UC - Take the plunge or wait?

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8i6daddy
8i6daddy Posts: 89 Forumite
in Benefits & tax credits
Hi All,

I'm looking for some advice...I've recently been made aware that I might qualify for Income Support.

I live in a Full Service UC area and am scared that I'll have to switch to that if I try and claim as it would be seen as a change of circumstances.

Im a full timer carer for my disabled child and receive carers allowance and my wife works 16 hrs a week. We are also in receipt of Tax Credits.

Ive used the usual benefits calculators and they point to me being eligible based on our circumstances but Im worried that If I try to claim for IS ill end up being made to claim UC and if that is the case potentially being worse off by over £100 a month...

Has anyone any advice or been in a similar situation?
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  • bigbill
    bigbill Posts: 928 Forumite
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    With 16 hours wages and £62+ Carers I doubt you would get Income Support due to such a high income, unless you or your partner are also disabled?
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,950 Forumite
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    8i6daddy wrote: »
    Hi All,

    I'm looking for some advice...I've recently been made aware that I might qualify for Income Support.

    I live in a Full Service UC area and am scared that I'll have to switch to that if I try and claim as it would be seen as a change of circumstances.

    Im a full timer carer for my disabled child and receive carers allowance and my wife works 16 hrs a week. We are also in receipt of Tax Credits.

    Ive used the usual benefits calculators and they point to me being eligible based on our circumstances but Im worried that If I try to claim for IS ill end up being made to claim UC and if that is the case potentially being worse off by over £100 a month...

    Has anyone any advice or been in a similar situation?
    If your area wasn't a full universal credit area then you wouldn't be able to claim Income Support because your wife works 16 hours per week and you would have to claim as a couple. Income Support is based on household income anyway.

    As your area is a full UC area then you would have to claim this because IS wouldn't be available to those in your area.
  • 8i6daddy
    8i6daddy Posts: 89 Forumite
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    bigbill wrote: »
    With 16 hours wages and £62+ Carers I doubt you would get Income Support due to such a high income, unless you or your partner are also disabled?

    I didn't think so either!!

    Think it's best if I just wait until the inevitable migration to UC occurs!
  • 8i6daddy
    8i6daddy Posts: 89 Forumite
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    poppy12345 wrote: »
    If your area wasn't a full universal credit area then you wouldn't be able to claim Income Support because your wife works 16 hours per week and you would have to claim as a couple. Income Support is based on household income anyway.

    As your area is a full UC area then you would have to claim this because IS wouldn't be available to those in your area.

    Thanks for the reply... Im pleased I asked the original question because you've clarified exactly what i thought already!
  • bigbill
    bigbill Posts: 928 Forumite
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    Do you have working tax as well as child tax credits?
  • 8i6daddy
    8i6daddy Posts: 89 Forumite
    edited 14 April 2018 at 11:09PM
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    bigbill wrote: »
    Do you have working tax as well as child tax credits?
    Yes, but only because of some element related to me not having to work as Im a carer. We only recently found out we qualified for it, I was a bit miffed because we lost out on almost £10k over the period we could have qualified for..
  • bigbill
    bigbill Posts: 928 Forumite
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    Many others just like you do not know this rule, maybe now due to this post they will learn and claim?

    With WTC as well you have no chance of qualifying for Income Support your combined incomes will be miles over.
  • later
    later Posts: 48 Forumite
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    I'm £93 better off on UC. The only thing that shocked me is that I have to pay for my childcare then claim it back, rather than give my estimated total and be audited yearly!
  • lioness123
    lioness123 Posts: 77 Forumite
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    My husband worked 24 hours I was a carer getting carers allowance. We never got working tax credit. Just child tax credit . What's the element that gives u more
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,950 Forumite
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    lioness123 wrote: »
    My husband worked 24 hours I was a carer getting carers allowance. We never got working tax credit. Just child tax credit . What's the element that gives u more
    To claim the carers premium you need to claiming an Income related benefit like Income Support/UC.

    Where you claiming CA for looking after your child? If so then you should have been receiving child tax credit disability element.
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