Worth claiming UC or not?

rocks+mountains · 15 January 2020 at 9:49PM

Hi,

I'm hoping if someone can help me see if it is worth trying to claim UC or if it will be more hassle than it will be worth to us?

Short info is me and my partner both work, myself full time and my partner part time approx 20-30 hours per week. We've never claimed before as we earn well over the threshold, I am the main breadwinner however. I'm now on maternity leave and SMP kicks in as of Feb.

When I go down to SMP we will be tight on money but have saved up approx 4k to cover my months off on maternity. Somebody however said to me that whilst I am on SMP we could claim UC however to just help cover everything. I've input our details into one of the calculators and based on my partners hours we would receive £45 a week if he only got his minimum hours at work. If he did his max it would be £8 down to nothing per week.

I'm just wondering whether for the 6-7months I'm on SMP it is worth going through the hassle of claiming UC for potentially very little if he does get his maximum hours? I'm just more bothered about if he only gets his lower hours we would eat through the savings we have and see the UC as the top up we would need for those few months?

Or will they just make him try to apply for other full time jobs to make the money up, again only relevant for the 6 months I'm on SMP as after then we need his current work and part time hours to cover childcare?

Sorry if this is a bit rambly but I'm just trying to decide if it is worth potential huge hassle to claim what in effect might be very little money. But then the other part of me thinks that I've paid enough into the system and for the few months I need it should I claim to see us right so we dont burn through what we have saved up?

Just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation or can advise further on the claiming/work commitments element.

Thanks

Rubyroobs · 15 January 2020 at 10:07PM

I think it will be worth applying. If your partners earnings are variable then Uc will adjust each month. If you will have childcare to pay each month then it's likely you would still get some UC when you go back to work also. It is a bit of a faff to set up but once it's done it's done. I'm pretty sure they won't make your partner look for a better job as long as he meets the earnings threshold which he will if working full time.

Robbie64 · 15 January 2020 at 10:15PM

Don't forget that when you have your baby any UC you get will increase, assuming you've calculated your UC entitlement based only on your partner and yourself as living in the household.

yksi · 16 January 2020 at 9:45AM

I would apply. Worst case scenario is that you did it for nothing. But then imagine that you didn't, and you wish you did - it won't backdate to give you a real world "undo" button.

Mrsn · 16 January 2020 at 7:49PM

Really no harm in applying at all. As pointed out if you are going back to work once your maternity leave is done then it is likely you would qualify for some assistance with childcare fees.

rocks+mountains · 16 January 2020 at 9:39PM

Thank you for the replies. I didn't realise about the help with childcare after potentially so that's something to look into and make it more beneficial. Thanks for all your help.

calcotti · 16 January 2020 at 10:17PM

rocks+mountains wrote: »

Thank you for the replies. I didn't realise about the help with childcare after potentially so that's something to look into and make it more beneficial. Thanks for all your help.

More information here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-childcare/universal-credit-childcare-guide

Worth claiming UC or not?

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