Benefits confusion

consumers_revenge

Hi,

Wife being made redundant

Two of us and 2 kids ( 7 & 3 ). she will now go on to jsa for up to 6 months but what happens at the end of that? ( this might end up under universal credit by the time but thats even more confusing ) does she then get anything else? she will happily go back to work if we can find something child friendly but it will prove easier to find something once daughter starts school. Im full time 35h week.

various sites give various answers but it would be nice to have first hand knowledge if poss....

UC seems to suggest that she will get something up till daughter is 5 as lead carer in a couple which doesnt seem correct.....?

Cheers

nannytone_2

it all depends on your income.
after 6 months on conys based JSA. she will no longer be entitled to any benefits for herself, but you may be entitled to benefits for your household if your income is low enough.

umiversal credit will be means tested, and so your income will be taken into account too.
conts based benefits will still be paid after universal credit comes in ... it is only replacing income based benefit

princessdon

Do you not get Child Tax Credits?

consumers_revenge

So whats this mean then...( and Im on 28k ) if that helps ( OH on much much lower wage )


Under Universal Credit, requirements will be set according to individual capability and circumstance. There will be four broad conditionality groups:
• full conditionality – jobseekers;
• work preparation – people with a disability or those with a health condition which means they have limited capability for work at the current time;
• keeping in touch with the labour market – lone parent or lead carer in a couple with a child over age one but below age five
• no conditionality – people with a disability or health condition which prevents them from working, carers, lone parents or lead carers with a child under the age of one.

And dont get me wrong she wants to work its just if due to the childcare she cant find anything suitable.

consumers_revenge

We get tax credits at the mo to cover DD being at nursery whilst were both out working.

Not sure we would get anything under UC system.

nannytone_2

if you only get the childcare element of tax credits, then this will also stop if your wife loses her job.

you wont get universal credit merely because she is seeking work.
you have to meet the other criteria .... one of which is household income