universal credit

SkyMary7

hi should carers allowance have been deducted from universal credit award? they have taken off 356 for my salary of 765 and 279 off for carers allowance. which has left my award 541 for the month which includes help for housing benefit. can I appeal for this.? 

poppy123456

Yes it should be that's correct, it's because Carers Allowance pay you and you can't be paid twice. You'll get a Carers element added to your UC which is £156.45 per month. Money taken off for your salary is also correct.

I'm not sure what you want to appeal because there's nothing to appeal.

Did you use the benefits calculator that was put up in your other post? If it's used correctly and you put the correct figures in they are quite accurate.

SkyMary7

hi yeah i did and it says different to what I have been given. it seems a lot to be deducted when I was getting so much more. I mean if my circumstances are the same why such a big  drop. its unfair on families trying to work and manage. My adopted daughter has complex emotional issues and needs both of us round the clock. There is no way i could work full time. thanks for your help 

poppy123456

Carers allowance is always deducted from UC and then Carers allowance pay you, so you're not losing out on that money. In fact you're £156 per month better off because of the carers element added to UC. Have you taken into consideration the Carers allowance that's paid separately?

SkyMary7

its because they go a month behind so they took May salary into account and this month my wages are only £435 so im assuming July universal credit award will be different x

poppy123456

It totally depends on when your assessment period is for UC as to how much UC you'll receive. If you're wages are paid 4 weekly then it's possible that  some months you will have even less UC. If you're paid monthly and it's close to your assessment period for UC and you end up being paid twice within this assessment period then your UC will be affected. If it is affected greatly by your pay sometimes then it should work itself out for the following month and could be paid more.

I totally agree that UC is the pits.

SkyMary7

yeah my assessment period is 21st to the 22nd of the following month and I get paid the 25th of each month. thanks for your advice x

SkyMary7

hi ive been to citizens advice and it turns out they had my rent down as £120 a month instead of a week. So they are reassessing everything.