Universal Credit

Top_Girl

I have been playing about with a UC calculator and it looks like I might end up financially better off when this comes in.

Has anyone else found this?

zagfles

Yes, quite a lot of people will be better off, especially those in low paid/hours jobs who aren't entitled to WTC due to too few hours.

Maureen43

Sounds good!

Where can I find a UC calculator?

zagfles

Maureen43 wrote: »

Sounds good!

Where can I find a UC calculator?

http://policyinpractice.co.uk/universal-credit/universal-credit-calculator/universal-credit-claim/

homeriscool

Top_Girl wrote: »

I have been playing about with a UC calculator and it looks like I might end up financially better off when this comes in.

Has anyone else found this?

I think you will find that if you have children you will be worse off. I will be losing around £50 per week.

Top_Girl

homeriscool wrote: »

I think you will find that if you have children you will be worse off. I will be losing around £50 per week.

I have one child, am alone with him and work 18.5 hours per week on just under 9k a year with no childcare costs. I get WTC, CTC and partial HB and live in a council property so my rent is quite low.

It looks like I should be better off but I'm not sure I understand it

zagfles

homeriscool wrote: »

I think you will find that if you have children you will be worse off. I will be losing around £50 per week.

Having children doesn't make you worse off. If you're on a low income with children you're likely to be better off.

MissMoneypenny

Top_Girl wrote: »

I have one child, am alone with him and work 18.5 hours per week on just under 9k a year with no childcare costs. I get WTC, CTC and partial HB and live in a council property so my rent is quite low.

It looks like I should be better off but I'm not sure I understand it

Under UC, people will have conditions (on earnings) that will depend of the age of the child for the carer parent. A single parent will classed as the carer parent.

These conditions of UC will help people prepare for work as their children get older; so that the removal/lowering amount of UC when their child leaves home, doesn't make the parents short of money.

Under Tax Credits, some parents don't work/don't work many hours and just use the child tax credits for the entire family. Then they are shocked when their tax credits stop when their child leaves home/full time education, and there are no benefits to replace their lost child tax credits. Under UC, the carer parent will be expected to work more hours as the child gets older and be in full time* work when the child reaches 13(?).

* Fulltime work is based on earnings.

BigAunty

Is that calculator likely to be accurate?

zagfles

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Under UC, people will have conditions (on earnings) that will depend of the age of the child for the carer parent. A single parent will classed as the carer parent.

These conditions of UC will help people prepare for work as their children get older; so that the removal/lowering amount of UC when their child leaves home, doesn't make the parents short of money.

Under Tax Credits, some parents don't work/don't work many hours and just use the child tax credits for the entire family. Then they are shocked when their tax credits stop when their child leaves home/full time education, and there are no benefits to replace their lost child tax credits. Under UC, the carer parent will be expected to work more hours as the child gets older and be in full time* work when the child reaches 13(?).

* Fulltime work is based on earnings.

Work or be seeking work. Unlike WTC where you have to be working certain hours to get it, under UC you only need to seeking work.

Plus under UC you can choose not to bother seeking work, and be treated as if you're earning whatever hours they expect you to work times the NMW. So most people with children will still be able to get some UC even if they don't want to seek work.

zagfles

BigAunty wrote: »

Is that calculator likely to be accurate?

It seems to have the priciples right, but the value of the elements are subject to change. I'd say it's likely to be pretty accurate.