Universal credit information

chelle_bell

anniemac1973 wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance but i like many of the people i work with are extremely worried and confused as to whats gonna happen to tax credits when Universal Credits is introduced.I previously posted that i worked part time as a learning support assistant in the local primary school working 16 hours.My husband is disabled after work accident and we have 3 teenage children all in full time education.I now work 28 hours per week at a rate of £7.34 hour.My husband gets DLA low rate care and high rate motorbility. I get child tax credits and working tax credits.Am i right in what i've been told that i wont get any tax credits unless im working full time or 35 hours? We live in the North east of England.Any knowledge would be greatfully appreciated.

Yes, you would be effected by UC.

You will still get tax credits, but you will have to seek higher paid employment. If your wages are under a certain amount, (think its 11k a year) they want to reduce the amount they pay you in tax credits and will want you to job seek another job at a higher wage (full time). This means that you will be in the category for looking for work, which means that you will need to sign on similar to the way job seekers sign on just now, and it also means sanctions (money cut off) if you dont take the jobs they offer. There's also the whole question of when will they want you to go to interviews/sign on, it will be dates/times that they decide, and I suppose you'd need to hope that your employer allows you.

Personally, if I was you, i'd look up on it (I can post some links later if you like) and have a good think about it, if you fall into the categorys and you really like your job, i'd consider increasing your hours, so that you dont fall into the looking for work category (this is what I had to do and funnily enough start my full time hours today - its not easy as I also have 2 kids, but I love my job and I know my employer wouldn't allow me to leave for interviews ect)

Good luck

dori2o

chelle_bell wrote: »

Yes, you would be effected by UC.

You will still get tax credits, but you will have to seek higher paid employment. If your wages are under a certain amount, (think its 11k a year) they want to reduce the amount they pay you in tax credits and will want you to job seek another job at a higher wage (full time). This means that you will be in the category for looking for work, which means that you will need to sign on similar to the way job seekers sign on just now, and it also means sanctions (money cut off) if you dont take the jobs they offer. There's also the whole question of when will they want you to go to interviews/sign on, it will be dates/times that they decide, and I suppose you'd need to hope that your employer allows you.

Personally, if I was you, i'd look up on it (I can post some links later if you like) and have a good think about it, if you fall into the categorys and you really like your job, i'd consider increasing your hours, so that you dont fall into the looking for work category (this is what I had to do and funnily enough start my full time hours today - its not easy as I also have 2 kids, but I love my job and I know my employer wouldn't allow me to leave for interviews ect)

Good luck

This whole forcing people to job seek DESPITE many being in secure employment (with restrictions in the contract of working outside of contracted hours, i.e. must be able to cover shifts at short notice), I find completely despicable, especially as you can be forced out of a secure job, to take a temporary position, which could be as short as a couple of weeks.

You mention there being in income limit to it. Is that per person in the household, or per household?

Will the DWP be covering the travel costs of these employed people who will be forced to sign on?

princessdon

dori2o wrote: »

This whole forcing people to job seek DESPITE many being in secure employment (with restrictions in the contract of working outside of contracted hours, i.e. must be able to cover shifts at short notice), I find completely despicable, especially as you can be forced out of a secure job, to take a temporary position, which could be as short as a couple of weeks.

You mention there being in income limit to it. Is that per person in the household, or per household?

Will the DWP be covering the travel costs of these employed people who will be forced to sign on?

I think it's long overdue. Why should people work 24 hours a week, fit and healthy get benefits if they have no intention to increase income? It's a lifestyle choice then not a need.

Yes it's household. 35 hrs (still not FTE), x reasonable expectations for conditionality. So if teenage children and both healthy this is 35 x 2 @ NMW to avoid conditionality.

Younger children, less or no conditionality of partner. Disabilities are considered and carers.

No reasonable person lives on less than NMW and doesn't look for work, all they need to do is look for work.

princessdon

anniemac1973 wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance but i like many of the people i work with are extremely worried and confused as to whats gonna happen to tax credits when Universal Credits is introduced.I previously posted that i worked part time as a learning support assistant in the local primary school working 16 hours.My husband is disabled after work accident and we have 3 teenage children all in full time education.I now work 28 hours per week at a rate of £7.34 hour.My husband gets DLA low rate care and high rate motorbility. I get child tax credits and working tax credits.Am i right in what i've been told that i wont get any tax credits unless im working full time or 35 hours? We live in the North east of England.Any knowledge would be greatfully appreciated.

If your OH meets the disability criteria then you will be expected to work an hour or two more (as over NMW). All you need to do is take the benefit change based on this calculation to avoid conditionality. Due to extra disregards for workers it may even mean more than you get now.

