Benefits claimants have been warned that they need to update officials if they travel overseas. People who receive benefits such as Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) must notify the Department for Work and Pensions on changes in circumstance, which includes going abroad.
Many people will be planning holidays in the summer, with some taking extended breaks which don’t follow the annual leave entitlement rules for those in employment. A holiday can be for up to one month but people must stick to the requirements they agreed to when first claiming the benefit, Birmingham Live reports.
Those who are in an intensive work search group could be spending 35-37 hours a week looking for a job, even while on holiday. Following changes to earning limits in September 2022, 114,000 more claimants were moved into the intensive work search group, followed by another 120,000 in January this year.
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A further 100,000 people will be joining the group later this year. It means hundreds of thousands more people are under greater pressure to look for work and be less reliant on state support.
People claiming the disability benefit PIP must also let the DWP know if they have gone abroad for a holiday. Read on for the rules for Universal Credit and PIP.
Travel and holiday rules for Universal Credit
The Government said: "You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month. You need to report changes as soon as they happen. Any delay may mean you receive too much money and will have to make a repayment.
"Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you're paid for your whole assessment period - not just from the date you report them."
Regarding travel, if making a new application to receive Universal Credit, you must be in Britain on the day it's submitted. It should be fine if you travel abroad later that same day, or have come back from a holiday earlier that day.
A holiday can be for up to one month but you must stick to the conditions of the claimant commitment you agreed to when first applying. That will probably include having to show evidence of looking for work - such as a list of jobs you have applied for. In a worst-case scenario, a claimant could be asked to come back home for a job interview or to start work. You can see all the Universal Credit travel rules in our detailed guide.
The DWP also needs to know of any other changes in circumstances. These could include having a child, moving in with a partner or to a new address, leaving a job, being too sick to work or meet your work coach, and changing your bank details, phone number or email address. In all cases, call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Travel and holiday rules for PIP
The Government's guide to PIP states that people must inform the DWP of changes in circumstances. Claimants must contact the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) enquiry line if:
personal details change, for example their name, address or doctor
the help they need or their condition changes
a medical condition has worsened and they are not expected to live more than 12 months
they go into hospital or a care home
they go abroad
they are imprisoned or held in detention
their immigration status has changed, if they're not a British citizen
The newly updated PIP guide says: "We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad."
It says leaving the country or planning to do so for a period of more than four weeks - even if this is a holiday - may affect a person's entitlement to PIP. The rules state: "We need to know if the claimant’s condition, the amount of help they need or their circumstances change. This is because it may change how much PIP they can get.
"It is important the claimant tells DWP straight away about any changes in their life that could affect their benefit. Based on these changes their benefit may go up, go down, stay the same or it may stop. If the claimant is overpaid, they will normally have to repay the money. Failure to tell DWP about any of these changes may result in prosecution.
"A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for four weeks or more."
And the DWP warns: "You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances." It adds that if you don't report a change straight away you might have to repay some of your benefit. You can let the PIP enquiry line know of any changes in circumstances on 0800 121 4433.
The same "residence and presence conditions" also apply to Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.
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