Universal Credit Migration Notice came today

nappy501

Good afternoon everyone,
I can't see that anyone has asked this.  I received my UC migration notice today.  Does it make any difference if I fill it out now, or just before the deadline?

In 2022 when I got to 60 years old, I found out that I would still receive working tax credits if I worked over 16 hours.  I thought that's great and I have slowly been reducing my hours.  I am now working 18 hours a week from next week.  3 hours PAYE and 15 hours self employed.

In July just before I did my working tax credit renewal I did check with a benefits calculator both for working tax credit and Universal Credit and they said I wasn't entitled to anything.  However, I did my renewal and I still receive some financial help.  

When I migrate, will I not be entitled to anything?  How do you find out the rules?  I have been reading, but I don't understand.  With WTC it was about the number of hours you worked, savings and income.  So when the children were young I made sure to be over 16 hours and when the last one went off to University I was prepared and increased my hours to 30 hours.

I just want to know where the goal posts are?

NedS

You have 3 months and 1 day from the date of the migration notice. It makes no difference if you apply now or on the last day (other than you may receive a different amount of benefit on UC), but if you apply after the deadline, or your qualifying benefits have ended before you apply for UC, you will not be entitled to Transitional Protection.

Transitional Protection means your entitlement on UC will not be lower that your existing entitlement on legacy benefits before any deductions are applied, for up to 12 months.

It is not straight forward to tell you how much you may receive, and the benefit calculators, whilst otherwise excellent, I do not think are equipped to deal with Transitional Protection.

nappy501

NedS said:

You have 3 months and 1 day from the date of the migration notice. It makes no difference if you apply now or on the last day (other than you may receive a different amount of benefit on UC), but if you apply after the deadline, or your qualifying benefits have ended before you apply for UC, you will not be entitled to Transitional Protection.

Transitional Protection means your entitlement on UC will not be lower that your existing entitlement on legacy benefits before any deductions are applied, for up to 12 months.

It is not straight forward to tell you how much you may receive, and the benefit calculators, whilst otherwise excellent, I do not think are equipped to deal with Transitional Protection.

Thank you.  I was going to complete it in the 3 months.  You have made clear what I was missing.  Transitional Protection gives me 12 months at where I am now.

So, I have 12 months to work out how to manage with £0.

Rubyroobs

nappy501 said:

NedS said:

You have 3 months and 1 day from the date of the migration notice. It makes no difference if you apply now or on the last day (other than you may receive a different amount of benefit on UC), but if you apply after the deadline, or your qualifying benefits have ended before you apply for UC, you will not be entitled to Transitional Protection.

Transitional Protection means your entitlement on UC will not be lower that your existing entitlement on legacy benefits before any deductions are applied, for up to 12 months.

It is not straight forward to tell you how much you may receive, and the benefit calculators, whilst otherwise excellent, I do not think are equipped to deal with Transitional Protection.

Thank you.  I was going to complete it in the 3 months.  You have made clear what I was missing.  Transitional Protection gives me 12 months at where I am now.

So, I have 12 months to work out how to manage with £0.

Your UC work coach will likely have you attending meetings to work out how to increase your working hours unless you have health conditions which prevent you from working full time. I don't think on Universal credit there are any special rules for over 60's which mean they can be exempt from looking for full time work. So all I'm saying is they may be able to give you help working out how to increase hours if that is what you want.

nappy501

Rubyroobs said:

Your UC work coach will likely have you attending meetings to work out how to increase your working hours unless you have health conditions which prevent you from working full time. I don't think on Universal credit there are any special rules for over 60's which mean they can be exempt from looking for full time work. So all I'm saying is they may be able to give you help working out how to increase hours if that is what you want.

Thank you, a different way of thinking about it. I was going to say I don't want to increase my hours, I want to retire.  However, a couple of years ago when I was investigating retirement, one of the options was doing something different.  I know if I could do what I want, I would probably work 60 hours a week, because I wouldn't think of it as work.

And if you don't want to increase your hours will the benefit be cut?  Is like receiving a benefit because you are looking for work?

huckster

With self employment being majority of your current hours, there will be a Gateway Intervention appointment about your self-employment and this will decide whether you are gainfully self-employed. 
If you are found gainfully self-employed with this work being capable of being developed to provide full time earnings, you would be given a 12 month start up period. And each monthly assessment period, you would report your income and expenses on your claim. And attend job centre self employment review appointments once every 3 months.

In your situation, if you are likely to receive zero UC payment in 12 months time once you lose transitional protection, you might decide to persuade the Job Centre Work Coach you are gainfully self employed because you feel you can increase the earnings. And then you have the 3 monthly review appointments, rather than weekly work search review appointments for first 13 weeks of claim, before they become fortnightly. 

nappy501

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I am sorted now.  When I was 30 years old I wanted to retire at 50.  When I got to 50 and I checked on the website my retirement age was 68, that has since changed to 67, but I am very wary that I  am planning my future with movable goal posts.
Here I am at 61 and still not retired.  My plan is to reduce my outgoings to the point where I can manage on the small savings I have until the state pension comes through, whenever that is.
At the moment I work as a support worker (PAYE) and domestic house cleaner (self employed). I have a year to organise my life so I can manage without the working tax credit.
My dream is to work as a life coach, but even if I did that, I may start with 60 hours a week, but I feel I could comfortably do 30 hours a week and feel happy.
I just don't want to work until I die or not mobile enough to enjoy my later years.  I have visions that I will get to 65 years old and they will have moved the state retirement age to 75.
When my marriage broke down and I had two small children and I went onto Working Tax Credit, I spend every week worry about if I had enough hours.   I breathed a sigh of relief when I got to 60 and they said I would still get it at  16 hours a week.  But I am now coming around to accepting that I a going to have to let it go.  Having 12 months gives me time to plan.