Can I claim uc if I leave work for health reasons

Spoonie_Turtle

Cam05 wrote: »

I could get signed off but I'm unsure if I did I would go back, I just wanted to know if I claimed uc after leaving if it would be sanctioned,I've read 13 weeks if you leave a job while on uc, I wondered what it might be if it was a new claim.
Also with my wife's earnings over the aet threshold working full time and I was not working what groups we might be put in
I've heard something about the light touch regime

It would at least give you chance to think about it and decide. If you leave your job (then claim UC) you then have no choice about going back. If you're signed off sick, there's still a measure of financial security while they're paying you SSP.

If you have no serious history of sickness absence and aren't signed off, you'd be making it much more likely that they would sanction you, I would think - so no wages or sick pay, and no income from UC. Why make things harder than they need to be? At least if you've been off sick then *had* to leave, they shouldn't reasonably sanction you. I lost my job due to ill health then opened a claim for UC (not eligible for ESA) but I was specifically advised during my long-term sickness absence not to resign because I then wouldn't be entitled to benefits for a while.

Edit: of course if you claimed ESA alongside then there should be no sanctions, but again - probably simpler to be signed off for now, then you can get your head around the benefits system before making any decisions.

Cam05

Spoonie turtle, was you sanction when you applied for uc

Cam05

Is 13 weeks the maximin I would get sanctioned, should it just be my half sanctioned, I've read they only sanction one in a couple if it's just the one person that needs counselling

calcotti

If you go off sick you keep your options open. You receive SSP. You claim UC (and ESA if you wish), during the first three months you will have a Work Capability Assessment after which you will know if DWP are willing to treat you as having Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity. If they are you will know that, if you wish, you can resign without being sanctioned.

Alice_Holt

Cam05 wrote: »

Is 13 weeks the maximin I would get sanctioned, should it just be my half sanctioned, I've read they only sanction one in a couple if it's just the one person that needs counselling

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/sanctions/check-sanction/

Open the Check 2 - Higher level sanction periods box for information.

Cam05

So if I left and claimed newstyle esa and uc I wouldn't be sanctioned, or would that be sanctioned under uc rules
What if I claimed newstyle esa but after the assessment I was deemed fit for work, then could I claim uc without being sanctioned.
I'm so confused, the job is making me ill, but I don't want to let my wife and kid down

Cam05

Also we still get a tax credit letter each year, saying our reward is zero, could we reclaim that
Thank you all

Cam05

Does anyone know what groups you go into if put on light touch group
My partners take home pay is around £1600

McKneff

How much does your wife earn and how many hours.

I second you going on the sick.

calcotti

Cam05 wrote: »

Also we still get a tax credit letter each year, saying our reward is zero, could we reclaim that
Thank you all

If you have a live Tax Credits claim I believe you could report a change of circumstances and be reassessed. Note that if you claim UC this will close your Tax Credits claim.

If you do reactivate your Tax Credits claim I recommend that you claim new style ESA in order to get Class 1 NI credits (you don’t get these through Tax Credits).