Been asked for monthly income for the year before I started on UC - why?

michaels

I have been asked for monthly income figure for the year before I started UC, which is when I was on tax credits

Thing is income is assessed differently on TC - they take into account savings income, grossed up personal pension contributions rather than net and consider annual totals rather than monthly.

So I can supply the wage slip numbers they are asking for but they don't really reflect my income for benefits purposes because they don't include personal pension payments (which were made as a one off at the end of the FY rather than monthly), don't include savings income and for my DW who does invigilating her income is very variable, basically only getting paid in a couple of months each year for mocks and main exam season.

I have no choice but to supply this info but I am wondering what pitfalls there are from giving this info and how it might impact our UC claim.

tacpot12

This might because they think you might be affected by the Benefit Cap and want to give you the 9 month grace period. See here: Benefit cap: When the benefit cap affects your Universal Credit payments - GOV.UK

This mentions that you only have to report earnings. So savings income and payments to personal pensions that result in tax relief don't need to be mentioned. 

Others have asked the same question on other forums and the answer given is that it relates to the benefit cap and the grace period from it. 

poppy12345

It's a standard question they ask everyone that claims UC for the first time. 

michaels

tacpot12 said:

This might because they think you might be affected by the Benefit Cap and want to give you the 9 month grace period. See here: Benefit cap: When the benefit cap affects your Universal Credit payments - GOV.UK

This mentions that you only have to report earnings. So savings income and payments to personal pensions that result in tax relief don't need to be mentioned. 

Others have asked the same question on other forums and the answer given is that it relates to the benefit cap and the grace period from it. 

poppy12345 said:

It's a standard question they ask everyone that claims UC for the first time. 

Thanks both.  Total claim is about 800 per month so don't think the benefit cap applies.  Have been being paid since I migrated to UC form TC in May so seems quite slow if it is standard for all new claimants?

poppy12345

michaels said:

tacpot12 said:

This might because they think you might be affected by the Benefit Cap and want to give you the 9 month grace period. See here: Benefit cap: When the benefit cap affects your Universal Credit payments - GOV.UK

This mentions that you only have to report earnings. So savings income and payments to personal pensions that result in tax relief don't need to be mentioned. 

Others have asked the same question on other forums and the answer given is that it relates to the benefit cap and the grace period from it. 

poppy12345 said:

It's a standard question they ask everyone that claims UC for the first time. 

Thanks both.  Total claim is about 800 per month so don't think the benefit cap applies.  Have been being paid since I migrated to UC form TC in May so seems quite slow if it is standard for all new claimants?

The benefit cap is related to your earnings, not your UC payments. https://www.gov.uk/benefit-cap/how-earnings-affect-when-benefit-cap-starts

michaels

Hmm - this talks about the earnings threshold but we have lots of long threads saying that should be assessed against earnings before pension payments....

Newcad

As said they ask everybody who claims UC.

When I moved myself over from ESA I had been on ESA for 10 years, UC still asked for my employment income each month for the last year.

So I just put £0.00 each month..
PS. You have to enter the pence even if '.00', it won't let you enter just whole pounds).