universal credit

SkyMary7

just signed up for universal credit and given award today. I currently on sick leave from work. So this month's amount is £546 they have deducted £678 from my 1209 allowance due every my £735 monthly salary and we receive carers allowance. This month my salary halves to 435 so this plus the 546 universal credit. My rent is 500 a month. I was getting 455 child tax credits plus 348 housing benefit. How do they expect people to survive and not go into debt. My statutory sick pay is due to run out and that's why I signed up universal credit to claim ESA

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @SkyMary7, are you claiming PIP at the moment? 

SkyMary7

for my daughter yeah. However I was getting child tax 455 and hour benefit 118 fortnightly. plus child benefit 82. Then my salary of 735. Now I have changed over to universal credit. all im getting is 541 my salary 735 82 child benefit and 224 PIP and 64 weekly carers allowance. so 641 is deducted from universal credit. its a lot when you have an adopted child. 

Pippa_Alumni

I can imagine @SkyMary7, I'm so sorry to hear things are difficult.

I'm just looking at other help/support you could be entitled to: this Citizens Advice page lists some extra things that you're entitled to alongside PIP, that could help you to save money. It might also be worth looking at our finances/extra costs discussions and maybe even see if there are any grants you could apply for, using this grants search.

SkyMary7

I just wondering if you have to stay on universal credit. Or could i just go back to the way i was. 

poppy123456

Hi,

What PIP award does your daughter have, what benefits were you claiming exactly before you moved across to UC? and how many children do you have? Are you single or live with a partner? Who claim carers allowance? Sorry but all the need answer before anyone can help you further.

Unfortunately once you start UC you can never go back to claiming the other benefits.

SkyMary7

hi i live with my partner and adopted daughter aged 7 who has lived with us 17 months. She's was awarded middle rate care component DLA at the time. My partner claims carers allowance as at the time I thought I would not be allowed due to working. Due to post adoption depression and anxiety I have been off sick since March. My wage/ statutory sick pay has halved this month. I went to citizens advice who said that i would have to claim ESA to make my wages. To do this I have to claim universal credit. Before the change over i was claiming child tax credits housing benefit and council tax. PIP and carers allowance. child benefit then my wages i reduced to 22.5hrs when I returned October last year from adoption leave. I also care for my 67 year old dad, but don't claim carers allowance. I want to give work up and trying to sort out how. I also have a brain condition and awaiting a PIP decision myself. I have been told that if I remain sick 29 days from making the claim i will have to attend a work cabability assessment. there was no award for ESA in my claim. 

poppy123456

You wouldn't have been able to claim ESA as you were claiming SSP and you wouldn't have been able to claim both at the same time. PIP and council tax reduction aren't part of UC. For council tax you need to speak to your local council.

For the rest, i'd advise putting your details into the benefits calculator above and see what it comes up with. They are fairly accurate providing you put all of your details into there correctly.

As i said you won't be able to go back onto Tax credits/housing benefit now your claiming for UC has started.

SkyMary7

thanks yeah i have emailed my award to the council for them to assess. the benefits calculator says that i would get more nothing about what they take off because of my salary and carers allowance x

SkyMary7

should i have had the carers allowance deducted from the universal credit? 

poppy123456

Yes. I answered your question on your other post.