UC Age difference

Sharon2751

Hi
I'm trying to move house and been offered a property, private rent.
But we have got to go over to UC. They are saying we can only get £32 towards a £700 rent!
Apparently this is due to the fact I am of working age, even thought I'm disabled and unable to work and my husband is retired and is on state pension.
There is 23 years difference between and I feel like we are being discriminate against due to this. Does anyone know if any other help we can get? I've tried the council but no help.

lisyloo

Does your husband claim pension credit?

Newcad

Do you mean £320 not £32? (It would still be a bit low, but there could be reasons for that).

Are either of you currently getting any benefits?
Does you partner have Pension Credit and/or a Private Pension as well as State Pension?

As what is known as a 'Mixed Age Couple' ie. one over state pension age one below, then any new benefit claim has to be for UC.

If you want to claim for help with your rent then you both have to claim UC even though your partner is over SPA.

You should be entitled to UC at the couples rate, plus any Housing elements, plus any other elements that you may be entitled to for your disability*, etc.
Your partners State Pension, and any other pension he may get, will then be deducted from the calculated UC payment for your total entitlement

To start:
As a couple over 25 you would be entitled to a Standard UC Element of £617.70.

Then there would be the Housing Element to add:
In a private rental the amount of benefit you can be entitled to for help towards rent is capped at the LHA rate for your area. (That same cap applies - whether you can claim UC Housing Element fom the DWP or Housing Benefit from the council as a pensioner makes no difference).
As a couple that will be the relevant 1-bedroom rate.
Even £320 would be a bit low for that though so there is probably something else at play.
Which Local Authority area is the new property in? We can tell from that what the 1-bedroom rate should be.

Then:
Any income that you and your partner are getting will be deducted £ for £ as 'Unearned Income' from the UC amount that you are entitled to.

*What we haven't taken into account yet though is your being unable to work. That could make a big difference to how much UC you are entitled to.
Are you currently getting ESA for being unable to work?
If so then you would get a Limited Capability Element also addded to your UC entitlment when you claim, if you are currently in ESA Support Group then that would be another  £416.19 a month added to your UC.
(If you are in ESA WRAG then you could still get extra depending on when you first claimed ESA).
If not then you could apply for Limited Capability for Work when you claim UC, but you will then need to have a Work Capability Assessment before it could be awarded and added to your UC.
You would not be expected to look for work while waiting for that assessment, but would have to send in doctors Fit Notes to support that you are unable to work.
That takes time of course, but if awarded LCWRA (LImited Capability for Work Related Activity) it would be backdated to the start of the 4th month of UC.

For now if you can tell us:
Where the new property is located, ie what Local Authority area?
Any benefits that either of you is currently Claiming? (and if you have ESA then which group and for how long).
Your partners total income for any pensions or elsewhere?
Any income that you have?
We can work out from that how much UC you should be entitled to get.

If you would rather do it yourself then put your details, as if you were already living at the new place and paying rent, Council Tax, etc. there, into one of the benefit calculators that you can find here:
https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators