Universal Credit Couples AET and Household CET

NedS

guysl80 said:

NedS said:

Again, answering in bold inline below...

tifo said:

It's confusing.

If 1 partner works but the other one has LCW or LCWRA, hence no work search requirements, does the working partner have to work the current AET level of 24 hours a week or work 35 hours a week?

No. The working partner has to exceed the individual AET of 18h/week

Currently there doesn't seem to be any leeway for 1 partner being on LCW or LCWRA apart from the work allowance but not with hours worked.

See above

It would seem removing the AET will mean the couple is expected to earn the CET level at 35 hours a week at min wage regardless of if 1 or both work.

That's not how I interpret it. The minimum requirement will be for each, individually, to be working 18h/week (as the couple requirement of 24h/week combined will be removed). If one member of the couple earns their CET rate, the other member still needs to work their 18h AET. The couple CET rate is 2 x single CET rate (I think). i.e, both working full time.

In contrast, a single claimant will need to work 18 hours a week at min wage.

It seems unfair.

Regarding the CET, from: https://www.uc-advice.co.uk/further-universal-credit-information/conditionality-regime

The Conditionality Earnings Threshold (CET) ensures that claimants earning above a certain level will not be asked to carry out work-related activity. The CET is calculated on an individual basis, by multiplying the National Minimum Wage (NMW) by the hours a claimant’s Expected hours. The CET for a household is a combination of the individual expected CET of each of the adults (joint claimants or including an ineligible partner of a claimant) in the household and varies between different households. In a couple household, if one of the adults earns above the household CET, both claimants are placed in the working enough regime, regardless of if they are both working or not.

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

If you consider my situation I always earn 2 to 2.5 times of the AET expected from Jan 2023. Some months I have a nil award or less than £230 due to high income . But my wife is not working and so far she has not been asked to looking for a job.

Even though I earn more than the expected amount will she be asked to look for work once the new changes are implemented.




Thanks 

Yes, unless you (or your combined earnings) are earning 2 x CET which is effectively 2 x conditionality hours at NMW. So if you have a well paid job, you may earn enough for both of you, but of course may then be earning too much to claim UC.

As per the new policy, the government does not want your wife sat at home once youngest child turns 3 (or there are no children) - she will be expected to be working or looking for 18h/week of work.

guysl80

Thanks for explanation. But I have not seen on any site that this will be implemented this year. Any idea when the new rules commence?

calcotti

guysl80 said:

If you consider my situation I always earn 2 to 2.5 times of the AET expected from Jan 2023. Some months I have a nil award or less than £230 due to high income . But my wife is not working and so far she has not been asked to looking for a job.

Even though I earn more than the expected amount will she be asked to look for work once the new changes are implemented.

As already advised we don’t yet know clearly how things will work. We need for details. However my interpretation is that the implication is
- that if you earn over the AET threshold for one person but less than CET your partner would be required to look for work (unless excluded for some other reason), and
 - if you earned more that the CET for a couple then your partner would not be required.

guysl80 said:

Thanks for explanation. But I have not seen on any site that this will be implemented this year. Any idea when the new rules commence?

As already commented we don’t yet know when any changes will be made. New regulations will have to be laid in order for any change to be made.

NedS

calcotti said:

guysl80 said:

If you consider my situation I always earn 2 to 2.5 times of the AET expected from Jan 2023. Some months I have a nil award or less than £230 due to high income . But my wife is not working and so far she has not been asked to looking for a job.

Even though I earn more than the expected amount will she be asked to look for work once the new changes are implemented.

As already advised we don’t yet know clearly how things will work. We need for details. However my interpretation is that the implication is
- that if you earn over the AET threshold for one person but less than CET your partner would be required to look for work (unless excluded for some other reason), and
 - if you earned more that the CET for a couple then your partner would not be required.

I'd amend the above to read household CET, which for a couple is 2 times the individual CET. i.e, the working partner must earn enough for both to be over their individual CET's for the non-working partner not to have to look for work. If the working partner is only exceeding their own CET, then that will move them into the Working Enough regime, but not their partner.

calcotti

NedS said:

calcotti said:

guysl80 said:

If you consider my situation I always earn 2 to 2.5 times of the AET expected from Jan 2023. Some months I have a nil award or less than £230 due to high income . But my wife is not working and so far she has not been asked to looking for a job.

