DWP reveals main new Universal Credit guidelines affecting 180,000 claimants | EUROtoday

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed a serious change to Universal Credit guidelines which it says will have an effect on greater than 180,000 claimants.

Starting on 13 May, hundreds who declare the welfare cost must enhance their work hours to proceed claiming their entitlement, with no need to make common visits to the Jobcentre.

The quantity a claimant must work will enhance from round 15 hours to round 18 hours, or half a full-time week.

Those who don’t meet this quantity – generally known as the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) – will transfer into an intensive work search group and must use Jobcentre help such elevated assembly with a piece coach. If they don’t, they face shedding their advantages.

The newest change means the AET can have doubled since 2022, when it was 9 hours for a single individual. Since then, the DWP claims greater than 400,000 folks have been introduced into intensive job centre help.

The guidelines are barely completely different for {couples}, who’re counted collectively.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated: “Welfare should always be a safety net and not a lifestyle choice, which is why we’re ushering in a new era of welfare reforms to help more people progress off benefits and into work.

“Today’s changes will help more people on Universal Credit move into well paid jobs and progress towards financial independence – which is better for them and for economic growth.”

The modifications come after Mr Sunak introduced a raft of welfare reforms as a part of his Back to Work Plan which he has referred to as a “moral mission”.

The authorities has invested £2.5 billion into the scheme which they are saying is meant to assist extra folks off advantages and into significant work.

Last month, the prime minister stated that the federal government would start stopping advantages for many who don’t take a job after 12 months on Universal Credit.

He additionally introduced a session on modifications to the PIP incapacity profit, in addition to tackling what he referred to as “sick note culture” by doubtlessly offloading the burden to adminster match notes from GPs to non-public contractors.

A press release from the DWP stated the measures present the federal government is “getting tough” by “enforcing a stricter sanctions regime,” including: “With over 900,000 job vacancies in the economy, the government makes no apologies for helping people achieve financial security through work, as we grow the economy and help people build a better life for themselves.”

But responding to final month’s modifications, the Iain Porter, senior coverage adviser for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation stated: “This is clearly an opportunity for the government to sound tough, but it is on the backs of people who are already facing huge challenges financially as well as with their health.

“Almost two thirds of people in destitution – the most severe form of hardship and one which has risen to nearly four million people in recent years – have a chronic health condition or disability.

“Hardship needs action now, not more rhetoric from politicians”.