The problem for your family (and I don't know enough about disabilities) is if your OH is subject to conditionality or not as he gets LRC. Someone else may be able to confirm if he is exempt or not.

Foxn86

Im just wondering where all these full times jobs everyone is expected to take are, i must be missing something because clearly the government are hiding all these full time jobs for every single person, who currently get tax credits etc. Luckily when i return from Mat leave i will be able to increase my hours to fit into this UC but im sad about having to do this as leaving me zero time with my kids. My husband is in construction and work is so few and far between and defo not through lack of trying. So i will make the shortfall up after mat leave. However some people seem to thinks its an open and shut case and all these jobs are super easy to come by, personally i disagree.
I really do agree there had to be a benefit shake up in this country but i think this is slightly a step too far, for example girl in my work drives a brand new BMW, this being her grans mobility car the gran doesnt even have a licence ! however she takes her shopping occassionally so get this car and pays her gran £100 a month in shortfall of her benefits. Now really if thats not insane then i don't know what is. I personally think there will be majoy fails and changes to this UC as i think it will become apparent that not everyone can snap their fingers and get full time jobs !

princessdon

Foxn86 wrote: »

Im just wondering where all these full times jobs everyone is expected to take are, i must be missing something because clearly the government are hiding all these full time jobs for every single person, who currently get tax credits etc. Luckily when i return from Mat leave i will be able to increase my hours to fit into this UC but im sad about having to do this as leaving me zero time with my kids. My husband is in construction and work is so few and far between and defo not through lack of trying. So i will make the shortfall up after mat leave. However some people seem to thinks its an open and shut case and all these jobs are super easy to come by, personally i disagree.
I really do agree there had to be a benefit shake up in this country but i think this is slightly a step too far, for example girl in my work drives a brand new BMW, this being her grans mobility car the gran doesnt even have a licence ! however she takes her shopping occassionally so get this car and pays her gran £100 a month in shortfall of her benefits. Now really if thats not insane then i don't know what is. I personally think there will be majoy fails and changes to this UC as i think it will become apparent that not everyone can snap their fingers and get full time jobs !

That's illegal you should report them.

It can be 2 or 3 part time jobs.

As your child is under 5, you only need to get 35 hrs a week between you and hubby @ NMW not work those hours. If in construction surely you are close if not above that anyway.

There is a lot of scaremongering but it's not always doom and gloom. The main losers will be where 1 parent of older children works 24 hours and the other wants to stay at home, even when children are 17 etc. they will be the ones hit hardest.

SE can look to increase via advertising etc -

Foxn86

princessdon wrote: »

That's illegal you should report them.

It can be 2 or 3 part time jobs.

As your child is under 5, you only need to get 35 hrs a week between you and hubby @ NMW not work those hours. If in construction surely you are close if not above that anyway.

There is a lot of scaremongering but it's not always doom and gloom. The main losers will be where 1 parent of older children works 24 hours and the other wants to stay at home, even when children are 17 etc. they will be the ones hit hardest.

SE can look to increase via advertising etc -

Sometimes he can get 8 weeks work straight then nothing at all. But i will just go back 35 hours to be on the safe side. To be fair we get buttons anyway on tax credits we don't get anything else but it still helps. The policy in pratice calculator seems ok however im not confident it is accurate in all honesty. I think based on how many people ive spoken to they are really worried. Perhaps the government could have perhaps rolled this out more clearly. Im aware there is a lot online but to most average people the reading is not very clear and straightforward !
Hopefully i win the lottery and this will not be an issue

princessdon

Foxn86 wrote: »

Sometimes he can get 8 weeks work straight then nothing at all. But i will just go back 35 hours to be on the safe side. To be fair we get buttons anyway on tax credits we don't get anything else but it still helps. The policy in pratice calculator seems ok however im not confident it is accurate in all honesty. I think based on how many people ive spoken to they are really worried. Perhaps the government could have perhaps rolled this out more clearly. Im aware there is a lot online but to most average people the reading is not very clear and straightforward !
Hopefully i win the lottery and this will not be an issue

The other thing people forget is that they can take the amount and opt of conditionality. Eg accept in your case an annual of £11k pa and have the award based on that.

Foxn86

I didn't realise that, well thats not so bad then if you are prepared to just take the shortfall, wouldn't be that much anyway !
Thanks for that

princessdon

Foxn86 wrote: »

I didn't realise that, well thats not so bad then if you are prepared to just take the shortfall, wouldn't be that much anyway !
Thanks for that

Exactly - I think many will just opt out and take the wage set as it makes little difference. You still get TC - just they use the slightly higher figure.

But say an eBay seller who earnt £200 pa and whose partner doesn't work with teenage children will be heavily affected, being honest - rightly so.