Universal credit query

Daisydoo69

Hi

Was wondering if someone could help me, my contract finished on the 3rd of Aug and I started work again on the 28th of Aug, I live on my own in rented accommodation in Scotland.

It would seem I would be entitled to universal credit, my question is, will/would I be entitled to help for the time I wasn't working, would I need to tell my landlord would rather not, and can I claim retrospectively even though I have other work now.

I had to borrow money to help cover my rent etc this month

Thanks in advance

Daisy

Rubyroobs

Uc is not normally backdated unless there is a very good reason why you didn't claim at the time such as being in hospital or something. If you made a claim it would start on the date you make the online claim and first payment would be approximately 5 weeks later.

calcotti

You will not be able to claim retrospectively. UC can only be backdated, for a maximum of one month, if there is ‘good reason’ - typically this would be a health issue.

If you claim tomorrow your assessment will run from 3rd [STRIKE]August[/STRIKE] September to [STRIKE]"3rd September[/STRIKE] 2nd October during which time you will presumably receive your first earnings payment from new job and this payment will be taken into account.

Daisydoo69

HI thanks for the responses, I was only out of work for 3 weeks, so I suppose it is worth a claim, can you let me know if my landlord is contacted re my claim, I would rather she wasn't

thanks

Daisy

calcotti

Daisydoo69 wrote: »

HI thanks for the responses, I was only out of work for 3 weeks, so I suppose it is worth a claim, can you let me know if my landlord is contacted re my claim, I would rather she wasn't

thanks

Daisy

Sorry I put the wrong dates in my previous post. If you claim today your assessment period is 3rd September to 2nd October. During this time you will presumably receive an earnings payment which will be taken into. Depending on your earnings you may or may not be entitled to some UC - it may not be worth a claim. You can use a benefit calculator to check entitlement https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Apologies again for incorrect dates in my previous post.

Daisydoo69

no worries, I hadn't realised that you had to claim straight away, seems really harsh, I was trying to find alternative work etc, hey ho, suppose its not worth completing the claim

NedS

Daisydoo69 wrote: »

no worries, I hadn't realised that you had to claim straight away, seems really harsh, I was trying to find alternative work etc, hey ho, suppose its not worth completing the claim

Lesson learned - the moment you lose your job, or your hours are significantly reduced, make a claim straight away (but sometimes best to wait until just after you've received your final pay if claiming UC). The number of people who say 'I thought I'd get another job within a week' and/or 'I had some savings but now they're gone'.