People who are in receipt of Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payments are being warned about how taking holidays or overseas travel could impact their payments.
During the Cost of Living Crisis more and more people have found themselves claiming benefits in Northern Ireland as they come under ever increasing financial pressure.
The ability to go on holiday will be a welcome respite for those who can afford to, however those in receipt of certain benefits are being warned that they will have to tell officials if they are going to do so, as it could have an impact on their future payments.
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Those on Universal Credit are still allowed to go on holidays, however will still need to keep up with the requirements they agreed to when they first started to claim it.
People in an intensive work search group, are required to spend 35-37 hours a week looking for a job - even while on holiday, reports Birmingham Live.
In September 2022, changes to earnings limits meant 114,000 more claimants were moved into the intensive work search group, followed by another 120,000 in January this year. Another 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.
Universal Credit travel and holiday rules
The Government says that your Universal Credit could be affected if you go away from your home.
In some circumstances, you may keep getting Universal Credit for up to one month during temporary trips abroad. This may apply:
- for some short trips
- if you have to go abroad to get medical treatment
- if you live with a member of the armed forces and go overseas with them
The Government said: "You must contact your Case Manager or Work Coach straight away if you plan to go abroad, to check if your entitlement will be affected. You will need to continue to satisfy your work related requirements and meet your ‘Commitment’ whilst abroad."
With regards to travel, if making a new application to receive Universal Credit, you must be in the UK 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.
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.
PIP travel and holiday rules
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."
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