What is an eligibility?
The employment office may require you to do certain things to get Universal Credit. This is referred to as your “Claim Obligation”.
What is expected of you will depend on your circumstances, such as: B. your health, your caring responsibilities and whether you are currently working or not.
If you claim Universal Credit as a couple, you each have your own claim obligation based on your own circumstances.
If you don't meet your claim obligation, you cansanctioned.
Rules and situations for the participation of applicants
Click on the links below pertaining to your situation(s) to learn more about the rules for enrolling Universal Credit applicants.
I am ill or disabled
I am caring for a sick or disabled person
I am taking care of a child
I am working
I am over retirement age
None of this applies to me
Some of these apply to me
I am ill or disabled
If your illness or disability is making your job difficult, it is important that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is informed. If you are applying for Universal Credit for the first time, you can list any medical condition on the application form. If you become ill or disabled while applying for Universal Credit, you must report it as a change of circumstances.
Your job coach should arrange for you to have an assessment of how your illness or disability affects your ability to work. This is referred to as aRating “restricted ability to work”..
This has three possible outcomes:
- They are determined by a limited ability to work and work.
- A limited ability to work is determined.
- You are considered fit for work..
Limited ability to work and work
If you are found to have limited ability to work and earn money, you will be assigned to the “no work-related need” group. You are not expected to work through the job center and you do not have a job coach.
limited ability to work
If you are found to have limited ability to work, you will be assigned to the “Willingness to work” group. You are not expected to look for jobs or start work. However, you may be expected to do things to prepare for entry into the workforce, such as: B. attending a training course or updating your CV.
able to work
If you are classified as fit for work, your job coach still has to adjust your acceptance of the application to your needs. If you feel that your obligation to make a claim has not taken into account the impact of your medical condition, you should do soget tips.
Incurable disease
If you are terminally ill and have less than 12 months to live, you do not need an assessment of how your illness is affecting your ability to work. They are found to be of limited employability and ability to work.
To claim a terminal illness in England, Wales and Scotland:
- You need a DS1500 form if your healthcare professional thinks you have less than six months to live
- You need a Medical Form SR1 if your healthcare professional thinks you have less than 12 months to live
How to apply for a terminal illness in Northern Ireland:
- You will need an SR1 Medical Report Form to be completed by your doctor or other healthcare professional
I am caring for a sick or disabled person
If you are caring for someone 35 or more hours a week who will receive the daily living partPersonal Independence Payment (PIP), the component of everyday life ofAdult disability pension, the care component of medium or high rateDisabled Housing Allowance (DLA), the average or high attention rate ofChild benefit in the event of disability,assistance allowanceÖArmed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)you will be classified in the “no job-related requirements” group. You are not expected to work through the job center and you do not have a job coach. You are not expected to look for a job. This also applies if you work too hard to claim care allowance.
If you provide care less than 35 hours a week, or the person you care for is not receiving adequate welfare benefits, you should inform your employment counselor of your care responsibilities and request that your eligibility be adjusted accordingly. If you feel that your claim obligation has not addressed your caregiving responsibilities, you should do soget tips.
I am taking care of a child
If you're applying for Universal Credit as a couple, the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) will ask you to choose one of yours to be the 'main carer' for your children. The children only affect the eligible obligation of the primary caregiver.
Your eligibility depends on the age of your minor child.
My child is younger than 1
If your child is less than 1 year old, they will be placed in the “no job requirements” group. You are not expected to work through the job center and you do not have a job coach. You are not expected to look for a job.
my son is 1 year old
When your child is 1 year old, they will be placed in the Job Interview group. You are not expected to look for a job. However, you may be asked to meet with a job coach to discuss the type of work you would like to do in the future.
my son is 2 years old
When your child is 2 years old, it will be included in the “Berufsreife” group. You are not expected to look for a job, but you are expected to take part in activities that will improve your chances of future employment.
My son is 3 years old - school age
If your child is between the ages of 3 and school age, they will be placed in the “all work-related requirements” group. You are expected to be looking for work and willing to accept a position if one is offered to you. You will not be expected to accept work that exceeds 16 hours per week and you will not have to spend more than 16 hours per week looking for work.
My son is of school age - 12
If your child is between school age and 13 years old, they will be placed in the “all work-related requirements” group. You are expected to be looking for work and willing to accept a position if one is offered to you. You will not be expected to accept a job that involves more than 25 hours per week and you will not have to spend more than 25 hours per week looking for work. If a 25-hour week doesn't fit into your child's normal school schedule, you can ask your job coach to consider it.
My son is 13 years or older.
If your child is 13 years of age or older, they will be placed in the "all work-related requirements" group. You are expected to be looking for work and willing to accept a position if one is offered to you. You will not be expected to accept work that involves working more than 48 hours per week and you must devote 35 hours per week looking for work.
I am working
You are not expected to be in the workplace if you work and earn more per month than someone earning minimum wage for the number of hours you are expected to work. This is referred to as your "breakeven point".
Example
Alice is 29 years old. Your son is 3 years old so he is expected to work 16 hours a week. Due to his age, his minimum wage is £9.50 an hour. This means that Alice's income threshold is 16 x 9.50 = £152 per week or £658.67 per month. Alice works 10 hours a week and earns £17 an hour (£170 a week), so she earns more than her earnings limit and doesn't have to do any on-the-job work.
if you are autonomous
If you are self-employed, the income limit does not apply to you. You are not expected to be in the workplace or looking for work. However, it may be affectedMinimum rent apartment, which is also calculated on the basis of your liability as a beneficiary if you were not self-employed.
You earn less than your income limit
If you work as an employee but earn less than your income limit, you will be expected to engage in some workplace activities. As long as you are employed and have a household income of more than £617 a month (if you're single) or £988 a month as joint income (if you're part of a couple), you won't be expected to look for work or be available for work. This does not apply to income from self-employment or income from other sources, such as B. Pensions. You may still need to participate in activities to increase your chances of getting a job.
If you work but earn less than £617 a month (if you're single) or £988 a month as joint income (if you're part of a couple), you're expected to look for more work and be available for work are.
There are some exceptions when your partner is not expected to work. If your partner is expected not to work (e.g. because you are a caregiver or have limited working ability), the single parent threshold is used instead of the partner threshold.
I am over retirement age
when you're doneretirement age, you will not be expected to participate in workplace activities and you will not be expected to seek employment.
None of this applies to me
If none of these situations apply to you, you may be placed in the “all work-related activities” group. You are expected to spend 35 hours per week looking for work and generally have up to 48 hours per week available for work.
If you have recently experienced domestic violence or grief, or have any other valid reason why you cannot do what your job coach wants you to do, you should tell your job coach. If you feel that your involvement as an applicant is not meeting your needs, you should do soget tips.
Some of these apply to me
If more than one of the situations apply to you, you will be placed in the lowest activity group that satisfies you. you should lookthe applicant's rules of engagement for situations in which you find yourself.
Example
For example Elis works, has a disability and a 1 year old daughter. Elis earns £200 a month for her work so on that basis Elis would expect to look for work. Elis' disability means she has limited ability to work, so she is expected to prepare for work. Elis is her daughter's primary caregiver, so Elis would be expected to attend job-related interviews. Job interviews are the lowest activity group that Elis meets, so you only need to attend job interviews and don't need to do any job preparation or job hunting.
Updated: January 05, 2023