Minimum period to qualify for Universal Credit

SusieL64

Can someone tell me if there is a minimum qualifying period for universal credit. My son applied for UC on 11th November but 3 weeks later he got a job which we reported to UC on 2nd December  - his start date. He has been told by the UC team that he is not entitled to anything because no statement was created before he closed his claim. - Does anyone know if he should get paid for the 3 weeks that he claimed? - It seems unfair that if he had waited another week before starting the job  - he would have got benefits?

poppy12345

SusieL64 said:

Can someone tell me if there is a minimum qualifying period for universal credit. My son applied for UC on 11th November but 3 weeks later he got a job which we reported to UC on 2nd December  - his start date. He has been told by the UC team that he is not entitled to anything because no statement was created before he closed his claim. - Does anyone know if he should get paid for the 3 weeks that he claimed? - It seems unfair that if he had waited another week before starting the job  - he would have got benefits?

UC is a monthly benefit and doesn't work with anything that's less than that. UC entitlement is based on your circumstances on the last day of each assessment period. As he's closed his claim before that last day then nothing is owed. 

What he should have done is just report the changes when he started work and not close his claim. This way if no earnings were received during that first assessment period there may have been some entitlement to UC. 

Unfortunately, all that is too late now but at least he will know if he ever claims UC in the future. 

SusieL64

Thanks Poppy - seems unfair  - and no-one explains the rules - especially as we had to go through a dozen steps to get accepted as eligible ( I am my son's appointee ) - but at least now I know - Thanks