Re: Migration to Universal Credit

by Pintel Mon Sep 23, 2024 7:17 pm

A 1st class stamp Ignatius, come come my dear fellow🥴.

Surely a invitation card, hand writing from a ink

fountain pen in a formal calligraphy font. Asking you the RSVP, to the formal invite, join the wonderful Universal Club.

So no stickers, no logo-ed promotional goodies. Good God what do the dwp spend it budget on 'Coffee and

Cake' parties....🤨

To #Xennial comment. About 'Seasonal' employment. Where there used to be the 'safety net

' of a rapid reclaim of benefits claim. Many where able to sleep safely in their beds

️ at night. Knowing that they could take a couple of months of paid employment ( suggested this is good for the economy?) And not be out of pocket. Aswel as not be treated as a new claim, and be scuttled by a minimum 5x week wait for substanace by the UC system. You could see many would alter their course 🧭. If not guaranteed a regular position...🤨

by Ignatius Mon Sep 23, 2024 7:54 pm

Couldn't agreed more, Pintel. The Fear of UC had definitely changed my job hunting. My local authority and hospital have various casual roles that by definition do not offer regular hours, but could give you valuable experience and a foot in the door for more regular hours. Even some of the jobs that come up over Christmas would be fine for a few weeks, but knowing a few days or weeks of work means no more JSA has always put me off applying.

Anyway, have you got your suitcase packed yet? The ability to go away from home (technically there is no holiday entitlement as such) beckons on UC and the world will be your oyster - for 28 days.

by Pintel Mon Sep 23, 2024 8:55 pm

To your question of me on my

travels. I am waiting for the UC tide to come in.

.

It does seem this '5x week waiting' period. Is more of an Obstacle

, than a barrier

. To gaining employment 🧐. Maybe these companies, want some free labour/volunteers....

by Xennial Mon Sep 23, 2024 9:32 pm

Universal Credit was set up wrong from the start by Ian Dunking Doughnuts thinking that everybody gets paid monthly, whereas, at the lower end of the labour market (mostly the people who would have to claim Universal Credit), they don'r get paid monthly, most are paid weekly or forttnightly. The 5-week wait for money is aimed at people who have become unemployed and still have a final pay cheque to cover their expenses. It should have been designed different for people already claiming benefits, so payments were made quickly, just like when you first claimed JSA. It purposely wasn't designed that way to make life hard for all the work shy scroungers (that certain parts of the media always moan about), with the hope they either wouldn't bother applying or would take any shitty unsuitable job going out of sheer desperation.

by mandy tori Mon Sep 23, 2024 10:10 pm

received my letter today, i shall read it in a fortnight Migration to Universal Credit - Page 7 2650990582

by Pintel Mon Sep 23, 2024 10:27 pm

Maybe the last claimant

️on legacy benefits. Will got there name/photo

in the news. A handshake & smiles, maybe even a certificate

by Xennial Tue Sep 24, 2024 11:06 am

I signed on earlier today. My work coach inquired if I had received a migration letter, and I replied that I haven't received it yet. I posed a hypothectical question about claiming Universal Credit. I envisioned that Thursday the 26th was the deadline for me to claim it. If I was to claim it tomorrow, Wednesday 25th, would I still receive my 2 weeks money from signing on as normal, plus the two week run-on of JSA and Housing Benefit, and he said, yes, you would receive 4 weeks money and my council will receive a months worth of Housing Benefit.
I would suggest looking at the dates you are due to sign on during the 3 months you have to make a claim for Universal Credit, and work out a date for claiming after you have signed on. My dates permit me to sign on and apply the following day, which coincides with the final day of my 3-month period of eligibility.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 11:17 am

The last JSA claimant standing will be someone who reaches state pension age in the coming months. I don't know the exact detail but anyone who currently receives IB JSA and will qualify for their state pension in X months are not being migrated as their JSA claim is obviously ending soon, regardless of managed migration. Shrewd DWP thinking. Remove some people from the managed migration schedule and then you can get through everyone else a bit quicker.

The DWP could have played with us over migration notices. Instead of bulk mail outs, they could have left our migration notices with our WC, and then if we pissed them off, they could have whipped out the Envelope of Doom as petty revenge.

Pintel, as you are a man of style, I will be disappointed if you don't attend your initial UC appointment with your suitcase in tow and then head off on your travels once you've done the boring formalities of your claim.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 11:20 am

Xennial, how very DWP that their own customer facing staff have no idea who has/hasn't been issued with a migration notice.

Thanks for the information on UC claim dates and existing JSA payment dates.

by designergas Tue Sep 24, 2024 11:42 am

The letter of doom has arrived today after 4 days. Upon checking my last sign-on date with JSA is the 13th December, they want me to complete the migration on the 19th December.
Was the best cause of action? Do I do it on the 13th of December after attending the job centre? Or before the 13th December.
I'm on two fences about claiming UC only on a single allowance and currently working very low hours. Is it even worth claiming 50 pounds yet knowing I will get a nasty work coach make me travel 5 days a week doing some silly work search?

