claiming UC when married?

calcotti

Gavin78 wrote: »

I also checked my postcode and the gov website says we are in a UC area so can't claim new style JSA anyway

New style JSA exists alongside UC and can be claimed everywhere. It is the former income based JSA that is replaced by UC.

Although she claimed new style JSA last year she may be able to claim it again for another 6 month period. The previous claim will have looked at the tax years 2015/16 and 2016/17. Because more than 12 weeks separate the end of the previous claim and now the job seeking periods will not be linked and a claim now will look at the tax years 2016/17 and 2017/18. I am not entirely sure whether this will enable a new claim but it seems worth a go. As your wife knows the calcium process is not overly complicated and DWP will check whether she meets the qualifying conditions at the start of the claim.

Gavin78

So we've had our interviews which were about as clear as mud because they just refered to see what the claim says now it's all been submitted which will be the 6th October.


I don't think we will get tax credits now as combined our earnings were 26k so far this year.


However my wife said they have put her down as not needing to look for work.


So my earnings are 19k a year, she's earnt about 7.2k January - August but now gets nothing.


She's told them she is part way through signing upto an agency but all that hasn't gone through yet "waiting on a DBS check.


So they said they would get my earnings from HMRC every month and told my wife to submit hers as she earns with it being agency and weekly pay.


They didn't say if there was a cut off point to earnings and what they pay. so not sure if well get something or nothing.


I'll let you know after the 6th October

calcotti

Gavin78 wrote: »

I don't think we will get tax credits now as combined our earnings were 26k so far this year.

You will definitely not get Tax Credits now, you are no longer entitled as you have claimed UC. The Tax Credits should be closed when you claim UC. DWP should inform HMRC but to be sure it is worth you telling HMRC that you have now put in a claim for UC.

Gavin78 wrote: »

So my earnings are 19k a year, she's earnt about 7.2k January - August but now gets nothing.

Whereas Tax Credits are worked out annually UC is worked out monthly so your wife's earnings before the start of the UC claim do not matter. Your UC entitlement will be based on the current income.

Your basic UC entitlement is the couple allowance (£498.89/month) plus a child element (£277.08/month) plus a housing element if you rent your home. This will give you a maximum UC amount per month.

Because you have a child you will qualify for a Work Allowance. If you do not rent your home this is £503/month, if you do rent your home it is £287/month. The Work Allowance is the amount of earnings that will be ignored completely. A deduction of 63% of earnings over the Work Allowance is made. If this deduction is less than your maximum entitlement you will receive a UC payment, if it is more you will not.

See https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Calculating-Universal-Credit

If there is no UC entitlement (or if it less than £73.10/week) she should look at claiming new style JSA if you need the money - but she will need to look for work if she claims this.