19-07-2025
Warning for families on Universal Credit going away during school break- rules to follow or your pay could be stopped
FAMILIES claiming Universal Credit should be aware of an important rule before they head away during the school holidays.
Failing to report your getaway to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) could lead to your benefits being stopped or even investigated for benefit fraud.
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You could also be fined between £350 and £5,000, if you don't declare your holiday as a change of circumstance.
What are the rules?
If you claim Universal Credit you can go on holiday for one month and still receive your payments.
This is granted you have told your work coach you are going away and you carry on meeting the conditions of your claim.
That means if you are in an intensive work group, meaning you are required to actively look for work, you must continue to do this even on holiday.
But there are exceptions to this rule, such as going abroad for medical treatment or if a relative passes away.
It is worth noting that other benefits have different rules surrounding a trip abroad.
For example, if you receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you can stay abroad for up to 13 weeks, or 26 weeks for medical treatment.
With that in mind, it may be worth checking the specifics for your benefits on the website.
Other reasons your benefits may be stopped
And it is not only heading away on holiday that can impact your Universal Credit claim.
Not applying or looking for work can also lead to your payments being stopped.
Disability benefit explained - what you can claim
Those on Universal Credit need to spend 35 hours a week looking for work as part of their Claimant Commitment.
Failing to do this could lead to your benefits being cut.
The same goes if you're not putting the hours in to look.
If your Jobcentre work coach doesn't feel you're doing enough to get back into work, you can be sanctioned.
Meanwhile, rejecting a job offer or quitting your job without good reason can also lead to your payments being slashed.
Claimants must also show up to their appointments on time to avoid sanctions.
What to do if your benefits have been stopped or reduced
If you have been sanctioned, you can appeal your case.
The first thing you must do is check the level of sanction and for how long your money has been reduced.
You'll then need to contact the DWP for a mandatory reconsideration if you think they've made the wrong decision.
To report a change or appeal, you can:
For written appeals or changes, send letters to:
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
