Can I claim Universal Credit (or JSA) if I voluntarily reduce my hours to 8 per week?

gragory

I appreciate that this is my first post, so is likely to be poo poo'd but, I have to ask...

If you did reduce your hours and claim the benefits you're entitled to, you would be under the instruction of the JC to apply for any job more than 16 hours per week, no?

In that case, there's a strong possibility that you would either be sanctioned for not applying (because, why would you want to go back into the same situation?) or, be in exactly the same situation you are now just with a different employer.

If it were me, I would stay put (especially as it is more financially stable than the alternative you're suggesting) and just keep applying for every single full time job (or job over 30hrs PW) you can find. At least being in a job you hate would be more motivation to apply than only having to work 8 hours a week but effectively 'earning' a full time wage.

Savvy_Sue

Schnurrbart wrote: »

Firstly, I do not have set days or shifts at my place of work. I am expected to be available for any 4 hour shift between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, any 5 hour shift on Saturday (8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm), and any Sunday shift (10am-4:30pm) - this is why, as mentioned in my first post, it is impossible for me to establish a routine.

How much notice do you get? I'm wondering if there are agency jobs you could sign up for with limited availability, IYSWIM.

theoretica

Is your employer acting legally expecting you to be available all hours, but not giving you enough hours to live on? A little while ago it was in the news that doing this to people on zero hours contracts and preventing them from working for anyone else was illegal, and it seems worth investigating for part time hours too. Having a reasonable flexibilty and not only being available for the plum shifts seems fair, but expecting you to keep available over 70 hours so they can employ you for only 20 of them doesn't. Do your colleagues on 8 hours have no other employment or commitments for the rest of the week?

System

Correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't UC come with the conditionality that you'll be looking for a job at 35hrs+? So you may be dropping your hours but doesn't that mean you'll constantly have the JC on your back? Fair enough as you'll probably look for another ob anyway but personally i wouldn;t want t be dealing with JC on top of everything else.

editL sorry cross posted

Johnnytwostep

Oh no not another one trying to milk the system. At least Jeremy Kyle viewing figures are kept high.

chuckley

OP, you might as well have just posted 'how can I live a life on benefits' rather working out the pros and cons in that long essay...

wanting to work 8 hours 'topped up' by the government is nonsense.

especially at 25 with no responsibilities.