Universal Credit Managed Migration - I'm on the sick but they want me to work

AMJF

I just signed into UC to report the change of circumstances concerning the holiday dates, which are 02/06/2026 to 11/06/2026, but I got this error message:

So basically, they're not interested in knowing about any trips abroad if it's more than a month away? I would've thought they would want to know as soon as possible, to be honest. I cancelled the change, BTW.

TheShape

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969710#Comment_81969710

I'm taking a bit of a guess here, but I imagine that the further in the future someone's plans, the more likely they are to change. Giving 30 days notice is still plenty of time if there is to be any impact on a claim/need for action to be taken.

I'd forgotten about the system only wanting a leaving date within 30 days to be entered.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969710#Comment_81969710

UC really works on a factual basis only - what HAS happened. There is very limited scope within the UC system for noting what MIGHT happen.

TimeLord1

Nope no future date can be entered, months in advance just leave a journal message and country you are visiting and your dates above

If the date still appears under their limit just call them. But for week away they usually don't care what are you on currently?

AMJF

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969811#Comment_81969811

LCWRA, so no actively looking for work. And what category of journal entry should I select for this message? It was trying to leave a journal entry under "change of circumstances" that caused my problem in the first place.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969853#Comment_81969853

As long as you fulfil your claimant commitment (with LCWRA very basic) then there is no need to inform the DWP unless being away from GB is expected to last over a month, or it unexpectedly did last over a month.

AMJF

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969866#Comment_81969866

I think I should tell them, I'll simply try and send both dates in the journal entry when they're both closer to the date of the trip. I read somewhere that if you were to check your journal or leave an entry there when abroad, and the DWP would be alerted to the fact, so better to be safe than sorry. Besides, I've learned with the DWP that I should at least acknowledge messages they send me.

Muttleythefrog

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81969911#Comment_81969911

Agree… would either report change as advised… but if blocked by restrictive date parameters just leave journal entry perhaps for work coach (even though you don't possibly have one). All agents I've engage have expected overseas declarations whether it affected claim or not….and there are some potential advantages to having done so, especially if things go awry when abroad, which have been widely discussed to death before on MSE. My recent experiences of dealing with local staff administrating my claim regarding housing costs have demonstrated incompetence after incompetence and we know agents often give wrong advice or have unexpected ways of dealing with events… so I'd always advise getting your facts on record and if there's fallout in future you can say you did all correct and journal is evidence.

TimeLord1

I can see voice messages being added to the journal in the future. Would make it more up-to-date with how most apps function. Probably when it has its own app to log in to.

I wouldn't worry about the length off time you're away;y mainly it's for work searching and appointments and for checking the country you're visiting isn't Gov advised against visiting that country.

Grumpy_chap

I suspect that voice messages is a less likely change as there would need to be a transcription to achieve a certain record and greater potential for VM to be interpreted by the DM. A simple mis-heard / muffled word such as a "not" would totally invert the meaning of the message. If there are some people who dial in to leave VMs while there is a lot of background noise that will make it difficult. Plus, it would require DMs to be wearing headsets all the time which they may object to.