114,000 people are at risk of losing their benefits as Universal Credit rules change next week, on September 26. More than 100,000 people are to be moved from the “light touch” work group to “intensive work search” because of a planned increase in the Administration Earnings Threshold (AET).
The AET rate is being increased from £355 a month to £494 a month, or from £567 a month to £782 a month for joint claims, from September 26, reports The Mirror. This is the equivalent of an individual working 12 hours per week, or a couple working 19 hours per week between them, the Government said.
If your income is above the AET rates, you will be in the "light touch" work group. This means you’re not required to look for work as it stands, and you have less direct contact with the JobCentre.
