universal credit

Spendless

ahh right. I think I've taken this


Lone parents with children between five and 12, for example, will only be expected to look for work that is compatible with school hours

to be inclusive of the age 12, rather than being upto the child's 12th birthday. Not that any of this applies to me for UC but I'm putting off searching for f-time work till Sept due to the problems I'd have leaving a 12 yo at home all day 5 days a week in the school hols and lack of suitable holiday care.

delain

Sixer wrote: »

Yes, you'd be fine. It's CASH not HOURS.

For couples:

Children under 5 = 35 x NMW
Children 5-11 = 35 x NMW + 20ish x NMW
Children 12+ = 35 x NMW + 35 x NMW

Thank you

Nice to have someone explain that for me properly instead of just scaremongering which is all I've heard up to now.

I understand that the UC is intended to replace LHA/CTB as well (i could be wrong) how is that going to work?

Will it be based on the LHA rates for the area or the rent for your actual home?

Eta sorry if that's a stupid question. I'm struggling to get my head around it all.

HappyMJ

delain wrote: »

Thank you

Nice to have someone explain that for me properly instead of just scaremongering which is all I've heard up to now.

I understand that the UC is intended to replace LHA/CTB as well (i could be wrong) how is that going to work?

Will it be based on the LHA rates for the area or the rent for your actual home?

Eta sorry if that's a stupid question. I'm struggling to get my head around it all.

It is proposed that it will replace LHA/Housing Benefit but not as yet council tax benefit. UC's housing component will be based on the LHA rates for your area.

bloomingflower

delain wrote: »

Thank you

Nice to have someone explain that for me properly instead of just scaremongering which is all I've heard up to now.

I understand that the UC is intended to replace LHA/CTB as well (i could be wrong) how is that going to work?

Will it be based on the LHA rates for the area or the rent for your actual home?

Eta sorry if that's a stupid question. I'm struggling to get my head around it all.

Hi, I have just been reading this thread and trying to absorb the new proposals with regards to UC and have been struggling to also get my head round it all!

However, I think I have worked it out now..

My husband and I work 60 hours a week between us (he 40 and me 20) he is on 6.50 an hour and I am on 6.08 an hour(which is currently the NMW)

The proposed threshold for couples for UC will be to bring in the 425 pound a week (2x 35 NMW)

So, as our current weekly income is around about 364 pound ,then that would mean we would have a shortfall of 60 pounds a week? Is this right? and we would need to earn the extra 60 pound to bring it in line to make it up to the 425? is that right?

Sixer

bloomingflower wrote: »

Hi, I have just been reading this thread and trying to absorb the new proposals with regards to UC and have been struggling to also get my head round it all!

However, I think I have worked it out now..

My husband and I work 60 hours a week between us (he 40 and me 20) he is on 6.50 an hour and I am on 6.08 an hour(which is currently the NMW)

The proposed threshold for couples for UC will be to bring in the 425 pound a week (2x 35 NMW)

So, as our current weekly income is around about 364 pound ,then that would mean we would have a shortfall of 60 pounds a week? Is this right? and we would need to earn the extra 60 pound to bring it in line to make it up to the 425? is that right?

If you don't have children under 12, yes.

But you don't have to earn that amount to be entitled. If you earn less than the threshold amount, you will have conditionality (ie regularly prove you are looking for more/better paid work). If you don't want conditionality, you will receive UC as if you were earning the £425 threshold rather than the £364 you actually earn.

MissMoneypenny

Sixer wrote: »

And, as I say, we don't know what UC conditionality will look like. They can hardly make people who are actually working sign on once a fortnight, can they?.

Why not? If they don't earn £212.80 per week (maximum work of 35 hours per week @ NMW) then they will have time to visit the job centre or one of those back-to-work providers they have contracted out to. Someone who earns more than the minimum wage per hour but still doesn't earn £212.80pw, will have more spare time to visit these places.

As the back-to work- people aren't state workers, then perhaps they will work longer hours? More incentive to work longer perhaps, as they only get paid when they get results.

HappyMJ

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Why not? If they don't earn £212 per week (maximum work of 35 hours per week) then they will have time to visit the job centre or one of those back-to-work providers they have contracted out to.As the back-to work- people aren't state workers, then perhaps they will work longer hours?

Really? Some self employed people earn very little but spend many hours working. They do not have the time to go visiting jobcentres. I don't earn much being self employed but I do not have the time to go visiting the job centre unless they want to see me on a saturday or on a bank holiday....it's not going to happen because my day according to my NI number is Wednesday and I'm busy on that day.

MissMoneypenny

Spendless wrote: »

I'm pretty sure all the threads on here I've seen on the subject mention a 13 year old rather than a 12 year old.

I think they did say 13 in the earlier consultation papers and then Sixer directed us to the latest stuff.

MissMoneypenny

HappyMJ wrote: »

I don't earn much being self employed but I do not have the time to go visiting the job centre unless they want to see me on a saturday or on a bank holiday....it's not going to happen because my day according to my NI number is Wednesday and I'm busy on that day.

Perhaps you will have to make time if your want to claim the full UC and don't earn 35 x NMW per week? He who pays the piper, calls the tune. "I'm busy on that day" might not cut it.

Didn't you say that you charged £25 for looking at a laptop to give a quote for the work that needed doing? Why can't you do that work on a Saturday, so you have time to visit the job centre on a Wenesday or the back-to work providers on whatever day they agree with you?

anguk

Have I worked this out right? A couple with a child over 5 but under 12 would have to earn about £334 a week, roughly 35 hours a week for one parent and 20 hours for the other parent if they're earning minimum wage.

But you could have another couple where one is not working and the other earns £20 an hour, they would only have to work 16 hours a week to get the same amount of Universal credits?

I can understand why they're doing it by amount earned rather than hours worked but it seems odd that one couple would have to work 55 hours between them but another couple could just work 16 hours between them and they'd end up with exactly the same amount of UCs? It doesn't exactly give those who have a good hourly rate any incentive to work more.