WTC to UC managed migration.

gandalf24

Just got our managed migration letter though ,deadline 28th February 2024. Married couple in Scotland both working part time and we currently get working tax credits. 

Just looking for some pointers in completing the online UC application form.

We have saving about £26k and it will not drop below this. 

 I believe we will only get the transitional protection payments for a year then UC will stop.

Just wondering what we have to fill in on the online application, do we have to produce Pdf's of wages etc. Also do we have to give detailed saving details account numbers etc.

Will we have to make any physical appearances at a job centre?

 I also get PIP, enchanced rates for both parts.

How quickly does the move from working tax credit take is it straight away as soon as you complete the online application? 

 I understand first payment takes 5 weeks. Should I apply a week or so before the migration letter deadline. 

Lots of questions but my first time applying for Universal credit.

Any info would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

ElwoodBlues

You'll  have to declare all your savings balances, they may or may not ask for statements. You'll have to put in at least one appearance at the job centre for an id check.  The rest will depend on your incomes relative to the aet and CET.

Apply as late as you dare, day before if you're feeling confident DWP servers won't have an outage. There will always be a 5 week gap when transitioning but you should be able to request an advance.

Yes, after 12 months you'll be ineligible if your savings are still over 16k. But even if you do spend it, they could still accuse you of deprivation of capital.

You shouldn't need to provide payslips under normal circumstances since UC gets your PAYE income directly from HMRC every month.

gandalf24

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.
Disappointing that we will have to visit the job centre for ID checks as I thought as we will be migrated from WTC to UC the  necessary checks have been previously done by HMRC.

My walking is pretty bad and this could be a problem for me attending the job centre, you would think that digital  ID proof would be enough to satisfy DWP, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Thank you Elmwood blues.

Spoonie_Turtle

If your wife provides 35hours of care for you each week (in whatever form - physical, mental, emotional) then she should include being a carer in the application.  This will also mean she has no work-related requirements so won't be pushed to find more work or have to attend regular appointments.

I believe submitting your UC claim stops WTC straight away.

Rubyroobs

gandalf24 said:

Thanks for the information, much appreciated.
Disappointing that we will have to visit the job centre for ID checks as I thought as we will be migrated from WTC to UC the  necessary checks have been previously done by HMRC.

My walking is pretty bad and this could be a problem for me attending the job centre, you would think that digital  ID proof would be enough to satisfy DWP, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Thank you Elmwood blues.

Some people seem to be able to complete ID checks online. I recently wrote a journal message to UC for a client who could not attend the job centre due to mental illness and they did all checks by phone for her, so it's worth mentioning if you will struggle to get to the job centre.

gandalf24

I thought that my existing Goverment gateway would be enough to prove our identity's, but as a newbie to what is required for UC ,Maybe you have to create a new gateway ID for UC application. Just trying to get as much info before I apply.

Thanks for all your help

ElwoodBlues

gandalf24 said:

I thought that my existing Goverment gateway would be enough to prove our identity's, but as a newbie to what is required for UC ,Maybe you have to create a new gateway ID for UC application. Just trying to get as much info before I apply.

Thanks for all your help

No, and DWP are doing a lot of identity checks even for existing claimants. They want to see photo id together with  the claimant in person. They seem to think that there's a lot of fraudulent claims - presumably real people who fraudsters are pretending to be. 

Yamor

As has been mentioned above, you should apply as late as possible, as you will only get UC for one year, so it's worth hanging on to your tax credits for as long as possible.

I'm not so concerned about waiting right up until your 'deadline day' to claim, as even if you claim after the deadline day, but still within approximately one month of that day, then your claim will be backdated to the deadline day, and you will still get protection.

It's also worth noting that it is fairly easy to get a 28-day extension to your deadline day (and even two such extensions), although you will need some sort of reason to justify it.

Making your claim no earlier than the 8th April would have an added advantage if you are going to be entitled to a transitional element. (An earlier claim would see your transitional element eroded from April due to the benefits uprating taking place then.)

Purely from a transitional element perspective (i.e., ignoring the 12 month limit on the transitional capital disregard), the optimum date to claim is actually on 8th April itself, as that should give the highest transitional element, with no erosion due to the benefit uprating. This is because at that point tax credits will have been uprated, but the indicative UC amount calculation would still be based on the old rates.

Bigwheels1111

How can you guarantee your savings won’t drop below 26k.
motability car or private car.
We used savings to but a new car as old one gave up.
£1000 car needed £2,500 in repairs according to my mechanic.
Brakes, shocks, timing belt and welding etc
To get it through its mot.
We could have taken a motability car, but they like to mess around with points on your next assessment 
So purchased a car with savings.
Just a thought.

Spoonie_Turtle

Bigwheels1111 said:

How can you guarantee your savings won’t drop below 26k.

Would take something significant or multiple large expense to eat up £10,000 of savings though, as £16,000 is the relevant threshold for UC.

Bigwheels1111

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Bigwheels1111 said:

How can you guarantee your savings won’t drop below 26k.

Would take something significant or multiple large expense to eat up £10,000 of savings though, as £16,000 is the relevant threshold for UC.

A car did it for my friend.
14 months of PiP higher rate on both and ESA support group back paid in one week.
Paid for the car.
I know that the extra would have been disregarded but the car option solved any problems.