Even though I earn more than the expected amount will she be asked to look for work once the new changes are implemented.

As already advised we don’t yet know clearly how things will work. We need for details. However my interpretation is that the implication is
- that if you earn over the AET threshold for one person but less than CET your partner would be required to look for work (unless excluded for some other reason), and
 - if you earned more that the CET for a couple then your partner would not be required.

I'd amend the above to read household CET, which for a couple is 2 times the individual CET. i.e, the working partner must earn enough for both to be over their individual CET's for the non-working partner not to have to look for work. If the working partner is only exceeding their own CET, then that will move them into the Working Enough regime, but not their partner.

I don’t understand why you are making a distinction household CET or CET for a couple. Seems to simply be the same phrase for the same thing.

NedS

calcotti said:

NedS said:

calcotti said:

guysl80 said:

If you consider my situation I always earn 2 to 2.5 times of the AET expected from Jan 2023. Some months I have a nil award or less than £230 due to high income . But my wife is not working and so far she has not been asked to looking for a job.

Even though I earn more than the expected amount will she be asked to look for work once the new changes are implemented.

As already advised we don’t yet know clearly how things will work. We need for details. However my interpretation is that the implication is
- that if you earn over the AET threshold for one person but less than CET your partner would be required to look for work (unless excluded for some other reason), and
 - if you earned more that the CET for a couple then your partner would not be required.

I'd amend the above to read household CET, which for a couple is 2 times the individual CET. i.e, the working partner must earn enough for both to be over their individual CET's for the non-working partner not to have to look for work. If the working partner is only exceeding their own CET, then that will move them into the Working Enough regime, but not their partner.

I don’t understand why you are making a distinction household CET or CET for a couple. Seems to simply be the same phrase for the same thing.

My apologies - I completely missed the 'couple' in your last sentence. Of course they are the same thing

However, I think it should probably also be included in the previous sentence too?

Mr_Sockochris

Sorry to hi-jack this post but I just heard about the recent changes and now I'm incredibly worried how it's going to effect my family.

Currently I work 50hrs a week, my partner doesn't work (she home schools our 3 children) and we receive around £400pm in Universal Credit.

Are they going to now make her go to work? If so it feels like we're being punished by me working 50hrs and we'd be better off both working 18hrs by the sounds of it which makes no sense to me.

Currently our income is barely more than our outgoings, I don't really know how we're going to cope without the £400pm UC payment.

Any help would be great because the info just doesn't seem to be out there.

Thanks 

sammyjammy

Mr_Sockochris said:

Sorry to hi-jack this post but I just heard about the recent changes and now I'm incredibly worried how it's going to effect my family.

Currently I work 50hrs a week, my partner doesn't work (she home schools our 3 children) and we receive around £400pm in Universal Credit.

Are they going to now make her go to work? If so it feels like we're being punished by me working 50hrs and we'd be better off both working 18hrs by the sounds of it which makes no sense to me.

Currently our income is barely more than our outgoings, I don't really know how we're going to cope without the £400pm UC payment.

Any help would be great because the info just doesn't seem to be out there.

Thanks 

All people know is currently in this thread, nothing is going to happen quickly and clarity will be available well before then, try not to be concerned before you know what the impact will be.

calcotti

Mr_Sockochris said:.

Any help would be great because the info just doesn't seem to be out there.

The info doesn’t yet been denounced. At the moment there is an outline proposal for the current government to think about making changes in the future. Therefore there is currently no meaningful available immediate information to discuss. 

Mr_Sockochris

calcotti said:

Mr_Sockochris said:.

Any help would be great because the info just doesn't seem to be out there.

The info doesn’t yet been denounced. At the moment there is an outline proposal for the current government to think about making changes in the future. Therefore there is currently no meaningful available immediate information to discuss. 

Oh ok, thanks for the info. I thought it was going to be something that was going to be put into effect immediately and was concerned. Thanks again.