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 12:12 pm

Designergas, do you receive help with housing costs? If so, you need to factor that into your should I claim dilemma.

This next point is very dull but very very important. Does the job you currently have pay enough for your employer to pay your National Insurance contributions? If it doesn't, if you claim UC you will get credited with Class 3 National Insurance contributions. Obviously the forum has no idea of your age, but your state pension will be based on your NI contribution history. Gaps in this record can reduce the amount of state pension you will receive. You can buy missing years but it will be very expensive and impractical if you are on a low income with no spare cash. There are also time limits on how many missing years you can buy back. If you haven't already, it is worthwhile getting a State Pension forecast. It will tell you how many years of contributions you have & what amount of pension you are on track for. Don't overlook the value of getting your NI paid. I suppose if you are in your 20's it's less important but anyone 40+ should really know their state pension position.

In your position I would probably claim UC regardless and then see what my WC is like as you will be highly likely to get a new WC as part of being a new UC claimant. If they are one of the better ones then you've got a bit of extra cash. If they are an arse faced weasel then you can always close your claim.

Xennial's post is very helpful with the when to claim UC in relation to JSA payment dates.

by Xennial Tue Sep 24, 2024 12:24 pm

designergas. I would sign on Friday the 13th, and then make your claim for Universal Credit on Monday the 16th. If you applied during the weekend, they won't do anything until Monday, as they only work from Monday to Friday. My last sign-on day is on Tuesday, December 17th, and I will make my claim on Wednesday, December 18th, with the 19th being the day I need to complete my migration by.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 1:29 pm

Desingergas, I forgot this in my earlier reply to you.
How often are paid in your job? Yet another thing you may need to consider. If you have 2 paydays in an assessment period it can affect the amount of UC you receive and not in a good way, although it will be dependent on your earnings.

by designergas Tue Sep 24, 2024 3:04 pm

Ignatius wrote:Designergas, do you receive help with housing costs? If so, you need to factor that into your should I claim dilemma.

This next point is very dull but very very important. Does the job you currently have pay enough for your employer to pay your National Insurance contributions? If it doesn't, if you claim UC you will get credited with Class 3 National Insurance contributions. Obviously the forum has no idea of your age, but your state pension will be based on your NI contribution history. Gaps in this record can reduce the amount of state pension you will receive. You can buy missing years but it will be very expensive and impractical if you are on a low income with no spare cash. There are also time limits on how many missing years you can buy back. If you haven't already, it is worthwhile getting a State Pension forecast. It will tell you how many years of contributions you have & what amount of pension you are on track for. Don't overlook the value of getting your NI paid. I suppose if you are in your 20's it's less important but anyone 40+ should really know their state pension position.

In your position I would probably claim UC regardless and then see what my WC is like as you will be highly likely to get a new WC as part of being a new UC claimant. If they are one of the better ones then you've got a bit of extra cash. If they are an arse faced weasel then you can always close your claim.

Xennial's post is very helpful with the when to claim UC in relation to JSA payment dates.

Thank you for your excellent information. I'm not in receipt of any other benefits, no housing, etc. The employer doesn't pay any Ni or pensions due to earning so little.Yes, I'm around 28 years old.

The only way out. if I seek another role that wipes out my whole claim entitlement in the 3-month period before the migration date; if not, I have to sign up for universal credit and face the shitshow on offer. If that goes to pear shape with the work coach, I will just sign off and look for second role at my own pace; having been through restart I'm not facing that ordeal experience again. Fingers crossed I get an empathy-heart caring work coach. We can work out a plan and progress.

by designergas Tue Sep 24, 2024 3:07 pm

Ignatius wrote:Desingergas, I forgot this in my earlier reply to you.
How often are paid in your job? Yet another thing you may need to consider. If you have 2 paydays in an assessment period it can affect the amount of UC you receive and not in a good way, although it will be dependent on your earnings.

My employer pays me 30th each month.

by designergas Tue Sep 24, 2024 3:13 pm

Xennial wrote:designergas. I would sign on Friday the 13th, and then make your claim for Universal Credit on Monday the 16th. If you applied during the weekend, they won't do anything until Monday, as they only work from Monday to Friday. My last sign-on day is on Tuesday, December 17th, and I will make my claim on Wednesday, December 18th, with the 19th being the day I need to complete my migration by.

Cheers! 16th December sounds like an excellent date. Busy period festival season job centres are mostly shut in December, just 9 days before Christmas. I definitely wouldn't move over now, UC; it's suicidal; they will pressure you due to the Christmas period, forcing you into any roles ASAP until the new year period. No one is hiring, and there is less pressure. The same happened with restart no pressure in Jan, Feb, also holding out to the last sign on day and serving my whole time on JSA and with JSA different rules more flexibility no stupid journal win-win.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 4:23 pm

Designergas, your intention to stay on JSA as long as possible and delay migration is sound. I think you only get the 2 weeks run on of free money if you claim UC. Like you say, jobcentres cannot push Xmas jobs that late in the year. If they treat a migrated claim like any other new UC claim then you tend to get left for a few months. Referrals to things like Restart are after a certain time on UC.

