Worried about my daughter and universal credits.

TIGs

My daughter who is 5 months pregnant lives with her boyfriend at his mums house.
He works and earns around £800 a month. Because she did seasonal work she is now unemployed and although applying for loads of jobs as soon as they find out shes pregnant she doesn't hear anything else from them.
She has applied for Universal credits and was told to do a joint claim with her boyfriend.
Today her universal credit account shows she is entitled to nothing even though the lady at the job centre said she would get something.

Anybody got any idea what she can do?

elsien

Find a partner who appears to care about her.
They're having a child together, it's not "his" money.

Have she run details for a joint claim through the benefits calculators to see what they come up with?
What's the breakdown on the UC journal to explain why she's not been awarded anything.

pmlindyloo

Would she be entitled to maternity allowance?

Use the calculator in this link to check:

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

calcotti

There will be UC entitlement after baby is born but there isn't now:

Existing calculation
UC couple allowance £498.89 (if at least one of them is over 25)
Income £800
Earnings deduction £504 (63% of £800) which is more than £498.89 so UC payable is NIL.

After baby is born
UC couple allowance £498.89 (if at least one of them is over 25)
child element £231.67
Maximum UC entitlement £730.56
Income £800
Work allowance £409
Earnings deduction £246.33 (63% of £391) so UC payable is £484.23.

TIGs

elsien wrote: »

Find a partner who appears to care about her.
They're having a child together, it's not "his" money.

Have she run details for a joint claim through the benefits calculators to see what they come up with?
What's the breakdown on the UC journal to explain why she's not been awarded anything.

We've had that discussion!!
Yes and the benefits calculator said she'd be entitled to something.
The UC breakdown just says about any earnings will be deducted at 60p in every pound earnt i think and because he earns £800 it says they aren't entitled to anything.

Doesn't help being a Saturday and not being able to ring and check they have got it right.


Thanks pmlindyloo i will do that now, but think they said she had to be closer to her due date to be able to claim maternity allowance.

Thanks for your help guys xx

TIGs

calcotti wrote: »

There will be UC entitlement after baby is born but there isn't now:

Existing calculation
UC couple allowance £498.89 (if at least one of them is over 25)
Income £800
Earnings deduction £504 (63% of £800) which is more than £498.89 so UC payable is NIL.

After baby is born
UC couple allowance £498.89 (if at least one of them is over 25)
child element £231.67
Maximum UC entitlement £730.56
Income £800
Work allowance £409
Earnings deduction £246.33 (63% of £391) so UC payable is £484.23.

Thanks for working that out for me, much appreciated.

More annoyed now that the lady at the job centre told her she'd be entitled to something. Also that she wants to work but because shes pregnant no one will employ her :mad:

MovingForwards

Can she not get temp work? Even if it's just a few weeks or days at a time it's better than nothing.

Regarding the 'partner' make sure you have a space at home for her which she knows she can turn to as it won't get any easier when the wee one comes along. Don't pressure her, don't lecture her, just be there for her.

sammyjammy

TIGs wrote: »

Thanks for working that out for me, much appreciated.

More annoyed now that the lady at the job centre told her she'd be entitled to something. Also that she wants to work but because shes pregnant no one will employ her :mad:

Lesson learnt, people that work in the Jobcentre are not paid to give out information on entitlement to benefits. Always speak to benefit trained staff.

TIGs

MovingForwards wrote: »

Can she not get temp work? Even if it's just a few weeks or days at a time it's better than nothing.

Regarding the 'partner' make sure you have a space at home for her which she knows she can turn to as it won't get any easier when the wee one comes along. Don't pressure her, don't lecture her, just be there for her.

She's tried and still trying to work, she'd rather work than claim benefits anyway, she's had a few interviews but as soon as she mentions the baby they she hears nothing else, and same if she mentions she's pregnant when she applies she doesn't hear anything either. She won't give up she'll keep trying. She's only out of work as she was doing a seasonal job that ended in November, she's always worked.

She knows she has a room at home, mummys anser to everything is come home then lol we've a really good relationship so no worries about her not knowing she can come home xx
Thank you for your advice xx

tomtom256

sammyjammy wrote: »

Lesson learnt, people that work in the Jobcentre are not paid to give out information on entitlement to benefits. Always speak to benefit trained staff.

Benefit trained staff, there isn't any when it comes to UC as it's a fluid calculation, until the actual income is processed at the end of an AP, no one can tell you for sure what or if you will get anything.

Darksparkle

If I was her I wouldn't mention the pregnancy at all at interviews/in applications.