SAAFE forum

General Category => Questions and Answers => Topic started by: mySecret on 05 July 2020, 03:27:43 pm

Title: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: mySecret on 05 July 2020, 03:27:43 pm
so need advice! hope someone can help me out!
i got finally the benefit, i was sharing in a flat and i had all nightmare...horror movie avoid to explain!
btw apparently now uc help me with rent and as i am over 35 i could cover a rent of a studio.

now as i never asked for benefits i am bit out of my comfort zone.
i tried the calculator and i could take a £1000 studio pmc ....now if business is not going well, for like 4 months apparently i can still get the benefits? as self employed?

someone of you that did it? your feedback? i asked to some expert out of escorting and well seems okay! ....thank you a lot

x


thank you so much for your help
Title: Re: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: amy on 09 July 2020, 12:44:50 pm
This isn't a sex work question MS - you need proper advice from the benefits people, or at least try Googling something like 'self employment and universal credit'.

I would think you'll get help with rent, and the amount would vary with your earnings - you'll likely need to tell them how much you've earned each week or month and they'll calculate your payments based on that, but I don't know how long it takes to do that or whether you get the money for the slow month right away or not for a few weeks. Somebody might know :)
Title: Re: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: cherryfcuk on 09 July 2020, 09:07:02 pm
if you're getting universal credit it won't cover all of the rent, unless you Lie which I dont condone, they will ask you each month what your self employed earnings are and the uc is adjusted as far as I'm aware.
Title: Re: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: BangerRacing on 10 July 2020, 06:53:59 pm
It's 500 for 1 adult per month. Then you get rent & child elements. So if you are single, I'd assume it's 500 plus your rent. There is probably is a maximum cap off point for rent so I'd ask them directly or the citizen advice bureau if it's confusing. 1000 for a studio flat is very steep. I guess it depends where you are though.
Title: Re: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: kate_x on 13 July 2020, 11:48:44 am
It's £409.89 if you are single plus an allowance for your rent. This depends on the Local Authority and is called an LHA (Local Housing Allowance). You can look up the rate for your Local Authority on a website by doing a simple search.

You'd actually be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate (whether you live in a studio or 1 bed) if you are over 35. I think I'm right in saying you are in London? As a very rough example if you Local Authority is City of London then the maximum you would get for your rent is £295.49 a week. If your actual rent is more than this you will have to pay the remainder. If your rent is less than the allowance then you would get the full amount of rent paid.

Yes each month you report your actual income and expenses and your benefit is then reduced accordingly. You can earn £292 a month without it affecting your Universal Credit. After that your Universal Credit is reduced by 63p for every additional £1 you earn.
Title: Re: universal credit and my own studio
Post by: Champagne on 13 July 2020, 06:31:54 pm
Don't forget there is a "minimum income floor" which would normally prevent a single, self-employed person without any children claiming universal credit.  This has temporarily been withdrawn due to Covid preventing lots of self-employed people working.

The thinking is something along the lines of the Government isn't there to prop up unviable businesses so if your self-employment doesn't pay you at least equivalent to a full-time job at national minimum wage benefits won't be paid.  This is meant to encourage people to go for the option that pays better.

When the minimum income floor is reinstated self-employed people will be assumed to be earning the equivalent to national minimum wage for 35 hours a week ie. £8.72 x 35 hours = £305.20 weekly even if you aren't earning that but I would imagine you would easily earn that a week in our industry in normal times.

There are some special circumstances that could reduce the minimum income floor or additional elements that can be claimed for children in the calculation and details of those can be found on the Citizens Advice website along with some examples.

In summary best not to rely on universal credit as it is at the moment as it will change back to the pre-Covid rules in due course.  Benefits are really complicated so I would take Amy's advice of doing research and check weather any online calculators you use are set for the current special Covid rules or normal rules.

Hope that helps.