On UC and partner(?) might move in

MInkYKD

Hello,
Could anyone give me some advice?
I'm currently claiming Universal Credit with the LCWRA element. I get full housing benefit, reduced council tax, and live alone. My income is £1,121 (a combination of Standard Allowence and LCWRA Allowance and housing benefit).
Me and a guy I used to have a relationship with (which ended a year and a half ago) have recently been talking about getting back together and possibly have him move in with me. As of today he has been hired for a new job which will be 33 hours per week (but will be paid monthly) on minimum wage. His starting date is 14th June.
My UC entitlement is up for review this month and I have until 28th June to return the health assessment forms.
So my question is how much of my income will be reduced if he moves in? Also, if he moves in this month before my UC review has been completed, would that complicate things?
I have a long term health condition. It's incurable. Plus, I have anxiety and depression. Do changes of these circumstances change my entitlement for LCWRA Allowance or just Standard Allowance, or both, dramatically?
I looked on Entitledto and Turn2us but they come up with different figures and keep asking about working tax credits even though it wasn't selected at the beginning 😣
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

calcotti

If a partner moves in your standard allowance goes from the single person allowance of £317.82 (assuming you are aged 25 or over) to the couples allowance of £498.89. The LCWRA and housing element do not change so your basic UC amount increases by £181.07/month.

However a deduction has to be made for your partner’s earnings. Because you have LCWRA the first £287 is ignored, a deduction of 63% of everything over this is made. 33 hours at minimum wage is about £1,175/month gross. Let’s say he gets net earnings of £1,000 the UC deduction would be (£1000 - £287) x 63% = £449.19. In this case the overall impact would be a reduction of £268.12 in the amount of your UC.

The change will be applied from the start of the assessment period in which it occurs.

If he already claims UC your claims will be linked when you notify DWP that you are living together. If he does not then he will need to claim UC.

The above calculations assume neither you will not have joint savings over £6000.

MInkYKD

Hi, thank you for your response.

So does that mean he has to actively apply for UC, or can I just do that for the both of us as a couple?
Also, you said my housing element won't change. So that means he is essentially living rent free even though he's working. I've always understood it as regardless who's the tenant/benefit claimant, if someone living in the same house is working they are required to pay at least something towards it...?

His 33 hours may vary every week. I presume I will have to update the dwp via my journal every month as and when it happens?

And, worst case scenario, if the dwp decide to take away my LCWRA after this review (I dont see why they would but you never know!), then I'll pretty much be solely relying on my partners wage every month, but will I still have the housing benefit? Or will that get taken away too?

MInkYKD

Why would he need to claim UC too though? If and when he moves in does it have to be declared as a joint account? Because it's not. He's working, I'm on health benefits. There is no joining there.

poppy12345

MInkYKD wrote: »

Why would he need to claim UC too though? If and when he moves in does it have to be declared as a joint account? Because it's not. He's working, I'm on health benefits. There is no joining there.

UC is a means tested benefit and you claim as a couple. His Income will be deducted from your UC as explained in post #2 by calcotti.

MInkYKD

Hi poppy,
So does that mean I'll have to stop my current claim and re claim as a couple? And will I have to go through the whole LCWRA process/assessment again?
Or is it a case where he just gets added on to my existing claim?

calcotti

You do not stop your claim. He has to claim. During the process of claiming he will tell them that he lives with you and your two claims will be linked and UC entitlement will then be worked out based on your joint circumstances. You or he will tell DWP which one of you is to be paid the UC.

I think you should also report a change of circumstances in your online journal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-couples-an-introduction/universal-credit-further-information-for-couples

MInkYKD

Oh right ok. Thank you both for your help ��
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