Millions of people are claiming benefits after the cost-of-living crisis has plunged many into poverty for the first time. But anyone who receives Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment have been warned that they need to keep officials updated on changes in circumstances including overseas travel.
Lots of people have used the Easter holidays to escape to travel abroad while the kids are off school. Claimants of Universal Credit must notify the Department for Work and Pensions if they are going abroad as it could impact their payments.
A holiday can be for up to one month but people must stick to the requirements they agreed to when first claiming the benefit. 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.
READ MORE: DWP full list of all new pay rates for State Pension, PIP, Universal Credit and other benefits
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.
Going abroad temporarily
You can claim the following benefits if you’re going abroad for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it’s for medical treatment):
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
You can carry on claiming Carer’s Allowance if you take up to 4 weeks holiday out of a 26-week period.
Tell the office that deals with your benefit that you’ll be away.
Universal Credit travel and holiday rules
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."
With regards to 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.
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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