Guide for employees

During this time, we advise all employees to keep in regular contact with your Employer on their pay rate and scale applications and how each organisation is dealing with this current situation. The Coronavirus Job Retention scheme for furloughed workers is as at the employers discretion on weather or not to claim. During this time, if you have been furloughed, laid off or made redundant, you may be able to claim government benefits.

Find out what you are entitled to by using these online independent benefit calculators:

  • Turn2us – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours
  • Policy in Practice – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit, how these are calculated and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours
  • entitledto – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work

The Chancellor announced on the 20th March to Increase the standard universal credit allowance by £1,000/year, for the next 12 months. The normal universal credit allowance depends on your individual circumstances, but if you’re single and 25 and over you can get up to a monthly standard allowance of £317.82. Over a year, that’s £3,813. So with the additional £1,000, that’s likely to mean somebody in this category could get up to £4,813/year, though we’re checking this with the Treasury.

Of course, any universal credit you do get is dependent on your earnings, whether you’ve got children, and other factors. Use the above calculators to get a good indication of what you may receive before you apply.

Further information about applying can be found on the Governments website at:
https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit