Universal Credit

Newuser1990

Hi,

I've got a question which I can't for the life of me find an answer for somebody who has been in a similar situation, so here goes!

I'm currently earning around £28,500 per year from my job, myself and my partner have a 2 year old and a 0 year old. Currently were not entitled to any help apart from child benefit which my partner receives in her account.

Due to reasons which I don't particularly want to discuss, I can not bear to continue my current job anymore. I've been offered a new job for less money, which will be brilliant compared to my current job, however it is 10k less a year.

My question is, will I be entitled to universal credit if I took this new job? I've done the calculations on turn2us and entitled to and it says we would be, however I'm unsure as technically I'll be volunteering to have a lower salary?

However I feel I can no longer be happy at my current job?

I did phone citizens advice and they did mention the words deprevation of capital, but I'm not sure they understood my query completely. I did Google this and I'm unsure if this would apply in our situation?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just to reiterate, I wouldn't be leaving my job to a less paid job in order to claim universal credit (incase anyone judges), it would be for my own health and sanity, and this could help out until I found a better paid job.

Thanks in advance!

skcollobcat10

Newuser1990 wrote: »

Hi,

I've got a question which I can't for the life of me find an answer for somebody who has been in a similar situation, so here goes!

I'm currently earning around £28,500 per year from my job, myself and my partner have a 2 year old and a 0 year old. Currently were not entitled to any help apart from child benefit which my partner receives in her account.

Due to reasons which I don't particularly want to discuss, I can not bear to continue my current job anymore. I've been offered a new job for less money, which will be brilliant compared to my current job, however it is 10k less a year.

My question is, will I be entitled to universal credit if I took this new job? I've done the calculations on turn2us and entitled to and it says we would be, however I'm unsure as technically I'll be volunteering to have a lower salary?

However I feel I can no longer be happy at my current job?

I did phone citizens advice and they did mention the words deprevation of capital, but I'm not sure they understood my query completely. I did Google this and I'm unsure if this would apply in our situation?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just to reiterate, I wouldn't be leaving my job to a less paid job in order to claim universal credit (incase anyone judges), it would be for my own health and sanity, and this could help out until I found a better paid job.

Thanks in advance!

Would it possible for you to take new job and your wife to work when you are not working, that way you both wouldn't loose out. I would be wary of claiming benefits because there are too many problems with regards people ending up owing DWP and then having to pay back. Look into free childcare to see if that angle is possible. Good luck with what you choose.

Newuser1990

Thank you for the fast reply, as the baby is a new born my partner wants to stay at home and look after him. The other difficulty we would have is that my shifts for the new job would be allocated 3 weeks in advance, so we wouldn't know my work pattern before that.

She's more than happy and willing to find work when their both at school, but until then we'd both rather she looks after them until preschool/school as their so young and also the price of childcare in the area would take away half my hourly wage (I haven't done the calculations, but it would seems like it's cheaper and easier for the wife to work).

I haven't handed my notice into my current job yet, but like I said i really doing want to stay their due to personal circumstances.

Thanks!

Newuser1990

Not sure how to edit post above, I meant for the wife to look after them!

skcollobcat10

Newuser1990 wrote: »

Not sure how to edit post above, I meant for the wife to look after them!

That sounds great in an ideal world.

Well I would suggest that considering the circumstances of a working partner at the moment because of young children you should may be persevere with your job at moment until such time as your wife can help you with the work side of things?

I brought up three children and did not have the luxury of being a stay at home wife only because we both wanted a better lifestyle for the future for us both and the children. It worked out the best thing as time went on.

I know you are having problems and cannot cope with the job you have but think of your responsibilities to your lovely little family, such a precious commodity that others don't have. Good luck in what you choose to do.

bigbill

If your a full service UC area you should have no issues with claiming UC only problem I can see is they use your previous months wages to pay UC the following month so you might find you get nothing or very little the first month on the reduced wages from UC.

If your area is not a full service UC area then you should now be due about £40+ weekly child tax credits based on your £28k earnings?

Check your area here: https://universalcreditinfo.net/

skcollobcat10

bigbill wrote: »

If your a full service UC area you should have no issues with claiming UC only problem I can see is they use your previous months wages to pay UC the following month so you might find you get nothing or very little the first month on the reduced wages from UC.

If your area is not a full service UC area then you should now be due about £40+ weekly child tax credits based on your £28k earnings?

Check your area here: https://universalcreditinfo.net/

I want to know is that the best option for OP would it not be better to put up with job until wife goes to work with help of childcare?

Ineededaname

Nothing to stop you making a claim however voluntary loss of pay is considered the same as leaving a job. It would go to a decision maker with your reasoning / evidence. They could decide to apply a sanction which would have around a three month duration.

calcotti

Ineededaname wrote: »

Nothing to stop you making a claim however voluntary loss of pay is considered the same as leaving a job. It would go to a decision maker with your reasoning / evidence. They could decide to apply a sanction which would have around a three month duration.

This is correct for a voluntary reduction in pay once you are on UC. However I am not sure it applies to a voluntary reduction in pay by changing job prior to claiming.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720661/admk3.pdf

"Employment immediately before the claim
K3205 A claimant can only be sanctioned if they have voluntarily left the employment that they held immediately before making a new claim for UC, but see K3206 if the claimant voluntarily leaves employ ment or loses pay during a current a ward of UC.
Note 1: If the claimant has voluntarily left employ ment without a good reason and has not had any other employment between doing so and making a claim for UC, then he can be sanctioned under relevant legislation. A claimant cannot be sanctioned unless a claim has been made and the sanction is in respect of employment immediately preceding the claim."

I interpret this to mean that if you have changed employer and started your new job before you make your claim for UC you cannot be sanctioned because you chose to move to a lower paying job.

If you did this during your UC claim you would expect to have UC reduced (or stopped) for 91 days as per Ineededaname post.