Temporary work and Universal Credit 26 August 2022 at 2:05PM in Benefits & tax credits 3 replies 183 views

jackieD63_2

Hi

This may sound daft but do you lose some universal credit when you finish working a temporary job.

I have been working temporary jobs as I can't seem to find any permanent work. At the end of each job when I get paid, I pay my rent, council tax etc for the following month. I sometimes have to wait 6 weeks for my next Universal Credit payment which puts me into rent arrears.
Is it worth actually doing temporary work or am I just really bad at budgeting?!!

calcotti

If your earnings reduce then your UC will go up or if your earnings were ignored because the earnings were disregarded due to a Work Allowance in which case your IC will remain the same. Earnings going down cannot result in your earnings going down (assuming you are employed rather then self employed)

NedS

jackieD63_2 said:

Hi

This may sound daft but do you lose some universal credit when you finish working a temporary job.

I have been working temporary jobs as I can't seem to find any permanent work. At the end of each job when I get paid, I pay my rent, council tax etc for the following month. I sometimes have to wait 6 weeks for my next Universal Credit payment which puts me into rent arrears.
Is it worth actually doing temporary work or am I just really bad at budgeting?!!

Unfortunately that can sometimes happen as Universal Credit is paid a month in arrears, and looks at how much income you have received in the last month. You may finish your job and receive the final payment which will then affect your next UC payment, which may not be for a couple weeks - and it is only the UC payment after that (in another month's time) that would first reflect that you are no longer working/earning.

So yes, it is a budgeting thing - that final payment from work needs to last you until your next full UC payment, which could be well be 6 weeks away, depending how the dates fall.

jackieD63_2

Thanks for the replies.
It's difficult making ends meet even when working 🙄.
I've got my fingers crossed something permanent will turn up and I'll know where I am money wise every month 🤞