Universal Credit eligibility while abroad

Hello. I am Gemma, a legal assistant at Lawyer Destroyer, and I would be glad to help you figure out where you stand with your Universal Credit.

The short answer is yes, you can usually still get Universal Credit if you go abroad for a short time, but there are some important rules you need to follow so your payments are not stopped.

The general rule:

Under the current rules for England and Wales, you can keep receiving Universal Credit for up to one month while you are temporarily overseas. To qualify for this, you must have been eligible for Universal Credit before you left, and you must intend to return home within that month.

Exceptions for longer trips:

You might be allowed to keep your claim open for a little longer depending on your exact circumstances. For example, if a close relative dies while you are abroad and it is unreasonable for you to return to the UK within a month, you can get Universal Credit for up to two months. If you are going abroad for approved medical treatment or to recover from an illness, you can keep receiving it for up to six months.

The Claimant Commitment:

This is the main practical catch. Even if you are allowed to go abroad for a month, you are still expected to stick to your Claimant Commitment. If your commitment requires you to spend a certain number of hours looking for work or being available for job interviews, you must keep doing this while you are away. If you are offered a job interview or are asked to attend your local Jobcentre, you might have to cut your trip short to return, or risk your payments being sanctioned.

Practical next steps:

1. Check your Claimant Commitment to see exactly what you are expected to do each week. If you are in an intensive work search group, think carefully about how you will manage this while away.

2. Tell the Department for Work and Pensions about your trip before you leave. You can do this by leaving a message in your online Universal Credit journal or by speaking directly to your work coach.

3. Explain the reason for your trip, your departure date, and your exact return date. Being upfront from the start helps prevent your claim from being accidentally closed.

4. Keep checking your online journal and your messages while you are on your trip. If your work coach asks you to do something, you will need to respond just as you would if you were at home.

I hope this makes things clearer and helps you plan your trip without worrying about your claim. Let me know if you need help with anything else.