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Change of circumstance - advice needed

ifonlythelonely

Hi, My wife & I have been claiming UC for the past year but she has now got a full time job which is great in a lot of ways & I'm of course happy for her. The downside in a purely selfish way is my money will be going down drastically over night (we have separate bank accounts & money). I just wondered if someone could confirm what money I will be getting on my next payment if I explain what we have been getting. I'm in an awkward position now as I'm a carer for my dad so I'm limited to what money I can earn. I can't get a full time job & part time work is very limited due to needing to be around for my dad. Our UC payments have changed here & there but I will base it off our last months payment:

Basic allowance - £509.91
Housing - £745 (we are private tenants & that is our rent)
Children - £282.50 (We have 1 child. My wife biologically & I'm the step dad)
Carers Element - £163.73 (I am a carer for my dad)

Can anyone let me know what I will get next payment date now?

Thanks

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Comments

poppy123456

UC is means tested and both of your circumstances are taken into consideration. So it’s correct that your UC would be reduced with earnings.
UC is based on earnings received during your monthly assessment period. Because you have children on your claim earnings of up to £344 per month will be ignored. Anything over this and your UC will reduce by 55%.

How much your UC will be affected by will depend on how much earnings exactly your wife will receive.

For example if your wife receives £1,200 earnings per month then £344 will be ignored so the reductions will look like this.. £856 x 0.55 = £470 so your UC will be reduced by this amount. See link https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-your-earnings-affect-your-payments
You can also use a benefits calculator and put in various different earnings amounts to see what the calculation would be https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=eedbb32e-bb5b-4007-a2f8-89d15eb50b9a

ifonlythelonely

Ok thanks. I used the entitledto link & put our figures through which brought up £268 per week so just over £1000 per month going forward. Not sure if that sounds right but it does tie in with the calculation you did above roughly. I took my wifes monthly earnings x 0.55 to give me an amount. I then took that amount away from our current payment & it gave me a figure close to what the entitledto link gave me.

I suppose I was/am concerned as overnight my wife is now getting a very good wage & I'm not. I can't even look to get much work due to caring for my dad so feels like I'm stuck in a dead end street with no real options at present!

poppy123456

It’s difficult to advise without knowing the earnings she will receive each assessment period.

ifonlythelonely

She will be getting £1600 per month from her job earnings.

poppy123456

That means £344 is ignored because of the work allowance. £1256 x 0.55 = £690.80 deducted from UC.
Don’t forget the annual increase for those elements which applied from yesterday. You should receive the increase from next month.

ifonlythelonely

So are you saying our payment will be £690 next month? Based off my original message & figures could you roughly say how much we will be getting going forward? Our total last month was £1701.14 but I know it will drop drastically. I just need to know the figure roughly. Thanks

poppy123456

If your UC payment is £1,700 then there will be £690.80 deductions based on the earnings figure above.
Total UC will be £1,090.20 per month. This figure will increase slightly because of the annual increase.
Then the £1,600 earnings on top of that.
Total amount for both £2,690.80

ifonlythelonely

Ok thanks for explaining clearly. If that's the case that's not as bad as I thought from my side of things.

How are we still able to claim over £1000 when my wife is earning a good full time wage? I don't mean you have it wrong I mean the system seems wrong!

poppy123456

ifonlythelonely said:

Ok thanks for explaining clearly. If that's the case that's not as bad as I thought from my side of things.

How are we still able to claim over £1000 when my wife is earning a good full time wage? I don't mean you have it wrong I mean the system seems wrong!

It's the way UC works. As you have a child on your claim you will have the work allowance which means a certain amount of the earnings is ignored. UC is based on personal circumstances and those that work can claim it too depending on their circumstances.

I don't see anything wrong with that, it's a good thing especially with the cost of living so high now. Your UC will fluctuate of course depending on the amount of earnings received each assessment period.

poppy123456

One thing i didn't mention, if you currently claim council tax reduction you'll need to report the changes to your local Authority.

Your wife also needs to report a change of circumstances on her journal that she's now working.. or report them when she starts working.

ifonlythelonely

Yes thanks we've already updated both the journal & the council regarding the change.

You are correct it is a good thing. The way we chase money all our life just to survive it's a nice feeling when you get something back for a change!

ifonlythelonely

poppy123456 said:

That means £344 is ignored because of the work allowance. £1256 x 0.55 = £690.80 deducted from UC.
Don’t forget the annual increase for those elements which applied from yesterday. You should receive the increase from next month.

One other thing - do you know what the annual increase is?

calcotti

ifonlythelonely said: One other thing - do you know what the annual increase is?

All the new benefit rates are here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2022-to-2023/proposed-benefit-and-pension-rates-2022-to-2023

It was a 3.1% increase.

Note that for UC the new rates only apply from the first assessment period starting on or after 11th April which means that some people will not see the increased amounts until their June payment. Those normally paid on the 17th of the month will first see the increases on 17th June.

ifonlythelonely

calcotti said:

ifonlythelonely said: One other thing - do you know what the annual increase is?

All the new benefit rates are here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2022-to-2023/proposed-benefit-and-pension-rates-2022-to-2023

It was a 3.1% increase.

Note that for UC the new rates only apply from the first assessment period starting on or after 11th April which means that some people will not see the increased amounts until their June payment. Those normally paid on the 17th of the month will first see the increases on 17th June.

Great stuff. Thanks for your reply & the link - all understood.

ifonlythelonely

Just adding onto my original post. My wife & I were looking to move to a new place soon now my wife has a full time job. The problem is from my side - I am currently a full time carer for my dad so I'm unable to find full time work. I'm struggling to find part time work but I am looking for a few hours early mornings just to bring in some extra money. I'm claiming the carer's element through Universal Credits. My question is (if anyone has any knowledge on this) - how would we be viewed by estate agents? My wife is bringing in money now but would we be turned away as I'm not at present other than money I'm getting through UC?

calcotti

ifonlythelonely said: My wife is bringing in money now but would we be turned away as I'm not at present other than money I'm getting through UC?

Will depend on the agent and how much your wife is earning.

ifonlythelonely

Well she is getting £1600 per month. Just seems unfair if we aren't considered as I was running a successful business myself for 10 years up until 9 months ago. Unfortunately my mum past away so I am now the sole carer for my dad. I literally don't have the time to get a job but do have money coming in & savings in the bank. If we aren't considered it feels like a dead end street for us at the moment.

calcotti

ifonlythelonely said:..seems unfair if we aren't considered ... If we aren't considered it feels like a dead end street for us at the moment.

You appear to be getting worried about a potential problem that you don't yet know exists.

ifonlythelonely

It's not that I'm worried it's just based off a bit of research that's all which points in the direction that some estate agents wouldn't consider us. I may have it wrong. I just wanted some advice before hand but I will be speaking to some agents this week anyway so will hear from the horses mouth.

ifonlythelonely

Just following on from my thread here. Since posting my original comment I have managed to get myself a zero hours contract job. I can't work too many hours anyway as per the above I am caring for my dad but I'm able to get some hours in during the week. If I still want/need to claim the carers element though UC how many hours can I work in a week in order to still qualify for the carers element? I'm ideally looking to do 10-12 hours a week at my new job if that's possible & still claim the carers element.