Universal credit work search review phone interview

lalaluna88

Hi  I've had a notification that I'll be having a work search review telephone interview soon and was wondering if anyone can tell me what its about?

I work 30 hours a week and have done for 3 years and its never been raised as an issue, but im wondering if I'm now expected to look for more hours? Has there been a change in requirements? I've tried searching but not coming up with anything. There's nothing about job hunting in my commitments, just to log in regularly. Single parent, 2 kids (12 &14) if thats relevant.

Any ideas please?

NedS

No changes in requirements, and you should not be required to attend appointments if you are working 30h/week. Maybe there has been a glitch with your earnings being reported to UC, or maybe the appointment has been booked in error.

I would suggest writing on your journal asking why you have been booked an appointment given you are working 30h/week and see what response you get.

If you haven't got it resolved before the appointment, and you are unable to attend the phone appointment due to work, just write on your journal that morning that you will be unable to attend the phone appointment due to work and explain again that you work 30h/week

Robbie64

The DWP have announced that they are doing a project to see if they can get people to increase their hours of work. There's only a certain amount of people who have been chosen and I think it's only been done in certain Jobcentre offices. Maybe this is part of that project? The idea is that even when someone would be in the "light touch" regime they are still expected to up their hours to what would normally be expected of them (in this case it would be 35 hours). Other than that they really should be leaving the poster alone.

The project is called "in work progression" and was halted when covid closed DWP offices. I believe it restarted a couple of months ago.

Spoonie_Turtle

OP's youngest child is still 12 though, so their expected hours would surely be 25.

Robbie64

Spoonie_Turtle said:

OP's youngest child is still 12 though, so their expected hours would surely be 25.

Ah, right. I was thinking 25 hours was for under 12s but yes after checking it is definitely 25 hours for someone with a child aged 12 or under

https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/your-responsibilities/ (see Childcare Responsibilities near the bottom of the page).