So confused - how will this affect my benefits ?

whiteswan

My head is about to explode !

My situation.

I live alone 49 years old - disabled - I work 20 hours a week (min wage)

I get maximum PIP for both elements - I get wtc incl disabled element.

I get no help with council tax or housing benefit - I pay my mortgage every month.

No savings to speak of (maybe £475 in bank at moment).

Now my I am thinking of asking my gf to move in with me.

Her situation is that she works 16 hrs a week (min wage) - 40 years old with 1 child (aged 7).

She claims wtc / ctc but doesn't get help with council tax / rent etc.

Our town (Oldham) I think has switched over to Universal Credits........not really too sure how this works - I have tried to use the calculators but both give wildly different results.

Can anybody help ?

The result wont stop us moving in together as obviously our combined housing costs are going to be cheaper only having 1 property to heat etc.

But I am looking for a rough idea of what - if anything we could claim if we lived under one roof.

Would I move over to Universal Credit if we put in a joint claim ?

I am honestly so confused by it all..............

WillowCat

When you move in together you will need to make a joint claim for universal credit.

Although you are working, as you claim PIP you will be able to apply for a work capability assessment (WCA) which will determine whether you have limited capability for work, or limited capability for work and work related activity. If the latter you will be entitled to a premium in your UC, and it will also exempt you from the required number of hours work. If the former you will get no more money but will also exempt you from the required hours.

Your girlfriend will be expected to work for 25 hours per week with a 7 year old, unless she intends to be your carer which would exempt her too from the min hours rules. As your carer she would be entitled to the carers premium under universal credit even if her wages are too high to actually claim carers allowance.

Note where I say 'hours' it's actually hours x minimum wage, so if you earn more than minimum wage the hours are reduced.

As you are not paying rent, you will be eligible for the higher work allowance, so you can earn £397 per month between you before your universal credit is affected, after which it will be reduced by 63p for every pound you earn.

WillowCat

Based very roughly on combined take home of £1150 per month, and a universal credit award of :

Standard allowance: £498.89
Child element : £277.08
Limited capability for work and work related activity: £318.76
Carer element: £151.89

Total £1246.62

Less taper of £474.39

Would leave you with an award of £772.23 per month universal credit.

On top of that you will obviously have your wages, PIP, and child benefit.

If you don't meet the requirements for limited capability for work and work related activity then the award would be £318.76 lower - and the first 13 weeks of the claim wouldn't be eligible for this in any case.

bigbill

Stick your postcode in below and check if your a full or live UC area?

https://universalcreditinfo.net/

whiteswan

What is a wca ?

Is it the same as the health check I underwent when I claimed PIP last year ?

Not too sure what this all means........the nurse who came to my house for the PIP assessment was not totally truthful on the form - it took a huge effort to get their report set aside - is it the same type of thing ?

Dave

poppy12345

whiteswan wrote: »

What is a wca ?

Is it the same as the health check I underwent when I claimed PIP last year ?

Dave

It's a work capability assessment. It's similar to the PIP assessment but has different criteria. WCA you're assessed on your ability to be able to do any type of work.

whiteswan

poppy12345 wrote: »

It's a work capability assessment. It's similar to the PIP assessment but has different criteria. WCA you're assessed on your ability to be able to do any type of work.

So the outcome of this wont affect my PIP ?

Or will it replace the PIP with the ESA ?

Dave

WillowCat

The WCA for universal credit won't affect your PIP.

You will be claiming universal credit rather than ESA - the WCA for each are similar though not completely identical.