Universal Credit

[Vague_Boy 10]

Read the full article and it makes a very good point that people with learning disabilities are unable to properly manage their finances

 

Bron Afon community housing in south Wales said it had seen a 50% increase in arrears, while pilot projects in Edinburgh, Oxford and Southwark are showing around 30% increases in arrears.

 

That's an awful lot of people with learning difficulties.

[I1L2T3 10]

An obvious solution is to align benefit payment dates with rent due dates across the board so that rent is the first thing that gets paid out. But then it might as well have gone straight to the landlord.

 

This crazy plan is going to end up costing far more than it saves. It is self-defeating.

[Bob Arctor 11]

I'd be interested to hear peoples' experiences of UC now that it has been partially implemented in Sheffield. I know of 2 people who have become homeless because of having to claim UC - the delays in making the first payment, including the housing element to pay rent, and the massive increase in the amount deducted to pay rent arrears compared to amounts deducted from JSA and ESA, pushed them both under. In one case the debts incurred through surviving the waiting period (compounded by a 'processing delay') meant that the person could no longer manage financially - every time he got a payment of UC he had to pay so much back to cover the debts he'd incurred while waiting for a payment that he couldn't sustain his tenancy and had to go and stay with friends - this was not a long-term solution and I don't know where he ended up. For the other person, their private landlord did not want to wait 6-8 weeks for the first rent payment so evicted them.

 

It seems to me that the system forces people into debt from the outset unless they are lucky enough to have savings or family who can afford to loan them money and are in no hurry to get it back.

 

So far only a relatively small number of people in Sheffield are on UC but this will grow and when the full 'roll-out' happens it will capture everyone who gets any support from the government, whether that is housing benefit or tax credits or Employment and Support Allowance. I am very worried about what that will look like.

[Anna B 1,414]

I'd be interested to hear peoples' experiences of UC now that it has been partially implemented in Sheffield. I know of 2 people who have become homeless because of having to claim UC - the delays in making the first payment, including the housing element to pay rent, and the massive increase in the amount deducted to pay rent arrears compared to amounts deducted from JSA and ESA, pushed them both under. In one case the debts incurred through surviving the waiting period (compounded by a 'processing delay') meant that the person could no longer manage financially - every time he got a payment of UC he had to pay so much back to cover the debts he'd incurred while waiting for a payment that he couldn't sustain his tenancy and had to go and stay with friends - this was not a long-term solution and I don't know where he ended up. For the other person, their private landlord did not want to wait 6-8 weeks for the first rent payment so evicted them.

 

It seems to me that the system forces people into debt from the outset unless they are lucky enough to have savings or family who can afford to loan them money and are in no hurry to get it back.

 

So far only a relatively small number of people in Sheffield are on UC but this will grow and when the full 'roll-out' happens it will capture everyone who gets any support from the government, whether that is housing benefit or tax credits or Employment and Support Allowance. I am very worried about what that will look like.

 

The delay is a killer. Nobody can go 2 months with nothing and so they automatically fall into debt. How many landlords are going to wait 2 months for rent to start coming through?

 

The other major problem is that many of the people who need benefits live chaotic lives due to mental illness, and find it impossible to access any kind of help without someone to guide them and this is just not forthcoming. This is something the government has singularly failed to grasp, and has made much worse with its programme of 'sanctions.'

 

The lack of help (and understanding,) for people with mental illness is nothing short of scandalous.

[Bob Arctor 11]

The delay is a killer. Nobody can go 2 months with nothing and so they automatically fall into debt. How many landlords are going to wait 2 months for rent to start coming through?

 

The other major problem is that many of the people who need benefits live chaotic lives due to mental illness, and find it impossible to access any kind of help without someone to guide them and this is just not forthcoming. This is something the government has singularly failed to grasp, and has made much worse with its programme of 'sanctions.'

 

The lack of help (and understanding,) for people with mental illness is nothing short of scandalous.

 

Currently in Sheffield, people with significant mental health needs can claim ESA (although a good number will be found fit for work, obviously, before winning on appeal). If the problems with UC are not fixed before all those people are shunted on to UC in the future it will be a nightmare.

[Juliand12456 10]

Has anyone here who is on incapacity work contributory benefit or pip standard daily living had to apply for universal credit, when claiming housing benefit or when moving to any area of Sheffield, whether it's live or full service area.

 

I ask because i dont go onto uc as I'll be getting less than i do now with the bebefits I'm on,

when i move to an area in Sheffield and when i claim housing benefit, as from what I've been told and what I've looked into i may have to.

 

It's confusing because from what I've been told by a few people from universal credit, but because I'm on work related incapacity benefit and I'm unable to work they i won't be entilted to it anyway, but one of them said that even though I'm on work related inc, if i claim housing benefit i may habe to ckaim uc.

 

 

Has anyone on these benefits had to go onto unviversal credit when they claimed universal credit or when moving to a perticular area and does it make any difference regardless if you move to a live or full service area, because i don't want to move down and then hsve to claim uc?

[Anna B 1,414]

Can't help with specifics, but a friend who deals in benefits says people are always worse off when they go on to Universal Credits than they were on benefits. And when they are already on the breadline that can be disastrous.

[Robin-H 11]

Can't help with specifics, but a friend who deals in benefits says people are always worse off when they go on to Universal Credits than they were on benefits. And when they are already on the breadline that can be disastrous.

 

That is simply not true. It depends on your circumstances as to whether you will be better off or worse off.

[Anna B 1,414]

Find me some examples. I can give you dozens where they are worse off.

[Robin-H 11]

Find me some examples. I can give you dozens where they are worse off.

 

You realise that's not how it works right? You can't claim that universal credit always makes people worse off just based on people you know.

 

All I need to do is say I know people who have gone onto Universal Credit who are now better off and your argument completely disintegrates. As I said, some people are worse off, some people are better off.

 

There are calculators online so people can see how Universal Credit will affect them.

[melthebell 863]

Has anyone here who is on incapacity work contributory benefit or pip standard daily living had to apply for universal credit, when claiming housing benefit or when moving to any area of Sheffield, whether it's live or full service area.

 

I ask because i dont go onto uc as I'll be getting less than i do now with the bebefits I'm on,

when i move to an area in Sheffield and when i claim housing benefit, as from what I've been told and what I've looked into i may have to.

 

It's confusing because from what I've been told by a few people from universal credit, but because I'm on work related incapacity benefit and I'm unable to work they i won't be entilted to it anyway, but one of them said that even though I'm on work related inc, if i claim housing benefit i may habe to ckaim uc.

 

 

Has anyone on these benefits had to go onto unviversal credit when they claimed universal credit or when moving to a perticular area and does it make any difference regardless if you move to a live or full service area, because i don't want to move down and then hsve to claim uc?

 

i just started with jobseekers and housing benefit and wasnt allowed to go on universal credit, i was told because i have a partner?? is it just single people its been rolled out for first? or areas? im not in sheff

[Car Boot 10]

That is simply not true. It depends on your circumstances as to whether you will be better off or worse off.

 

Everybody is worse off on Universal Credit.

 

A non-paid 7 day waiting period, followed by a 4 weeks assessment period, then a further 7 day waiting period before being paid any benefit money at the earliest causes severe financial hardship, creates and increases debt and leads to terrible levels of stress and anxiety.

 

A loan is offered to those who don't have the savings to take them through the 6 week minimum waiting period. This has to be repaid.

 

The first lesson someone learns from the Universal Credit is how to get into debt, or how to increase the debt one already has.

 

How does the delayed payment of essential benefits help the poor?

 

It doesn't.

 

At all.