Really worried I'm going to get no Universal credit & won't be able to afford to work

xylophone

Buy a house near the vicarage, live in it and use the vicarage as your office?

kyte

I am required by the church to live in the vicarage. It's isn't optional.

I would love to use the house as a bolt hole rather than renting it out. But no-one can tell me if this truly is ok, or whether they would still consider it capital.

Armed forces families do rent their properties out, and live in married quarters when in the UK. My dad was in the armed forces.

And yes,if this is true, it will affect lots of families and many clergy may no longer be able to afford to work as clergy. Many of us rely on tax credits. I have contacted both my MP and bishop but months later, no progress on clarifying this, and the rollout continues.

tea-bag

£900!!!???

kyte

tea-bag wrote: »

£900!!!???

Yes, that includes the childcare element, which makes it sound a lot.

GirlFromMars_2

Are you moving to a Universal Credit area? Or is this just a hypothetical?

Supposedly there will be transitional rules about Capital for people moving from Working Tax Credit, will these apply to you?

If you are moving to a Universal Credit area, and believe you will be claiming Universal Credit not Working Tax Credits, then you could write to a decision maker to get a decision in advance.

kyte

GirlFromMars wrote: »

Are you moving to a Universal Credit area? Or is this just a hypothetical?

Supposedly there will be transitional rules about Capital for people moving from Working Tax Credit, will these apply to you?

If you are moving to a Universal Credit area, and believe you will be claiming Universal Credit not Working Tax Credits, then you could write to a decision maker to get a decision in advance.

I'll be moving to an area that's rolling it out in April. My STBXH is stalling the finances and it's likely we'll end up in court. so by the time things are agreed, it will be a UC area. And I wouldn't get transitional protection because the financial settlement/buying a house would count as a change in circumstances.

GirlFromMars_2

Ok, then I think you need to write and get a decision in advance of moving. You also need to continue to pester your MP (maybe your new MP) and Bishop to see if they can get to the bottom of what is going on.

You say you are currently claiming JSA, can the people at your current jobcentre help point you in the right direction to clarify things?

Reading through the UC DM guide, it looks as if they are tightening up a lot of loopholes and clarifying a lot of things that have been grey areas in JSA/WTC. My guess would be that while they may stop people renting out homes whilst also having them disregarded, I very much doubt that they would class your home as a second home while you are living in work provided accommodation. But as you say you do need to find out for sure.

MissMoneypenny

kyte wrote: »

Yes, that includes the childcare element, which makes it sound a lot.

Have you asked the church about providing your children with childcare when you can't have them with you?

kyte

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Have you asked the church about providing your children with childcare when you can't have them with you?

The local church can't afford it. I may see if the diocese could help, but they might be wary of setting a precedent given that this will affect other families....and I feel like I'm setting a poor example of being a single mum and priest, you know? I want to be able to stand on my own two feet.