1st assessment period for UC since migration from WTC

berry61

Hello everyone, Can someone please give any advise on the following issue.

Our 1st UC assessment has come through today since migration from WTC to UC for the period 26th Jan 2024 to 25th Feb 2024.

 The payment we are due to be paid is £425.
In the letter of migration it stated we should not be left worse off after the change from WTC to UC due to the Transistional protection element.
We used to receive £129.99 per week on WTC. 

This is the break down on the statement sent by UC.

Standard allowance is £578.82 
 We have also been awarded the carers element each totaling £371.72 
Then Transistional protection element showing as £530.30
Total entitlement before deductions is £1480.84

Take home pay   £1480.84
Take home pay  -£1055.81
Wife wage            £791.90
My wage               £1127.76
Total Take home pay £1919.66
Total deductions  -£1055.81
Total payment for this month £425.03

We both get paid weekly on a Friday so there are 5 wages each on this assessment period.

Why are we getting less than we were before the change ?

Thanks for any help

berry61

Apologies the line Take home pay   £1480.84 shouldn't be there

poppy123456

Being paid weekly doesn't help, even more so when there's 5 weeks of earnings in your assessment period.

Having said that it will be impossible to advise on this without knowing the exact figures for your Tax credits award on the day before you claimed UC because this is what your TP is based on.

This is also way beyond my capabilities because it's extremely complex and for this reason you're going to need to get some expert advice from an agency near you. Citizens Advice will not be able to help with this because they will refuse to help with TP calculations. For this reason you'll need somewhere like Welfare Rights or a law centre. This link will help. welfare-benefits

berry61

Thank you for your advice poppy123456 I will try and get further advice as you suggest

berry61

Hello everyone and in particular to poppy123456. 
In relation to the previous post above regarding our 1st UC assessment payment since managed migration from WTC, we were over £225 worse off than the same period on WTC. I questioned this on my journal and got a response today 8 days later , here is the explanation....

Transistional protection is calculated based upon the monthly income reported to us from WTC. When you were on tax credits your award was based upon an average monthly income of £804.75 and £826.41 total £1631.16 for you and your wife.
 If your actual monthly income was higher than it was on tax credits then we would have to deduct for a higher amount.
So this month your total earnings were £1919.66
As the income is  higher you would have a higher income deduction.
As you are paid weekly, if you are paid  5 times in the assessment period, we would need to take into account all 5 incomes. This is the policy for universal credits.

So poppy123456 was spot on about what the actual figures were on our tax credit award the day before applying for UC.
Our income has risen since our last wtc award beginning April 2023 to April 2024

poppy123456

Thanks for the update. Yes, UC entitlement is based on earnings received during each assessment period. The more earnings you receive, the less UC you will be entitled to. 

It's a shame that you claimed UC in a month where there are 5 weeks because this meant you received 5 earnings. Had you timed it better where there was only 4 weeks in the month then your UC would have been more and the TP may have been calculated differently. Those that are paid weekly from their employer will mean that 4 times a year you will have assessment periods with 5 earnings in them, so you will be entitled to less UC for those months. 

Unfortunately, I won't be able to work out what any TP should have been because I don't know what your Tax credits figures were. You can speak to an advice agency near you who will hopefully be able to work out the figures for you. 

berry61

Thanks poppy123456,  do  you mean if I had applied at a better time during a 4 week month then the TP would have been set at a higher amount which would then be our benchmark if you like , or would TP fluctuate month to month depending on earnings in each period. Sorry if I haven't grasped the explanation...thank you

poppy123456

Yes, it may have been higher. TP isn't affected by earnings after the first assessment period. It's only affected when other elements increase or you become entitled to other elements. 

berry61

Thanks for your advice poppy123456 

poppy123456

You’re welcome.