You might want to do a bit of homework on your payday, what happens in February. If your employer ever pays you early, UC can see that as having 2 paydays in a month and it can have implications for calculating your UC, although employers are supposed to let the "system" know so UC isn't reduced.

by designergas Tue Sep 24, 2024 7:14 pm

Ignatius wrote:Designergas, your intention to stay on JSA as long as possible and delay migration is sound. I think you only get the 2 weeks run on of free money if you claim UC. Like you say, jobcentres cannot push Xmas jobs that late in the year. If they treat a migrated claim like any other new UC claim then you tend to get left for a few months. Referrals to things like Restart are after a certain time on UC.

Cheers ignatius Would it be better for me to start my claim for universal credit on the 30th of December instead of the 19th of December, the same day I get paid by my employer, so it doesn't create two assessment periods? This is the biggest reason I hate the universal credit system. It can create overpayments and underpayments and mess you up really bad.

You might want to do a bit of homework on your payday, what happens in February. If your employer ever pays you early, UC can see that as having 2 paydays in a month and it can have implications for calculating your UC, although employers are supposed to let the "system" know so UC isn't reduced.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 7:25 pm

If you claim after the deadline on your migration notice I think you will lose the bonus £181 run on payment as you will not be treated as a managed migration claimant.

The Real Time Earnings software is now supposed to have a feature that lets employers do something with the pay date so UC doesn't class it as a double payment when wages are paid early, but then this relies on the employer and their payroll software allowing this.

Maybe next time you are at the jobcentre you could ask your WC about this problem, they must have encountered it before. If you claim on 19th your assessment period will end on the 18th. Maybe sit down with a calendar (ffs) and work out if you are going to have any 2 wage assessment periods, and if so, will they take you over the UC thresholds.

by Ignatius Tue Sep 24, 2024 8:53 pm

Both the Child Poverty Action Group and Low Incomes Tax Reform Group have useful stuff on their websites about UC and receiving 2 sets of wages in one assessment period, and interestingly, it seems you can appeal if you fall foul of this.

by Ignatius Wed Sep 25, 2024 1:10 pm

My postman must have completed How to Deliver Bad News training. He kindly put the Brown Envelope of Doom through the letterbox to conincide with me just having made a cup of tea. Drs always prescribe tea for people getting bad news so at least I was well prepared.

I must claim UC by 21 December. If not, I presume I will turn green with turquoise stripes, spontaneously combust or something.

When I have finished reading my book, I will think about the best day for me to claim.

by The Catwoman Wed Sep 25, 2024 1:25 pm

Wouldn't you think they'd make the deadline till after the new year, who wants to apply for UC Christmas week 🤮

by Pintel Wed Sep 25, 2024 4:14 pm

It must be 'Wolverhampton Wednesday'

. As I too have been issued the summons from the Brown 'Envelope of Evil:.

..

Is it a saturation attack with both barrels, on us legacy old timer's. Or someone in the Wolverhampton mc, looking for a Xmas/New Year's pay cheque bonanza

....

Whilst I need to plot a course 🧭, for the best time to apply within the dead

line, as Ignatius has mentioned... Now do I inform the Roach clown

, I have received the doomsday

letter? Knowing I still have a few 'signing on' days left, to cling on to the wreckage of legacy benefits. Before the yoke of the UC weights down upon my deck's... So I intend to wait until the last tide to set sail. But I forsee

the Roach

, telling me, from the jcp script 'to apply early'....

by Ignatius Wed Sep 25, 2024 4:38 pm

Drink tea, Pintel, drink tea. It will stop you going into shock.

"Is it a saturation attack with both barrels" you ask. Funny you should say that. First, I received my brown Envelope of Doom. Later in the afternoon I heard helicopter sounds in the sky. Flight Radar said it was an Army Gunship above Chez Ignatius. Envelopes and Helicopters. Shock and Awe in action.

Anyway, I think we need to say hello to our newest forum members, Wolverhampton Mail Centre. Only yesterday we were questioning their work ethic, yet little did we know they have been beavering away like Santa's little Elves sending us all our love letters from the DWP.

What's the day you will burst into flames if you don't claim UC?

by Ignatius Wed Sep 25, 2024 5:14 pm

The Catwoman wrote:Wouldn't you think they'd make the deadline till after the new year, who wants to apply for UC Christmas week 🤮

Since when did the DWP do logic?

In any case, their riposte to that would simply be, apply for UC sooner, it is your choice to leave claiming as close as possible to Christmas.

Since they re-launched the good ship managed migration, they have adhered to their targets for sending out migration notices. It seems getting letters out is their main objective. It puts an end date on every legacy benefit claim. If UC Service Centres and jobcentres haven't got the capacity to process claims so people don't wait more than 5 weeks for money, that appears to be a secondary concern to them. It will be interesting to see how this approach works with ESA.

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