Universal Credit - Going on holiday

rocketsfanuk

We are currently receiving Universal Credit and planning to go abroad, on holiday. However I am a bit confused when it comes to the time limit we have for it. Some websites say you can go abroad for up to a month, while others say it's 4 weeks. Even if its the extra 3 days, it would be very handy for us, especially now during the pandemic. 
So my question is whether we'd be fine buying tickets from e.g. 15th July to 15th August? Or does it have to be exactly 4 weeks (less than a month)?
Thanks in advance!

calcotti

Booking those dates is very high risk because it gives you no margin for delays getting back.
if you have Claimant Commitments you will still have to meet these.

An absence of not more than one month can be disregarded https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864884/admc1.pdf see paragraph C1986

Any day on which you are in GB for part of the day counts as a day in GB. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864884/admc1.pdf see para C1122.

huckster

Given there may be delays or issues, suggest that you are cautious,  If you are out of the UK for more than 1 month, your claim may be closed. 

Claimant commitments with work search requirements for those that need to do this, will be reinstated during July.  If you are in this situation and you are not available to work, due to your holiday, then you need to consider potential consequences.  

If it were not for relaxed Covid-19 commitments, do you know whether you would normally be required to undertake work related activities.  ?  If you do not know, send a journal note for attention of the Work Coach, advising of your holiday plans.

rocketsfanuk

Thanks very much for your replies guys. You are right, it's a very high risk as a lot of the flights are cancelled at the moment, without much notice. 

Thank you for sharing those links. The second part is very handy to know. Regarding the "one month rule" - would you say that is literally from the 15th to 15th or still 4 weeks (from Friday, till Friday 4 weeks later)?

calcotti

rocketsfanuk said:

Thanks very much for your replies guys. You are right, it's a very high risk as a lot of the flights are cancelled at the moment, without much notice. 

Thank you for sharing those links. The second part is very handy to know. Regarding the "one month rule" - would you say that is literally from the 15th to 15th or still 4 weeks (from Friday, till Friday 4 weeks later)?

It’s one month as it states in the link I provided. 15th to 15th is not one month. In normal terms 15th to 15th is one month and a day. However, as explained previously, the day of leaving and returning do not count so 15th to 15th would be counted as one day short of a month. (Assuming you actually arrive in GB on 15th and are not on an overnight flight leaving your holiday spot on the 15th but not arriving until 16th.)

rocketsfanuk

calcotti said:

rocketsfanuk said:

Thanks very much for your replies guys. You are right, it's a very high risk as a lot of the flights are cancelled at the moment, without much notice. 

Thank you for sharing those links. The second part is very handy to know. Regarding the "one month rule" - would you say that is literally from the 15th to 15th or still 4 weeks (from Friday, till Friday 4 weeks later)?

It’s one month as it states in the link I provided. 15th to 15th is not one month. In normal terms 15th to 15th is one month and a day. However, as explained previously, the day of leaving and returning do not count so 15th to 15th would be counted as one day short of a month. (Assuming you actually arrive in GB on 15th and are not on an overnight flight leaving your holiday spot on the 15th but not arriving until 16th.)

Thanks so much for explaining it further. So looks like 15th (midday) to 15th (midday) would be fine.

NedS

There is no concept of holidays on UC. You must report you are leaving the country. Normal procedure is to book you an appointment for shortly after you state you will be back, to confirm you are back in the country. If it's less than a month it can be disregarded as stated above. If you are out of the country for more than a month without good reason that can be disregarded, the claim will be closed as gone abroad.

In addition to the disregard for being out of the country up to one month, you will still be required to meet any conditionality you may be subject to. So if you are expected to be looking for work / attending weekly or fortnightly appointments, and DWP decide to book you an appointment whilst you are away, you could be subject to a sanction when you fail to attend. Obviously that is unlikely in the current circumstances but that is the normal procedure.

donnajunkie

NedS said:

There is no concept of holidays on UC. You must report you are leaving the country. Normal procedure is to book you an appointment for shortly after you state you will be back, to confirm you are back in the country. If it's less than a month it can be disregarded as stated above. If you are out of the country for more than a month without good reason that can be disregarded, the claim will be closed as gone abroad.

In addition to the disregard for being out of the country up to one month, you will still be required to meet any conditionality you may be subject to. So if you are expected to be looking for work / attending weekly or fortnightly appointments, and DWP decide to book you an appointment whilst you are away, you could be subject to a sanction when you fail to attend. Obviously that is unlikely in the current circumstances but that is the normal procedure.

Why would they book you an appointment for a time when you told them you would be away? Do they expect people to do 35 hours per week even when on holiday?

calcotti

donnajunkie said:

 Do they expect people to do 35 hours per week even when on holiday?

Yes, as has already been explained in previous replies.

NedS

donnajunkie said:

NedS said:

There is no concept of holidays on UC. You must report you are leaving the country. Normal procedure is to book you an appointment for shortly after you state you will be back, to confirm you are back in the country. If it's less than a month it can be disregarded as stated above. If you are out of the country for more than a month without good reason that can be disregarded, the claim will be closed as gone abroad.

In addition to the disregard for being out of the country up to one month, you will still be required to meet any conditionality you may be subject to. So if you are expected to be looking for work / attending weekly or fortnightly appointments, and DWP decide to book you an appointment whilst you are away, you could be subject to a sanction when you fail to attend. Obviously that is unlikely in the current circumstances but that is the normal procedure.

Why would they book you an appointment for a time when you told them you would be away? Do they expect people to do 35 hours per week even when on holiday?

As I said in the first sentence above - there is no concept of holidays on UC. If you are expected to look for work and attend weekly or fortnightly appointments, that does not change because the claimant wants to go on holiday. Work coaches do have discretion though depending on the circumstances

Spoonie_Turtle

NedS said:

donnajunkie said:

NedS said:

There is no concept of holidays on UC. You must report you are leaving the country. Normal procedure is to book you an appointment for shortly after you state you will be back, to confirm you are back in the country. If it's less than a month it can be disregarded as stated above. If you are out of the country for more than a month without good reason that can be disregarded, the claim will be closed as gone abroad.

In addition to the disregard for being out of the country up to one month, you will still be required to meet any conditionality you may be subject to. So if you are expected to be looking for work / attending weekly or fortnightly appointments, and DWP decide to book you an appointment whilst you are away, you could be subject to a sanction when you fail to attend. Obviously that is unlikely in the current circumstances but that is the normal procedure.

Why would they book you an appointment for a time when you told them you would be away? Do they expect people to do 35 hours per week even when on holiday?

As I said in the first sentence above - there is no concept of holidays on UC. If you are expected to look for work and attend weekly or fortnightly appointments, that does not change because the claimant wants to go on holiday. Work coaches do have discretion though depending on the circumstances

It was the same on JSA before. My brother was sanctioned for going on holiday to Wales for a week a few years ago (I forget what the specifics were).