UC and working

mawomow623
mawomow623 Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
Can anyone tell me the max amount of hours i can work or the max amount of payment i can get by working without it affecting my UC. I ask this because i have motivation to work but because of the mental afflictions i have, I fall back into anxiety and depression and want to stop working. Itd be nice to know the UC is still there.
Iv tried askin work coach but they havnt got back to me its been a week.

Can i work while keepin UC ? How many hours or what is the max amount before UC gets stopped. Iv been told i can work and keep UC but its confusing what i can and cant do. Im on UC disability but no pip. Thanks.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,223 Championing
    There's no amount of hours you can work while claiming UC. You mention that you're claiming UC disability, i'm assuming you mean you were found to have either LCW or LCWRA. If so then this means you have the work allowance, which means you can receive a certain amount of earnings each month before the 55% deductions apply. (55p deduction in UC for every £1 over the work allowance)

    If you claim for help with the rent it will be £379/month, if you don't then it will be £631/month.

    If you start working then you must report a change of circumstances and tell them you're working. Do be aware though that if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you were found to have either LCW or LCWRA then it can go against you when you're next reviewed.

    You can use a benefits calculator and put in different figures to give you some idea.
  • mawomow623
    mawomow623 Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    so if i get a full time job cos i still claim uc
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,223 Championing
    If you get a full time job whether there's still any entitlement to UC will depend on your circumstances. Any earnings received each month after the work allowance will reduce your UC by 55p for every £1 of earnings you receive. You should use a benefits calculator and put in different figures to see what it comes out with. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator

  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @mawomow623

    Welcome to the community! :) I am unsure if you know, but Scope have their own employment service if you are in England or Wales. I'd encourage you to reach out and see what they would advise with you getting back into work and your mental health :) 
  • mawomow623
    mawomow623 Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    can i ask this as an example. So if i get 400 pm on UC. If i worked aswell 400 that would bring total to 800. Now UC will take 0.55 from every 1so that 800 will become 580. Is this correct if so by earning an extra 400 so long as im on UC entitled then that would mean i get 180 from UC. This is just an example but is this how it is
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,223 Championing
    You said you’re on disability, do you mean that you’ve been through the work capability assessment and found to have either LCW or LCWRA? 
    Are you claiming for help with any rent? 
  • mawomow623
    mawomow623 Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    You said you’re on disability, do you mean that you’ve been through the work capability assessment and found to have either LCW or LCWRA? 
    Are you claiming for help with any rent? 

    i have been assessed by the work capacity and yea i get the lcw. Im living with parents right now because i cant aford to live on my own. I got my own place startin of this year but within a few weeks they boarded up the flat as it was found with a leaking roof that shut of the electrics in the bottom flat. So had to go back. Now i have to pay council tax and rent on a property i didnt even move into.
  • Sean4w
    Sean4w Online Community Member Posts: 21 Listener
    edited August 2023
    You said you’re on disability, do you mean that you’ve been through the work capability assessment and found to have either LCW or LCWRA? 
    Are you claiming for help with any rent? 

    i have been assessed by the work capacity and yea i get the lcw. Im living with parents right now because i cant aford to live on my own. I got my own place startin of this year but within a few weeks they boarded up the flat as it was found with a leaking roof that shut of the electrics in the bottom flat. So had to go back. Now i have to pay council tax and rent on a property i didnt even move into.

    Apply for council tax reduction, date it the time you moved in, and if you were not working they should clear that up for you or at least a certain amount of weeks, i think its 20? You can also claim Housing Benefit if your not working, which should cover your rent.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,223 Championing
    Sean4w said:
    You can also claim Housing Benefit if your not working, which should cover your rent.

    That's not correct for most working age people because you can no longer start a new claim for housing benefit, unless you're either living in supported or temporary housing. Help with the rent can be claimed through Universal Credit, which is known as housing element.

    You said you’re on disability, do you mean that you’ve been through the work capability assessment and found to have either LCW or LCWRA? 
    Are you claiming for help with any rent? 

     Now i have to pay council tax and rent on a property i didnt even move into.


    Surely you're not paying either of those going forward if you're not living there and it's now boarded up? If you are then i'd advise you to get some expert advice from an agency near you. Does your UC include help with this rent?

    can i ask this as an example. So if i get 400 pm on UC. If i worked aswell 400 that would bring total to 800. Now UC will take 0.55 from every 1so that 800 will become 580. Is this correct if so by earning an extra 400 so long as im on UC entitled then that would mean i get 180 from UC. This is just an example but is this how it is

    Coming back to this calculation, which isn't correct. If your UC includes help with the rent then £369 of that £400 is ignored. This means that there will be a deduction of 55% for the £31 remaining £31x 0.55=£17.05 deduction.
    If you're 25 and over then your UC standard allowance will be £368.74/month - £17.05 for earnings. Total UC payable £351.69/month.

    If your UC doesn't include help with any rent then earnings of £400/month will be ignored because the work allowance would be £631/month.

    If you work full time then there will be no entitlement to UC.