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Migration to UC - Currently receiving enhanced PIP and Tax Credits

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3 months 4 days ago #294202 by Lesley Kerrigan
I'm completely new to UC.

I am self employed as this is easiest for me to manage with my disability. I am on enhanced PIP for personal care and my condition varies through the month.

I have been forced to migrate away from legacy benefits WTC, CTC, HB to UC. I have a meeting next week with a 'work coach' and am anxious about this. I run a small business which I work very hard at when I am well. on days when I can't work I catch up later.

They have mentioned viability of my business and they need details of my monthly income, this obviously fluctuates, no business has the same income and expenditure each month.

I have all the documentation they require re HMRC, tax returns, social media, my website, invoices etc etc.

I know nothing about work capability/ESA etc.
Please can anyone give me advice or tell me where to look, I'm completely in the dark and so far everyone I speak to at DWP is vague, gives conflicting answers or I am scared to trust.

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3 months 4 days ago #294216 by Gary
Hi LK24

The conditions for claiming Universal Credit are set out in a "claimant commitment" that most people will have to accept at the beginning of their claim. If you are part of a couple, you will each have a separate claimant commitment that may be different from each other's.

People who may not need to accept a commitment include those who lack capacity, those who have exceptional circumstances  where it would be unreasonable to expect them to agree a commitment (this is decided by the work coach on a case by case basis), or, From 15 February 2022 people with a terminal illness and less than 6 months to live were also excluded, and from 4 April 2023 this was extended to 12 months.

 There are 4 conditionality groups:

* Group 1. No work related requirements
* Group 2. Work-focused interview requirement
* Group 3. Work preparation requirement
* Group 4. All work-related requirements

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Claimant-commitment-Universal-Credit

Self employed earnings: deduct tax , NI and contributions made to a personal or occupational pension, as well as permitted expenses (e.g stock purchase). If your self-employed earnings are low, your UC may be calculated using a minimum income floor unless you are in a 12 month start up period. The minimum income floor is an assumed level of earnings based on the number of hours you are expected to look for and be available for work and applies if you are in the all work-related requirement group.

If you make a loss in one assessment period, you are allowed to offset this deficit against any profit in future monthly assessment periods.

We would advise you to seek help from your local Welfare Rights Organisation, where they can take all your circumstances into consideration when giving you advice; advicelocal.uk .

Gary

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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