Universal credit transitional element and change of circumstances

thunderandlightenup

Hi, I’m looking to go self-employed soon and wondering if this will end my transitional element I got for migrating from tax credits. Is this classed as a significant change of circumstances in regards to the transitional element rules? All I can find is that significant changes include, moving in/out with a partner, earnings dropping below AET threshold for 3 assessment periods in a row, having earnings too high that claim ends or any other reasons that end the claim. But none of these seem to suggest that simply becoming self-employed will end the transitional element. I will continue to be employed alongside my self-employment and will continue earning above the AET in my employed job so it won’t be affected by my earnings dropping.

I also have a child with severe autism and I am classed as her carer although I earn too much to get carers allowance, I get the carers element added to UC. I believe I will not be classed as gainfully self-employed for that reason so what would I be expected to do in regards to appointments at the job centre etc. Will I need to go in initially for an interview? Would I be expected to have regular meetings to discuss my self-employment? Or would these not apply because I can’t be classed as gainfully self-employed and won’t be subject to the minimum income floor? Thanks in advance.

born_again

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transitional-protection-if-you-receive-a-migration-notice-letter

Yamor

As long as you continue to have earnings (and this includes profits from your self-employment) over the AET which was in force at the time you migrated, then you won't lose TP.

As you are a carer, you won't have an initial gateway interview. However, you will still have an initial appointment (usually by phone) where they will explain to you how to report your earnings each month. You should not have regular ongoing appointments.

thunderandlightenup

Thanks born_again and Yamor.

That's interesting about it including self-employment earnings towards the AET as I thought it would be like the work conditionality thing and self-employed earnings wouldn't count if not gainfully self-employed so that's good to know if I end up wanting to go full pelt with self-employment and stop being employed.

huckster

The appointment to verify self employment where you cannot be found gainfully self employed (no expectation of earnings due to being carer) is mostly held at Job Centre lasting 30 minutes. It can by exception be completed by phone call.

Yamor

DWP internal guidance does state that it should be a telephone interview, so I would push for that if you would find it hard to attend in person.

See the section headed "Claimants not required to attend a Gateway Interview" here:

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2025-0769/153._Self-employed_and_gainfully_self-employed-Guidance_V22.0.pdf

"Although claimants in these regimes cannot be deemed gainfully self-employed and are not required to attend a gateway Interview, agents will still need to book the ‘Other, Other’ appointment type.

The ‘Other, Other’ appointment must be booked as a telephone interview as the claimant may be unable to attend a face to face interview due to work and/or caring commitments."