2016 benefits changes for working people?

zagfles

TattyG wrote: »

Was it this post?



This was on the thread from the lady who has been told the work she does isn't viable work. It was posted but wasn't backed up with anything but the posters opinion. x

Yup, unsubstantiated rubbish. OP remember anyone can post anything here, posts aren't moderated for accuracy.

TELLIT01

It's quite possible that somebody heard half a story about JSA, ESA, IS and other benefits ending, but didn't pick up on the half about them being replaced by Universal Credits.

benniebert

TELLIT01 wrote: »

It's quite possible that somebody heard half a story about JSA, ESA, IS and other benefits ending, but didn't pick up on the half about them being replaced by Universal Credits.

You forget Pension Credit. At last as from April 2016, the benefit will fall in line with all of the other means tested benefits. Currently your capital could be £millions and your retirement income double what it was when you first applied yet you have no need to inform the DWP of those increases until every 5 years or never depending how old you are.


From April 2016, you will have to notify each and every change of income over what was originally verified and/or capital that exceeds £10,000. Additionally the full force of the Deprivation of Capital & Income rules will be enforced. That will certainly catch a few wealthy pensioners that have played the system and further reduce the burden on the Welfare Budget by having them taken off the benefit.

Weary_soul

And this is going to cause many people under UC hardship by the looks of things.

New universal credit rules which could leave 200,000 claimants waiting six months for benefit

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/7878/

tomtontom

Weary_soul wrote: »

And this is going to cause many people under UC hardship by the looks of things.

New universal credit rules which could leave 200,000 claimants waiting six months for benefit

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/7878/

This is nothing new, the same principle applies to cyclical workers under the current system. The only difference is that the new regulation is more explicit in its detail, meaning decision making will be more consistent.

rogerblack

tomtontom wrote: »

This is nothing new, the same principle applies to cyclical workers under the current system. The only difference is that the new regulation is more explicit in its detail, meaning decision making will be more consistent.

This does not simply apply to cyclical workers.
If I get a job, enough to come off UC, pay your own rent and earn enough for 3 months to pay off some of your debt, get a reliable second hand car, get work-appropriate clothing, and then lose the job through no fault of your own, with no notice, then you may be treated as if you still had the money you earned that you used to pay off your debts and get that car and clothing, which may make you ineligible for UC for up to six months - including any help with housing costs.

zagfles

rogerblack wrote: »

This does not simply apply to cyclical workers.
If I get a job, enough to come off UC, pay your own rent and earn enough for 3 months to pay off some of your debt, get a reliable second hand car, get work-appropriate clothing, and then lose the job through no fault of your own, with no notice, then you may be treated as if you still had the money you earned that you used to pay off your debts and get that car and clothing, which may make you ineligible for UC for up to six months - including any help with housing costs.

That's not really much different to the way tax credits operate - except tax credits spread income over a year rather than 6 months.

Besides it'd be a bit of an extreme scenario to be ineligible for 6 months in the example you give - the job would have to pay a very large amount.

Batman_100

rogerblack wrote: »

This does not simply apply to cyclical workers.
If I get a job, enough to come off UC, pay your own rent and earn enough for 3 months to pay off some of your debt, get a reliable second hand car, get work-appropriate clothing, and then lose the job through no fault of your own, with no notice, then you may be treated as if you still had the money you earned that you used to pay off your debts and get that car and clothing, which may make you ineligible for UC for up to six months - including any help with housing costs.

So it's effectively the government telling you want you can and can't spend your own money on?


So if I decided to splash out my hard earned cash on a nice car and a long haul holiday, but then suddenly got made redundant through no fault of my own, I wouldn't be able to claim anything because of the way I chose to spend my own money?


That doesn't sound very fair to me.

Londonsu

benniebert wrote: »

You forget Pension Credit. At last as from April 2016, the benefit will fall in line with all of the other means tested benefits. Currently your capital could be £millions and your retirement income double what it was when you first applied yet you have no need to inform the DWP of those increases until every 5 years or never depending how old you are.


From April 2016, you will have to notify each and every change of income over what was originally verified and/or capital that exceeds £10,000. Additionally the full force of the Deprivation of Capital & Income rules will be enforced. That will certainly catch a few wealthy pensioners that have played the system and further reduce the burden on the Welfare Budget by having them taken off the benefit.

And surprise all the disaffected young who whine that pensioners benefits are ring fenced due to the fact that pensioners vote

zagfles

Batman_100 wrote: »

So it's effectively the government telling you want you can and can't spend your own money on?


So if I decided to splash out my hard earned cash on a nice car and a long haul holiday, but then suddenly got made redundant through no fault of my own, I wouldn't be able to claim anything because of the way I chose to spend my own money?


That doesn't sound very fair to me.

It isn't. But it's hardly a new concept, under current HB rules you can be investigated for deprivation if you spend a load of money in the 6 months before you make a claim, and with tax credits as I said income over a whole year is used, not just the last 6 months. So in some ways UC will make the situation better not worse.