Universal Credit supports you if you are on a low income or out of work

Universal credit.Universal Credit supports you if you are on a low income or out of work. It includes a monthly payment to help with your living costs. This site will help you understand what Universal Credit means for you

Around 115,000 humans on Universal Credit will be moved from the “light touch” work crew to the “intensive work search” regime.

This capacity they will be predicted to have extra conferences with work coaches and amplify their search for work or take on extra hours.

Anyone who would not observe the stricter guidelines may want to face sanctions.

Claimants can lose some or all of their advantages if they do not observe the guidelines set out in their claimants commitment, however the most extreme penalties are for repeat offenders.

The exact terms of looking for work or increasing hours depends on your circumstances and is detailed in your claimant commitment.

This is a document where you agree to certain terms when making a claim for Universal Credit.

For instance those looking after children or with caring responsibilities are not expected to have to work, or look for work, for as many hours.

Something known as the Administration Earnings Threshold (AET) marks if you’re in the “light touch” work group to the “intensive work search” regime.

Those currently earning below £355 a month, or £567 for couples, are in the intensive work search group.

That includes people who earn nothing at all while on the benefit.

The amount will rise to £494 a month, or £782 for joint claims, taking thousands more people out of the light touch group and into the stricter work search group.

You will then be expected to increase your work search from next month.

How to check if you’re affected

Those affected by the change will be contacted by the DWP in due course.

The new thresholds will take effect from September 26, according to government documents.

Those in the light touch regime and earning over the threshold are not required to search for work or take on more hours.

If you’re in the intensive work search and earning below this threshold then you will have a certain number of hours that you are expected to look for work.

How many hours that is will depend on your circumstances, including childcare commitments and any health conditions.

Details of which group you are in and the work search requirements should be detailed in your claimant commitment.

A claimant commitment is an agreement between you and the government outlining what you will do to get Universal Credit payments.

You can find it by logging into your Universal Credit account online.

Searching for work can include can range from applying for jobs, and creating job profiles online, to registering with an employment agency.

People in the work search group are also expected to see a work coach more often, compared to the light touch group where it’s voluntary after initial contact.

How to challenge a sanction

If you think you’ve been sanctioned unfairly, the first thing you must do is check the level of sanction and for how long your money has been reduced.

You’ll then need to contact the DWP for a “mandatory reconsideration” if you think they’ve made the wrong decision.

Citizens Advice says you should have been told:

  • Why you’ve received a sanction
  • The level of sanction you’ve been given
  • How long the sanction will last
  • How much money will be taken away from your Universal Credit payment
  • The date the sanction decision was made

You should include as much supporting evidence as possible to support your claim.

This could include new medical evidence, reports from specialists, or bank statements and payslips.

For most benefits, you have one month from when you were notified about the sanction to apply for a “mandatory reconsideration”.

However, it is still worth applying for one should you have missed the deadline for a good reason, such as being in hospital.

If you disagree with the decision of your mandatory reconsideration you can appeal to a First-Tier tribunal.

Claimants have one month to do this, although this is extended to 13 months for exceptional circumstances.

You’ll need to download and fill in the SSCS1 form from the HM Courts and Tribunals Service website.

The form will ask for you:

  • Name and contact details
  • National Insurance number
  • Reasons for appealing

Send this, along with the outcome of your mandatory reconsideration of which you should have received two copies, to:
HMCTS Appeals Centre, PO Box 1203, Bradford, BD1 9WP.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r9VAPwceSDfXVMIEqBf0qir-hjE7La/view?usp=drivesdk

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/19549837/universal-credit-change-payments-stopped-sanctioned/

About the Author: Nazmul Hossain

আমি নাজমুল । আমি বাংলাদেশের রাজধানী শহর ঢাকা তে বসবাস করি। বর্তমানে আমি চাকরী করছি। আমার চাকরী পাশাপাশি আমি অনলাইনে লেখা লেখি করতে পছন্দ করি। বিশেষ করে টেকনোলোজি বিষয়ে লেখা লেখি করতে আমার ভাল লাগে। তাই আপনাদের জন্য আমি এই ওয়েবসাইট টি তৈরি করেছি। এখানে আপনি বাংলাদেশের অনালাইন সম্পর্কিত প্রায় সকল ধরনের তথ্য খুজে পাবেন। ধন্যবাদ।

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