the rent upfront. Will it continue impacting my Universal Credit once he leaves? 

Also is it possible to work out how much I would receive from UC once he leaves? He's not giving us a penny of his wages at the moment while he saves so it's quite a struggle to cover the bills even though his wages affect our UC. I want to start figuring out if I'll be able to afford to still live here once he's gone. 
Thank you

Comments

  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @Adeline

    I'm so sorry to hear you and your husband are splitting. I just wanted to check that you have support? 

    I'm unsure about the savings with your Universal Credit, hopefully someone can answer that :) With working out your UC maybe a benefits calculator would give you an idea? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,174 Championing
    If you continue to claim UC as couple then yes his savings will be taken into consideration and will reduce your UC by £4.35/month for every £250 or part there of over £6,000. Savings of more than £16,000 will mean there's no entitlement to any means tested benefits.

    If you're no longer living as a couple and all your bills, finances, shopping, eating is done separately then you maybe able to claim as a single person. However, it will be down to a decision maker to make the final decision and will most likely ask for proof that you're not living as a couple. As a single claimant his savings and earnings will not affect your UC.

    You can use a benefits calculator to check what your entitlement will be as a single person. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator
  • Adeline
    Adeline Online Community Member Posts: 141 Empowering
    poppy123456 said:
    If you continue to claim UC as couple then yes his savings will be taken into consideration and will reduce your UC by £4.35/month for every £250 or part there of over £6,000. Savings of more than £16,000 will mean there's no entitlement to any means tested benefits.

    If you're no longer living as a couple and all your bills, finances, shopping, eating is done separately then you maybe able to claim as a single person. However, it will be down to a decision maker to make the final decision and will most likely ask for proof that you're not living as a couple. As a single claimant his savings and earnings will not affect your UC.

    You can use a benefits calculator to check what your entitlement will be as a single person. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator
    He has over £10,000 at the moment but it will be over £16,000 before he leaves as he needs 12 months upfront rent and that's close to 18,000. 
    So will my money stop entirely when he gets to that point if we are on a joint claim?

    How would I go about claiming single? We haven't lived as a couple for quite some time and are putting in for a divorce. 
  • Adeline
    Adeline Online Community Member Posts: 141 Empowering
    Hannah_Scope said:
    Hello @Adeline

    I'm so sorry to hear you and your husband are splitting. I just wanted to check that you have support? 
    I don't really have support no but it's for the best he leaves so I'm okay. 
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    @Adeline You have us :) If you ever need support please don't hesitate to reach out <3
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,174 Championing
    Adeline said:
    poppy123456 said:
    If you continue to claim UC as couple then yes his savings will be taken into consideration and will reduce your UC by £4.35/month for every £250 or part there of over £6,000. Savings of more than £16,000 will mean there's no entitlement to any means tested benefits.

    If you're no longer living as a couple and all your bills, finances, shopping, eating is done separately then you maybe able to claim as a single person. However, it will be down to a decision maker to make the final decision and will most likely ask for proof that you're not living as a couple. As a single claimant his savings and earnings will not affect your UC.

    You can use a benefits calculator to check what your entitlement will be as a single person. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator
    He has over £10,000 at the moment but it will be over £16,000 before he leaves as he needs 12 months upfront rent and that's close to 18,000. 
    So will my money stop entirely when he gets to that point if we are on a joint claim?



    Yes it will stop. As i advised, if you're claiming UC together now then he will need to report those savings (if he hasn't already) there will be a deduction of £4.35/month for every £250 or part there of over £6,000. Once he reaches £16,000 there will be no entitlement to UC.

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