Single UC claim whilst living with ex

[Deleted User]

Clouds88 wrote: »

Just an update

To anyone who may wonder the same thing or have anything similar I have found a solution!

My husband/ex is going to claim new style ESA (and if they find him ‘suitable’ for work new style JSA) so this will reduce our UC award by how much he gets but it’s not means tested so I can take on extra work as I’ve got an ‘at home’ job offered to me I haven’t accepted yet as I didn’t see the point and I will now feel the benefit of this personally.

Nice to know there is an option where you can benefit from increasing your income and not being made to fully support an adult that cannot work that isn’t actually you fault just bad luck and circumstances.

Thought he was unemployed and caring for children? How then does he qualify to claim contributions based benefits?

Clouds88

No he used to care for the children in between working. He then had a mental health breakdown and couldn’t work so we went on UC to top up my earnings. He is in the process of appealing for PIP based on his condition, he wants to work but feels be can’t hes tried twice but each time he goes back down hill and ends up on more meds ect

Clouds88

So he still does do the minimum childcare I still need whilst I do my 2 shifts a week like he did when he was working full time.
He’s got ‘full’ nation insurance contributions for every from the last 14 years, its this current year he hasn’t worked much. I just wasn’t even aware he could claim ESA or even JSA if he was well after he was dismissed. It was made to feel like it was UC or nothing?

poppy12345

Clouds88 wrote: »

Just an update


My husband/ex is going to claim new style ESA (and if they find him ‘suitable’ for work new style JSA)

Claiming either of these will depend on his NI Contributions from working between April 2016 and March 2018. If he was unemployed during this time then i'm afraid he won't qualify.

poppy12345

Also claiming New style ESA and UC the ESA is deducted £1 for £1 from the UC.

Clouds88

I’ll unlikely get any UC if I take on this second job but at least he’ll get the ESA payment as a top up and contribution to the household as opposed to me having to pay for everything.

poppy12345

To qualify for new style ESA he will need to have been earning at least £112/week for 50 weeks in the tax year 2016-2017 and £113/week for 50 weeks in the tax year 2017-2018.


https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/employment-and-support-allowance-contribution-based

Clouds88

I thought he hasn’t been working for longer than a year but he confirmed it was only last April he got sacked. Yes he was earning well above that every week for the last 10 + years so looks like he qualifies pending ‘health assessment’ phew!

poppy12345

He will need a fit note from his GP to claim this also.

Clouds88

Thanks Poppy we’ve got one for a month that he got a while ago, she said she could back date if if needed but is more than happy to provide more of he doesn’t change going forward so that’s good.