Thousands of Universal Credit claimants could see their benefits cut as part of a new rule change by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP has stated that those who are employed part-time may need to either increase the number of hours they are in work or seek a higher-paid job in order to prevent their payments from being lowered.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng had previously revealed that over 100,000 claimants could have their benefits cut if they do not look for more work. New Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has not indicated that he plans to change this, as reported by CoventryLive.
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In a major change to the welfare system, claimants that work 15 hours or less a week on the National Living Wage are required to attend regular meetings with a work coach. They must also take "active steps" to increase their income.
The change is to the Administration Earnings Threshold (AET), which refers to the monthly income that determines whether claimants are classed under the "intensive work search" or "light touch" categories. It would see the AET, which already rose last month to the equivalent of 12 hours a week at the national living wage, increased again to 15 hours in January.
The current rules came into effect on September 26, and see claimants who work 12 hours or less a week placed in the "intensive work search” category. This means they have to regularly visit the Job Centre and may need to increase their income.
In terms of earnings, the AET rate increased from £355 per month to £494 per month for individuals, and from £567 per month to £782 per month for joint claims. According to the UK Government, these amounts equate to an individual working 12 hours a week, or a couple working 19 hours between them.
If you are placed in the "intensive work search", how many extra hours you are expected to work is dependent on your individual circumstances. It will be detailed in your "claimant commitment" and failure to meet the targets set out could result to your benefits being paused.
How many hours you are required to spend looking for work also depends on your circumstances, including childcare commitments and any health conditions. Those affected by the change will be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions.
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