Universal Credit from Couple to Single?

peteuk

Hordak said:.

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.

Thats because you work full time.  A lot of people claim UC as a top up to their wage.

Hordak

peteuk said:

Hordak said:.

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.

Thats because you work full time.  A lot of people claim UC as a top up to their wage.

I understand. The above message appears under my and my wife's UC online account. I'm not sure if that's an indication, that she isn't required to seek work for the time being because my income is above the AET threshold.

We'll find out on Tuesday when I contact them.

NedS

Because you have not received your first payment yet, UC probably haven't received your earnings figure for the first month yet either. Once you reach the end of your first AP (assessment period), and UC see you have earnings above the couple AET threshold  (rising to £1189 in April), then your wife will no longer be expected to look for work, so do not worry. They will still have a commitments to accept that simply requires them to log in regularly to complete any tasks in their ToDo list and notify of any changes.

Addressing a couple of technical "what if" questions that arose earlier in the thread:

1. You cannot claim as a single person if your partner does not wish to claim. You either claim as a couple or not at all.

2. If your partner were to refuse to accept their commitments, the claim will close - there is no legal basis for the claim if the claimant fails to accept their commitments.

3. If your partner were to accept their commitments (to look for work), and then fail to do so, they would receive a sanction. The sanction amount would be half the couple standard allowance of UC (their share), but you would still receive your half of the couple allowance, and the full amounts for any children, housing etc. So accepting their commitments and then not attending appointments or looking for work would put you in a similar position to making a "single" claim, but in a way that is lawful and allowable. But this should not be necessary, as your household earnings should be over the AET - it just takes the first month for the system to sort itself out sometimes.

kaMelo

The proposed changes to remove the couples AET were announced in the 2023 budget.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2023-labour-market-factsheet/spring-budget-2023-factsheet-labour-market-measures

Currently this has not been implemented and would require legislation to do so. However it's worth noting it was costed and budgeted for, starting financial year 2024/25.
Page 83 Line 17
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6419c87d8fa8f547c267efca/Web_accessible_Budget_2023.pdf

Given it was budgeted for it's a logical assumption that removing the couples AET will implemented at some point after April, but logical and political don't always align.

Hordak

poppy12345 said:

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. 

Hi,

Why? Surely that's what the official UC helpline is for.

Hordak

NedS said:

Because you have not received your first payment yet, UC probably haven't received your earnings figure for the first month yet either. Once you reach the end of your first AP (assessment period), and UC see you have earnings above the couple AET threshold  (rising to £1189 in April), then your wife will no longer be expected to look for work, so do not worry. They will still have a commitments to accept that simply requires them to log in regularly to complete any tasks in their ToDo list and notify of any changes.

Addressing a couple of technical "what if" questions that arose earlier in the thread:

1. You cannot claim as a single person if your partner does not wish to claim. You either claim as a couple or not at all.

2. If your partner were to refuse to accept their commitments, the claim will close - there is no legal basis for the claim if the claimant fails to accept their commitments.

3. If your partner were to accept their commitments (to look for work), and then fail to do so, they would receive a sanction. The sanction amount would be half the couple standard allowance of UC (their share), but you would still receive your half of the couple allowance, and the full amounts for any children, housing etc. So accepting their commitments and then not attending appointments or looking for work would put you in a similar position to making a "single" claim, but in a way that is lawful and allowable. But this should not be necessary, as your household earnings should be over the AET - it just takes the first month for the system to sort itself out sometimes.

Hello,

Thank you for your input. This is a very informative post.

Is the answer to number 3 available on the gov.uk website?

I've understood, from what you've said, is when the AET for couples has been removed as per kaMelo's post above, and then my partner refused to accept any of the commitments in her To-do list, at any point, then our UC claim will close and we'll get no payments? Not even for me or my two children?

If she accepts the commitments, then fails to adhere to what is required of her, then the sanction will downgrade our claim from Couple to Single?

Hordak

kaMelo said:

The proposed changes to remove the couples AET were announced in the 2023 budget.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2023-labour-market-factsheet/spring-budget-2023-factsheet-labour-market-measures

Currently this has not been implemented and would require legislation to do so. However it's worth noting it was costed and budgeted for, starting financial year 2024/25.
Page 83 Line 17
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6419c87d8fa8f547c267efca/Web_accessible_Budget_2023.pdf

Given it was budgeted for it's a logical assumption that removing the couples AET will implemented at some point after April, but logical and political don't always align.

Hi,

So, it's all but confirmed, it's just a case of when they pull it.

poppy12345

Hordak said:

poppy12345 said:

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. 

Hi,

Why? Surely that's what the official UC helpline is for.

No, not at all. They are call centre staff and have been known many times to give some terrible advice. 

peteuk

Hordak said:.

Hello,

Thank you for your input. This is a very informative post.

Is the answer to number 3 available on the gov.uk website?

I've understood, from what you've said, is when the AET for couples has been removed as per kaMelo's post above, and then my partner refused to accept any of the commitments in her To-do list, at any point, then our UC claim will close and we'll get no payments? Not even for me or my two children?

If she accepts the commitments, then fails to adhere to what is required of her, then the sanction will downgrade our claim from Couple to Single?

No you will be sanctioned as a couple.  The only way to get a single claim is to leave/divorce her.

kaMelo

Hordak said:

kaMelo said:

The proposed changes to remove the couples AET were announced in the 2023 budget.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-budget-2023-labour-market-factsheet/spring-budget-2023-factsheet-labour-market-measures

Currently this has not been implemented and would require legislation to do so. However it's worth noting it was costed and budgeted for, starting financial year 2024/25.
Page 83 Line 17
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6419c87d8fa8f547c267efca/Web_accessible_Budget_2023.pdf

Given it was budgeted for it's a logical assumption that removing the couples AET will implemented at some point after April, but logical and political don't always align.

Hi,

So, it's all but confirmed, it's just a case of when they pull it.

As I said, logically yes it's a matter of when not if but politics always plays a part and the two don't always align.

I'd also draw attention to your other comment
Hordak said:

If she accepts the commitments, then fails to adhere to what is required of her, then the sanction will downgrade our claim from Couple to Single?

The 2023 autumn statement set out a back to work policy, part of which is to strengthen the sanction regime for those who choose not to engage with help to find work. The ultimate sanction is to close the entire claim.
In particular 3:21 - 3:27
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6568909c5936bb00133167cc/E02982473_Autumn_Statement_Nov_23_Accessible_Final.pdf
Again it's costed and budgeted for in financial year 2024-25, shown in chapter 5.


In short, if you're fit and healthy and ask for state help you are expected to help yourselves too by seeking work. If you choose not to work then you're going to have to fund that choice yourselves as the state will not.