Falkirk Council employees receiving Universal Credit are likely to see their Universal Credit impacted by the 2021/22 Local Government pay settlement which was agreed on December 1st.
It is expected that the rise, together with the backdated pay, will be added to all non-teaching employees’ January payslips.
This means the amount of take-home pay for Universal Credit claimants that month will be higher than normal and could result in:
- The amount of Universal Credit claimants receive being lower than normal, or
- The Universal Credit claim could close as the amount is too high to qualify for support.
If you receive Universal Credit the amount you get changes if your take-home pay changes within your assessment period. This includes awards of backdated pay.
As Universal Credit is based on your own personal circumstances, the Council does not know if you may be affected.
If you get additional pay within a Universal Credit assessment period (month), your Universal Credit payment will either be less than you normally receive or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment.
If your claim does close because of the increase and backdated award you will see a message on your Universal Credit Journal telling you about this.
What do I do if my claim closes?
Universal Credit payments do not start again automatically. If your Universal Credit payments stop because you have had additional pay, you must start up your claim again. You should do this as soon as you can to make sure you do not miss out.
To reclaim, log into your Universal Credit Journal and select the 'Reclaim tab’ at the bottom of the screen. You will then have to answer a few simple questions.
If you have problems re-starting your claim, you should contact your Work Coach in the first instance
Further help can be obtained from Jobcentre Plus staff.
An overview of Universal Credit can be found at www.gov.uk/universal-credit or you can call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 9344.
Effects on rent payments
If Universal Credit sends rent payments direct to a claimant’s landlord (including Falkirk Council, Registered Social Landlord or a private landlord) on their behalf, the payment may also be affected due to the increase in wages and backdated pay.
If your Universal Credit reduces in February, you will need to pay your rent from the increased wages you have received in January.
If you have questions regarding changes to your rent payment, call 01324 506070 (select option 4 then option 2) for advice.
If you have any problems with your current Universal Credit you can access support via either of links below:
or call into: