Universal Credit from Couple to Single?

Hordak

Hello,

I'd urgently like some clarity. 

I live with my wife and two kids.

I work full time and my wife is a housewife.

My net earnings is £1604 a month.

We've moved from Child Tax Credits to Universal Credit this year.

We put registered as a couple with two children.

We've not received our first payment yet.

We've had our first statement generating confirming our first payment, but my wife had to approve of a couple things under her To-do List.

Naively, I've realised, that our UC claim (Couple) requires my wife to actively seeking work. This isn't required when claiming Working and Tax credits. However, she isn't able to work for personal reasons. These reasons don't include medical.

I'm going to report a Change in Circumstances to UC after the Easter weekend. I want to know what're the possible options going forward?

Can my claim be considered Single even though we live together? Will our claim be void?

Thank you. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Hordak said:

Hello,

I'd urgently like some clarity. 

I live with my wife and two kids. I

I work full time and my wife is a housewife.

We've moved from Child Tax Credits to Universal Credit this year.

We put registered as a couple with two children.

We've not received our first payment.

We've had our first statement generating confirming our first payment, but my wife had to approve of a couple things under her To-do List.

Naively, I've realised, that our Couple requires my wife to actively seeking work. This isn't required when claiming Working and Tax credits. However, she isn't able to work for personal reasons. These reasons don't include medical.

I'm going to report a Change in Circumstances to UC after the Easter weekend. I want to what're the possible options going forward?

Can my claim be considered Single even though we live together? Will our claim be void?

Thank you. 

What change of circumstances?

You have to claim as a couple.  If your wife does not meet the requirements then you will (both) be sanctioned which means they will deduct money from the UC payment.  Each failure results in a more severe sanction.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-you/draft-uc-and-you#Sanctions
https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/key-topics/universal-credit/universal-credit-and-sanctions

Hordak

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Hordak said:

Hello,

I'd urgently like some clarity. 

I live with my wife and two kids. I

I work full time and my wife is a housewife.

We've moved from Child Tax Credits to Universal Credit this year.

We put registered as a couple with two children.

We've not received our first payment.

We've had our first statement generating confirming our first payment, but my wife had to approve of a couple things under her To-do List.

Naively, I've realised, that our Couple requires my wife to actively seeking work. This isn't required when claiming Working and Tax credits. However, she isn't able to work for personal reasons. These reasons don't include medical.

I'm going to report a Change in Circumstances to UC after the Easter weekend. I want to what're the possible options going forward?

Can my claim be considered Single even though we live together? Will our claim be void?

Thank you. 

What change of circumstances?

You have to claim as a couple.  If your wife does not meet the requirements then you will (both) be sanctioned which means they will deduct money from the UC payment.  Each failure results in a more severe sanction.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-you/draft-uc-and-you#Sanctions
https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/key-topics/universal-credit/universal-credit-and-sanctions

I will contact them on the 2nd of April, but I tell my wife isn't going to work, then what happens to our UC claim? Is it significantly reduced or is our claim closed altogether?

No payments have been received yet.

poppy12345

How old is your youngest child?

Hordak

poppy12345 said:

How old is your youngest child?

My two kids are aged 9 and 6.

elsien

You may need to be a tad clearer about the personal reasons for being able to work. For example, is she a carer for someone? 

Hordak

elsien said:

You may need to be a tad clearer about the personal reasons for being able to work. For example, is she a carer for someone? 

I'm sorry, but I can't. 

I'll contact UC on Tuesday.

poppy12345

We can't give advice without all the correct information. Please also note that when contacting UC you're speaking to someone from a call centre, not the best place to ring to ask for advice. 

peteuk

At present your wife’s commitment is to seek work.  The time level of which is dependant on your children’s age.  30 hours at present that will rise to 35 when your youngest is 13.

If offered a job then she will be expected to take it.

As you are married you will only be able to claim as a joint,  if you “separate” and she becomes a single parent unless she has to care for your children then her commitment whilst claiming will be the same,

Its simple you can not expect the governement to provide for you, if your not willing to work, or commit to finding work.  Unless theres a valid reason.  Equally the help provided here is restricted if you only provide half the info.

Spoonie_Turtle

I don't know what realistically will happen if your wife doesn't accept the commitments.

There is a chance that if your earnings are high enough to be above the Administrative Earnings Threshold she won't actually be required to do much right now, but there were proposed changes and I have no idea what changes were mooted and what changes will actually happen. 
Since you've had your first assessment period presumably with a month's earnings received, the commitments may reflect that.  What exactly are the commitments in her to-do?

Ultimately though UC as a benefit has certain requirements and criteria in order to receive it.  There is some specific leeway for people migrating from Tax Credits - most notably protection for savings that would ordinarily make a person/family ineligible for UC - but not in the work-related requirements.  The fundamental reasoning for UC being set up this way is that if people want to be house-spouses / stay-at-home parents they are expected to be able to support themselves without income-related state help (beyond child benefit).
Note: I am neither agreeing or disagreeing with the fundamental reasoning, simply stating what it is.

Hordak

Spoonie_Turtle said:

I don't know what realistically will happen if your wife doesn't accept the commitments.

There is a chance that if your earnings are high enough to be above the Administrative Earnings Threshold she won't actually be required to do much right now, but there were proposed changes and I have no idea what changes were mooted and what changes will actually happen. 
Since you've had your first assessment period presumably with a month's earnings received, the commitments may reflect that.  What exactly are the commitments in her to-do?

Ultimately though UC as a benefit has certain requirements and criteria in order to receive it.  There is some specific leeway for people migrating from Tax Credits - most notably protection for savings that would ordinarily make a person/family ineligible for UC - but not in the work-related requirements.  The fundamental reasoning for UC being set up this way is that if people want to be house-spouses / stay-at-home parents they are expected to be able to support themselves without income-related state help (beyond child benefit).
Note: I am neither agreeing or disagreeing with the fundamental reasoning, simply stating what it is.

Our net is above £1600+.

I believe the AET is around £1018/19 for couples. I just realised this an hour ago.

Her comments in her to-do are:

Your payment can be reduced if you don't keep a commitment. This is known as a sanction. The amount depends on what you failed to do and how often you've been sanctioned in the past year.

If you don't keep a commitment

• You must tell your work coach straight away. You'll need to explain why. If we decide that you had a good reason, your payment won't be reduced.

Look for and take any paid work that you can do.

• This includes applying for jobs recommended by your work coach and taking up any job you're offered. If you don't, your payment will be reduced for up to 6 months.

Be available for job interviews and work as agreed.

• If you aren't, your payment will be reduced for up to 91 days.

Do all the activities you've agreed with your work coach.

• If you don't, your payment will be reduced until the day before you do as you agreed. Once you've done this, your payment will be reduced for an additional 7, 14 or 28 days.

Attend and take part fully in all appointments.

• If you don't, your payment will be reduced from the date of the appointment until the day before you contact us to arrange a new one. You must attend the new appointment. Once you've done this, your payment will be reduced for an additional 7, 14 or 28 days.

Report changes to your work.

• If a job ends and you don't report it within 5 days, your payment will be reduced until you do report it. Once you've done this, your payment will be reduced for an additional 7, 14 or 28 days.
• If you leave a job or lose pay by choice or due to misconduct, your payment can be reduced for up to 6 months.
• When you start a job or earn more, don't forget to report that too.

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Interestingly, under her My work plan:

I am not required to look for or apply for jobs at this time. I will be told if this changes.