Should Universal Credit close our claim

Idontlikeworking

My missus started a second job so I tried closing universal credit but it said you don't need to close the claim and it asked us to update what we earn so will they keep the claim open if we work a total of 70 hours a week. I've put in the journal that she's started a second job and the total hours she's working but they haven't replied so are they waiting until she gets paid. If they don't close the claim and we don't receive anything from them can I have more than £6000 in savings.

Spoonie_Turtle

Idontlikeworking said:

My missus started a second job so I tried closing universal credit but it said you don't need to close the claim and it asked us to update what we earn so will they keep the claim open if we work a total of 70 hours a week. I've put in the journal that she's started a second job and the total hours she's working but they haven't replied so are they waiting until she gets paid. If they don't close the claim and we don't receive anything from them can I have more than £6000 in savings.

Yes the system won't change anything until she gets paid.  If she earns enough to nil your claim (when she gets paid) you can choose to do nothing and it will automatically close after about 6 months, or you can request to close your claim.  But definitely wait until she's been paid, no point closing it before it needs to be.  Depending on when she gets paid you might have another UC payment to come the same as before she started her new job.

You did the right thing informing them though, as you are supposed to do that.

(You can already have more than £6,000 in savings, up to £15,999, but you would need to inform them.)

peteuk

If your wife is PAYE then DWP will be notiifed of her income.  This will then lead to a 55p per £1 reduction of your UC. 

As Spoonie has said 6 months of zero payments will close the UC claim. I would suggest that you keep it pen just incase something goes wrong with the new job. IT saves going through the hassle of reapplying should you need to. 

Once closed you can have unlimited capital, however should you have over £16K then you wont be able to reapply, if you have between £6K-£16K then any UC will be reduced by £4.35 for every £250 or part of above £6K

NedS

Idontlikeworking said:

My missus started a second job so I tried closing universal credit but it said you don't need to close the claim and it asked us to update what we earn so will they keep the claim open if we work a total of 70 hours a week. I've put in the journal that she's started a second job and the total hours she's working but they haven't replied so are they waiting until she gets paid. If they don't close the claim and we don't receive anything from them can I have more than £6000 in savings.

It's pointless you putting anything in the journal relating to her. She must declare the change in her account (under Work and Earnings), not you.