Self employment minimum income floor

autisticdad91

so I had my meeting today and they have agreed I'm gainfully self employed and she agreed because my situation I should be aiming for 20hours a week.

Whats confused me is my MIF is set at over £1500 a month after taxes. This seems a little high to me. Luckily ive been given 12months start up but she warned me if my income doesn't have a steady increase they will terminate the start up period. I question that amount saying I wouldn't earn that on 20hours a week on minimum wage but she just replied I dont know how UC work it out.

Is anyone elses this high? I had a lovely lady helping me but she didnt seem sure about what she was doing.

Meg24

I work that out as 30 hours a week at minimum wage, and of course that would be net profit after deductions for expenses so you'd be expected to earn more than that. It definitely looks like they have not worked that out correctly.

Do you have a WCA decision for LCW? It's my understanding that if you have LCW the minimum income floor does not apply, would you be eligible?

It seems odd that on the one hand they agree that full time hours are unrealistic for you and then threaten you with conditions on increasing your income. I can't see how this could be legislated so it must be a discretionary decision by the work coach, in which case it might be worth appealing for a reconsideration to the manager.

Meg24

I'm also not sure about the legality of threatening to end your start up period. Either you're entitled to a 12 month start up period or you're not, they surely don't have the power to strip you of it. Have you access to a benefits advisor locally? Or the CAB?

autisticdad91

thanks for the reply ,

I do not have a LCW, I took a letter with me to prove that even though my wife is primary carer to my son he requires day and night care full time so it's a 2 person job and she accepted that as proof why I could only work 10-20 hrs.

I average 600/700 a month working 10/15 hours a week so potential is there to raise the income but don't know where I'll find the extra hours to work.

I said this to her that surely self employment would have ups and down and asked how would they decide to end early and she said its rare and don't worry about it. I feel like it's all just a way to cut back on spending

Meg24

If you can bear to go through it (I won't lie it can be trying) it looks like you might benefit from taking a WCA and seeing if they can relax your conditions officially. Then you won't have to worry about being at the mercy of whatever work coaches decide for you.

I'm not familiar with the process in UC, I know it starts by you getting a fit note (a sick note as was) from the GP to upload into your journal. Hopefully someone can come along and help you further.

Again I really don't think a work coach is legally entitled to deprive you of the 12 month start up period but the CAB should be able to answer that for you. Their answer would tend to suggest they are using it as an empty threat…