By Erica Crompton
With work and a serious mental illness comes a few clauses: too much work could cause a relapse, none at all could pull at your purse strings. With this in mind it’s good to know that there’s a safety net for people in the UK who like me who can’t work due to a mental illness. It’s called Universal Credit. This all-in-one state benefit can cover all your essentials and even a certain amount of rent or support for a mortgage. You may find that even if you’re in work, you can put in a claim for Universal Credit if you’re earnings are low. I claim £1096 each month to cover bills and rent and am allowed to earn up to £500 plus expenses on top of this as a self-employed writer. Writing – even the tabloid fashion reports I do – is cathartic for me, and it benefits my self-esteem to receive payments for my articles. I’m lucky I can claim Universal Credit to allow for part-time hours. You don’t have to have a mental illness or disability to claim, either. You could simply be between jobs. However if you have savings over £16,000 you’ll be disqualified from applying. That said, £16,000 savings in a property/mortgage don’t count. It’s quick and easy to apply and today it’s all done online. For more information on putting in a claim visit www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim – you never know how much you could bank until you try!
