Universal credit????

princessdon

feelthelove wrote: »

not sure if that's right to be honest . We don't sign on husband has had his business since 2005 and the recession has forced him to take a job, i originally applied for the job but i couldn't take it as it cleaning men's showers .

One or both will have too unless business improves of course. That involves signing on, doing workfare, doing courses and taking any job even cleaning showers.

Or decline benefits - it's a personal choice

benefitbaby

Claimants will, depending on their circumstances, be assigned to one of four requirements groups.

1. - those who have ‘no work-related requirements’ at all (to include those who satisfy an earnings threshold, those with limited capability for work-related activity, certain carers, certain pregnancy cases and claimants in certain types of education).
2. - those who have only to attend ‘work-focused interviews’ (to include carers of a child aged one to four inclusive, other carers for children including foster carers and certain foster parents).
3. - those who have to attend interviews and engage in ’work preparation’ (eg, attend the Work Programme: likely to apply to claimants with limited capability for work); or
4. - those who must engage in ‘all work-related requirements’, including looking for and being available for work (the default category where none of the others apply).

Sanctions for non-compliance will be set at three different levels, according to the requirement group

princessdon

benefitbaby wrote: »

Claimants will, depending on their circumstances, be assigned to one of four requirements groups.

1. - those who have ‘no work-related requirements’ at all (to include those who satisfy an earnings threshold, those with limited capability for work-related activity, certain carers, certain pregnancy cases and claimants in certain types of education).
2. - those who have only to attend ‘work-focused interviews’ (to include carers of a child aged one to four inclusive, other carers for children including foster carers and certain foster parents).
3. - those who have to attend interviews and engage in ’work preparation’ (eg, attend the Work Programme: likely to apply to claimants with limited capability for work); or
4. - those who must engage in ‘all work-related requirements’, including looking for and being available for work (the default category where none of the others apply).

Sanctions for non-compliance will be set at three different levels, according to the requirement group

Op and partner will be a 4. Unless exemption not mentioned.

Thanks for the link

benefitbaby

feelthelove wrote: »

so self employed need to pay themselves nmw or give up the business ?

Not exactly, here is an example... you and your partner live together, he is self employed working 35 hours but only earning £50 per week.

The DWP will have to then either:
a) assume that 35 hours generates £216.65 weekly income (35 hours x NMW = £216.65) and base your UC entitlement on this figure, or
b) asssume that only 8 hours a week is worked as only £50 earned (£50 / NMW = 8 hours) and require your partner to look for additional work.

benefitbaby

princessdon wrote: »

Op and partner will be a 4. Unless exemption not mentioned.

Thanks for the link

Anytime, just bear in mind the regulations may be tweaked before UC rolls out nationally.

princessdon

feelthelove wrote: »

your not a very nice person from your comments, i was warned about joining here, you don't know me and yet your judging me .

Telling you new rules you don't want to hear has nothing to do with nice or not.

It's the way universal credits are and neither my opinion or yours will change that.

You claim benefits for a low income (many do) - UC means you need to at least look to increase income. Why is that bad? Surely as a couple you want more money?

princessdon

benefitbaby wrote: »

Anytime, just bear in mind the regulations may be tweaked before UC rolls out nationally.

I expecting a lot of tweaks - but all we can do is advise on what it is at this point.

benefitbaby

princessdon wrote: »

I expecting a lot of tweaks - but all we can do is advise on what it is at this point.

Very, very true

princessdon

End of the day couples where 1 made a lifestyle choice not to work and claim benefits will be hit. I don't see this a bad thing. If they want to be a housewife it's their personal choice - but their OH needs to support them not benefits if not disabled, carers or exempt.

benefitbaby

princessdon wrote: »

End of the day couples where 1 made a lifestyle choice not to work and claim benefits will be hit. I don't see this a bad thing. If they want to be a housewife it's their personal choice - but their OH needs to support them not benefits if not disabled, carers or exempt.

I don't disagree with you, I just get annoyed that so many people were encouraged by DWP to become self-employed to reduce the unemployment number only to find the earnings are not sufficient to sustain a household (especially in a recession) and then need to rely on WTC.

I saw in the news this week that unemployment figures are at 3 million with only 900,000 available jobs. Even if someone is lucky enough to get a job these are often only part-time and frequently pay NMW rather than a living wage which the government agrees is needed to avoid reliance on benefits or tax credits to top-up earnings.

I don't have the answers but neither do the policy makers and they are the ones being paid the 'big bucks' and have no real insight into what it means to be working class.