UC after 19 year old son working during gap year from University

Nafta

I claim UC for myself and my two sons. I work fulltime and one son is in school and the older was at University last year. We have recently found out my oldest wont be able to enrol to year 2 at Uni as he has to resit two modules. He is therefore looking for work and he will be living at home. I am just wondering how is that going to affect my UC as it is not my income increasing (it will be his income for him to use to learn to drive and other expenses he may have). If I say the household income has gone up that and include his wages , it is not true as I wont have access to that money and I am wondering how that would affect his tuition loan and maintenance loan for Uni next year?
Should I report it at all? I really need some advice I am stressing too much. Many thanks

itsthelittlethings

I think he will now become his own household for the purposes of UC, so you should take him off your claim. If you are losing money you could charge him some board.

sammyjammy

He should have been taken off your claim when he went to Uni last year, what do UC think he is doing?

swingaloo

Your sons wage will be household income.  Why wouldn't it? My son lives with me and works and we get no benefits at all. 
Would it be ok for me to say 'Oh well, he needs his income to spend on himself so I need money from the public purse'? Of course not!

he is an adult and adults have to pay their way in life, he is not a child delivering papers for spending money. 

You need his help to run the household if he is living there. Of course you need to report it and indeed should have reported it last year.

Nafta

swingaloo said:

Your sons wage will be household income.  Why wouldn't it? My son lives with me and works and we get no benefits at all. 
Would it be ok for me to say 'Oh well, he needs his income to spend on himself so I need money from the public purse'? Of course not!

he is an adult and adults have to pay their way in life, he is not a child delivering papers for spending money. 

You need his help to run the household if he is living there. Of course you need to report it and indeed should have reported it last year.

Last year he was at University staying in halls and was reported. Please ask for more information before judging. Only asking to see if he is part of my claim or I have to remove him from my claim as another person has suggested. Not looking to play the system. Just trying to do it right. I working hard to get out of the benefit system which by the way it is the first time in over 20 years I have to rely on it, sadly.

Nafta

sammyjammy said:

He should have been taken off your claim when he went to Uni last year, what do UC think he is doing?

He is part of my claim as he was studiying last year and staying in Dorms. this is what UC advised me to do. He is a non dependant though, not a child anymore in my claim

kaMelo

He should have been removed from your claim when he went to university. If you've been in receipt of an element for him since he started university  this will be an overpayment and you should notify UC of this.

Going forward your son is no longer part of your UC claim, he is a separate unit for UC purposes. The only impact this may have is a non dependant deduction for housing costs but this only starts when they reach 21 and are still living with you.

swingaloo

Nafta said:

I claim UC for myself and my two sons. I work fulltime and one son is in school and the older was at University last year. We have recently found out my oldest wont be able to enrol to year 2 at Uni as he has to resit two modules. He is therefore looking for work and he will be living at home. I am just wondering how is that going to affect my UC as it is not my income increasing (it will be his income for him to use to learn to drive and other expenses he may have). If I say the household income has gone up that and include his wages , it is not true as I wont have access to that money and I am wondering how that would affect his tuition loan and maintenance loan for Uni next year?
Should I report it at all? I really need some advice I am stressing too much. Many thanks

But I didnt judge, I simply went off what you posted 

Nafta

itsthelittlethings said:

I think he will now become his own household for the purposes of UC, so you should take him off your claim. If you are losing money you could charge him some board.

Yes, I thought when declaring his income, then this would affect my claim so he cam make up for that and extra for food. However I am not sure of he should be no longer part of my claim, but does that mean he is then a lodger?

kaMelo

Nafta said:

itsthelittlethings said:

I think he will now become his own household for the purposes of UC, so you should take him off your claim. If you are losing money you could charge him some board.

Yes, I thought when declaring his income, then this would affect my claim so he cam make up for that and extra for food. However I am not sure of he should be no longer part of my claim, but does that mean he is then a lodger?

He's your son, why would you think he's a lodger?

As above, he is a separate unit for UC purposes and has been since starting university, this is when he should have been removed from your claim.

His earnings going forward should have no impact on your claim as he is no longer a part of it.

Spoonie_Turtle

swingaloo said:

Your sons wage will be household income.  Why wouldn't it? My son lives with me and works and we get no benefits at all. 
Would it be ok for me to say 'Oh well, he needs his income to spend on himself so I need money from the public purse'? Of course not!

he is an adult and adults have to pay their way in life, he is not a child delivering papers for spending money. 

You need his help to run the household if he is living there. Of course you need to report it and indeed should have reported it last year.

No that's completely incorrect for UC.  He is a separate benefit unit, but even before that if he had been earning anything, it would not have counted as it's not the claimant's income or that of a partner (joint claimant).

Nafta said:

sammyjammy said:

He should have been taken off your claim when he went to Uni last year, what do UC think he is doing?

He is part of my claim as he was studiying last year and staying in Dorms. this is what UC advised me to do. He is a non dependant though, not a child anymore in my claim

So to clarify, you weren't getting any child element for him once he was at uni?  Just to check, did you declare any of his uni finance?  (You shouldn't have.)

The only effect him living at home will have is that you can no longer have the single occupier council tax discount.  For UC if you rent there is no deduction for a non-dependant under 21, so him living at home will have no effect yet.  And if you don't rent, it will never have any effect.

You are the claimant on your UC claim so his income is irrelevant to your claim. 

(It would of course still be good if he contributes to household expenses as an adult, but that's separate from UC and for you to work out between yourselves.)