May have to leave job, what would happen to my UC?

Drummer82

Thanks, I called UC today and they advised to book an appointment with a work coach, but realising I can't actually get to the job centre before they close without taking time off work, they booked a telephone appointment. However they did not call at the time booked and they are probably closed now, which is a bit frustrating as I see my manager tomorrow and would of been a good time to discuss. I now have to call again and chase it.

huckster

A Work Coach will probably not want to discuss whether a sanction would or would not be applied, if you decided to leave employment, because of the issues you mentioned. The reason is that any Decision Maker is independent of Job Centres' and sit elsewhere in the country, purely making decisions based on evidence supplied, applying the relevant policies.

What were you looking for a Work Coach to help you with exactly ?

Drummer82

That's just what was advised when I called UC today and explained my situation Huckster, if they can't advise then I will have to make a decision and if I do decide to go, will have to hope I can get a temporary job straight away at least. I have to go before xmas and before they move offices as things will be so much worse after that.

huckster

How far from the current workplace, is the new workplace ?

Is there any way of engineering a redundancy package ? Have you looked into this ?

Drummer82

It won't add anymore time to my commute really, but its in a town centre and I will now have to pay for parking which is going to add a minimum of £20 a month to my travel costs, if I can gt the reduced rate.
I don't think I can really argue anything with my employer, as they always say in the contracts you may have to change place of work.

NedS

calcotti wrote: »

I think DWP have a view that a 90 minute commute is reasonable in which case more than this would not be.

I'm with calcotti here. DWP does not expect you to travel more than 90mins to take up work, by whatever means you have available. That is door to door, at the times you are required to travel and includes any time spent parking and walking to your place of work from a public car park. Literally door to door. If you have moved house and your work is now more than 90mins travel time then you should not be sanctioned for leaving the job.


Why did you move house, as that can also be a mitigating factor?


IMHO you have done everything reasonably expected in looking for other work in the local area before moving / resigning, willing to take all forms of work (part time / full time).

elsien

huckster wrote: »

How far from the current workplace, is the new workplace ?

Is there any way of engineering a redundancy package ? Have you looked into this ?

It wouldn't be redundancy because the role is still there. Redundancy is when the job itself is going, not when the employee decides to leave.

calcotti

For reassurance on the 90 minutes, this is what Advice to Decision Makers says

J3161 A work search requirement and a work availability requirement must be limited to work that is in a location which would normally take the claimant a maximum of 90 minutes each way to travel from
1. home to the location and
2. the location to home.
Note: Travelling time includes the time spent waiting for transport connections after the journey has started.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/843714/admj3.pdf

This is stated in law. Universal Credit Regulations 2013
Regulation 97(3)

A work search and work availability requirement must be limited to work that is in a location which would normally take the claimant—
(a) a maximum of 90 minutes to travel from home to the location; and
(b) a maximum of 90 minutes to travel from the location to home.

TheShape

Whilst the 90 minute travel is relevant to the work search and work availability requirement, the key issue here will be whether you will have had a good reason for leaving the employment having moved from an address within 90 minute travelling distance to an address beyond a 90 minute commute.

The key issue here is that it is the OP that has moved, not the job.

If you had a job in Brighton and lived in Hove you may not have good reason for leaving your job in Brighton because you decided to move to Leeds. To be more precise, you'd have a good reason for leaving (you'd be to far to commute) but you'd have to demonstrate that it would then be reasonable for the tax payer to support you through Universal Credit.

calcotti

TheShape wrote: »

The key issue here is that it is the OP that has moved, not the job.

That’s why Ned S asked about the reason for moving house.