need advice re universal credit

christiansmummy

hi im a bit worried about the universal credit. I like to plan ahead and im trying to gather as much information as i can, currently my husband works 40+ hours per week i stay at home with 3 very small children. what will happen when the youngest is 5? will i need to start looking then. im not work shy i used to work full time before becoming a mum. Any information would be greatly received thank you

concerned43

With your husband working I am surprised you get any benefits - which ones do you currently receive?

christiansmummy

child tax credits we have 3 kids

zagfles

christiansmummy wrote: »

child tax credits we have 3 kids

Probably won't change much unless you have savings (there are no capital rules in tax credits whereas there are in UC). Having said that there is transitional protection which state that nobody will be worse off on switching over but no real details on this (eg how long it lasts, what happens if circumstances change etc).

Too early to be worrying about it, there are likely to be loads of changes before it comes into effect. Which won't be till 2014 at the earliest for TC claimants.

christiansmummy

no savings unfortuantly

Hammyman

From what I've heard about the protests being lined up for the rest of the year by various groups including teachers strikes and marches and yet another fuel protest, I suspect this may end up getting reversed just to have a chance of getting voted back in. It could end up being Camerons Poll Tax moment.

harry7075

Universal Credit will cost more than it saves, the super computer set up to run it will undoubtedly breakdown and no one will have a clue how to use it!

zagfles

Hammyman wrote: »

From what I've heard about the protests being lined up for the rest of the year by various groups including teachers strikes and marches and yet another fuel protest, I suspect this may end up getting reversed just to have a chance of getting voted back in. It could end up being Camerons Poll Tax moment.

What will get reversed?? The UC itself isn't particularly controversial, in fact many across the political spectrum have welcomed it. Other aspects of benefit reform which aren't part of UC (eg child ben, DLA etc) or those which will come into force before UC (benefits cap, HB cap etc) are more so.

allen35

When the universal credit doew come into effect from 2014 the one change i noticed wihich will be difficult for low income families is to make all payments monthly to supposedly allow the transition into work more easier

Sixer

OP: you are correct. According to the current plans, you will need to sign on with a standard JSA agreement if you want to claim Universal Credit when it comes in:

Universal credit introduces personalised conditionality where advisers will ensure that the requirements they place on a recipient are reasonable for that person, taking into account their particular capabilities and circumstances. This represents an increased level of conditionality for certain couple groups. The conditions for receiving Universal Credit will require a joint claim from both members of a couple in all cases, i.e. both members of the couple play an equal part in the claim and so are required to undertake the same level of conditionality as for single people without children. For those with children, one member of the couple will be subject to the same conditionality as a single person, whilst the other member will be nominated as the lead carer and therefore be subject to same conditionality as if they were a lone parent (i.e. dependent on the age of their youngest child).

From the Universal Credit document at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/legislation-and-key-documents/welfare-reform-bill-2011/index.shtml.

zagfles

Sixer wrote: »

OP: you are correct. According to the current plans, you will need to sign on with a standard JSA agreement if you want to claim Universal Credit when it comes in:

Universal credit introduces personalised conditionality where advisers will ensure that the requirements they place on a recipient are reasonable for that person, taking into account their particular capabilities and circumstances. This represents an increased level of conditionality for certain couple groups. The conditions for receiving Universal Credit will require a joint claim from both members of a couple in all cases, i.e. both members of the couple play an equal part in the claim and so are required to undertake the same level of conditionality as for single people without children. For those with children, one member of the couple will be subject to the same conditionality as a single person, whilst the other member will be nominated as the lead carer and therefore be subject to same conditionality as if they were a lone parent (i.e. dependent on the age of their youngest child).

From the Universal Credit document at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/legislation-and-key-documents/welfare-reform-bill-2011/index.shtml.

I think you missed the bit about where conditionality ends, which is basically the same as now - ie when out of work benefits entitlement (IS, JSA, ESA) ends. So in the OP's case with a husband who earns way more than they'd get in JSA/IS, there will be no conditionality. Although they do say they can raise or lower the threshold in the future.

From 3.21 http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/universal-credit-full-document.pdf

Conditionality under Universal Credit will apply up to a ‘conditionality threshold’. Recipients above the threshold will be placed into the no-conditionality group. To begin with, we intend to set the threshold at broadly the same point at which people lose entitlement to the current out-of-work benefits. However, once Universal Credit is established we will be able to raise or lower this threshold and apply conditionality to a greater number of recipients.