to think most part-time workers don't know what's about to hit them?! (Universal Credit)

[aufaniae]

Do you work part-time and get Working Tax Credit or Housing Benefit?

Did you know that once you're on Universal Credit, you'll be expected to attend the Job Centre to prove that you're looking for better paid work / more hours, in much the same way as unemployed people must prove they're looking for work.

If the Job Centre find an interview for you, you will have to attend (with 48 hours notice) even if it clashes with your paid work.

If you are offered a job with more hours, or better pay than your current one, you will be obliged to take it, even if you have good reason for not wanting to e.g. it's only a temporary post (whereas your current one is permanent) / has no training & worse prospects than your current job / makes picking your children up from school impossible / requires you to travel much further / has nothing to do with the career you're following.

If you don't attend the interview and/or take the job, your UC will be sanctioned, you will lose the UC for months or even years (depending on if it's your first infraction).

You will be forced to continue "upgrading" your job until you earn the equivalent of minimum wage for 35 hours a week.

I suspect there are lots of people (e.g. parents who work part time so they can pick their kids up from school) who will be affected by this, but don't realise it yet.

More info here

Thanks aufanie.

Im simply pointing out that the issues raised in this thread will cause more stress in households which COULD lead to the kind of situation like the experience i had.

Well, you didn't point it out very clearly, but I'm sorry if I took your post in a different way from how you intended it.

Households are already living with the stress of having two people working full time. On the whole, they manage it without neglecting the needs do their children. There is no reason why these measures should lead to the type of situation you experienced unless the parents involved are already pre disposed to being uncaring towards their children.

CloudsAndTrees so you would always take a better paid job rather than one with prospects. Why? That doesn't help your family or the tax payer!

Surely it makes more sense to take a job which is low paid at first, but you know it'll lead to a well paid job if you prove yourself, rather than one which pays marginally better at first but no prospects of promotion?

I think the point happy was that some people seem to have the believe that they and their lifestyle are untouchable and bad things will never happen to them and so make no preparation ie savings. The mentality does seem to be that it doesn't matter if the worst happens as we can go on benefits rather than families making their own back up to support themselves through difficult times and for some this will mean limiting the number of dc they have and the type of lifestyle they lead.

Maddening, that will depend on what you and your partner earn.

It is very nice of them to say people won't be required to leave permanent work for temporary.

What happens if the new employer decides you are not suitable within a 3/6 month probation period. Then you go claim JSA/income support and take more out of the system.

They can also now sack you up to 2 years with out reasons.

bringmeroses Any massive change in the way a government department is administered will always cost a LOT to implement. The current system is made up of the DWP, the HMRC, and local councils, each providing a separate element of benefit assessment.
To scrap this and re-train thousands of employees, plus the IT changes won't come free.
This whole thing is a very negative policy. Punish those who seemingly have things "too easy", and make their lives even more insecure by telling them to move, or change jobs, while disregarding the impact this will have on families.

Treaclesoda upthread mentioned the fact that many p/t workers(who are mainly women) are actually carers, for example caring for elderly relatives.
In fact, they are being the "big society" David Cameron has gone a little quiet about lately..

We do need to reduce the deficit. Perhaps by closing the loopholes that allow huge corporations to dodge tax, and by investing in infrastructure, supporting small business, creating apprenticeships for young people.
Not making hard working single mums, who spend all their time doing sums to see if they can afford dinner money after the gas bill has gone out, jump through hoops.
I WOULD get another p/t job. I would work in a pub, or do cleaning. Can someone look after my kid for free while I am out from 5 pm until midnight? Thought not.

FairyJen no, the point is that people can't always forsee all eventualities.

That's the point of paying National Insurance - that we all have basic protection if the worst happens to us. It's a great idea, and it's being eroded.

People don't have to think they're "untouchable" to not see disaster around the corner, even when they have tried their best to prepare for it.

CloudsAndTrees so you would always take a better paid job rather than one with prospects. Why? That doesn't help your family or the tax payer!

Of course it helps my family and the taxpayer!!

It helps my family because they are provided for, and it helps the taxpayer because I'm not expecting them to fund the family that I chose to create!

If I don't get to improve my income potential because I chose to have children before I was capable of earning NMW, then that's my fault. It's not up to anyone else to pay for my children.

Should have said capable of earning more than NMW there.

Why is housing and the cost of living so expensive. When people are on low wages. It is because of the overuse of subsidies. It has not been good for the economy. And has allowed private firms like Tesco's to pay low wages knowing they will be topped up by benefits. Now I am against that.

Maddening - in theory yes you could have 2 part-time jobs. Those jobs in combination with whatever your partner earns would have to take you above the threshold, or if you are an LP then a lower threshold applies.

Xales - that is a risk wherever you are though, whoever you are.

Vivienne - very good point. Also, unrestrained housing benefit has pushed up rentals and therefore contributed massively to property price rises.

What happens if the new employer decides you are not suitable within a 3/6 month probation period

Why would they decide you're not suitable unless you really aren't suitable, or you are doing a shit job?

Employers aren't just sitting there waiting to hire people then fire them after a couple of months for the sake of it. Presumably before they get to the position of choosing who to hire for certain jobs, they have shown at least some capability of judging who would be suitable for the position they are offering?

auf my understanding tho is that this targeted at people who are capable of working ft and thus providing for themselves rather than rely on the state.

If people weren't so self entitled and just did this already anyway as its the right thing to do there would be more money in the pot for those in genuine need.

I don't expect people to plan for every single eventuality however for example if your willingly havin children knowing before their born ( so not in difficulty due to losing job etc ) that you can only afford them if the state is paying I think this is slightly irresponsible and not fair on the parents ( such as the ones up thread ) who end up working 50+ hours to support their own children and those children subsidised by the state

Many people have trained for various jobs but in the event of not being able to find one they do other jobs in the meantime. Lots of EU workers are employed mopping floors when they are full trained in other professions. They cannot claim benefits when they are new here so...

Also this concept of being forced against their will. What on earth. I don't particularly like getting out of bed early and sitting in one seat at work for 8 hrs a day, it's against my will but we do it because we have to.

I am really surprised at there not being breakfast/afterschool clubs available in some areas.There are lots here,but its probably because we have lots of polish people.

AFAIK it won't be compulsory to claim Universal Credit.

If you'd rather do a lower paid job, or do fewer hours for personal reasons, then you can.

It's not a risk if I have been employed in my current job for more than 2 years and they have to go through procedures if they want rid of me rather than just getting rid with in the 2 year period.

Xales I'm not sure what point you were replying to there, but are you aware that the government is trying to make it much easier for employers to sack people?

I have no problem with getting a part time job

So many people have said this! Why don't they get off their arses, think the world owes them, I worked 2 jobs while at uni (I did, too, as it happens.)

Have you noticed there aren't enough jobs? The official figure is now 12 applicants for every vacancy, iirc, and you can see recruiters on this thread saying they get 50-150 applications per post.

When you can't get your earnings up to the required minimum the DWP may hound you, force you to spend a set number of hours a week on their shite new website which tracks your activity, make you go to useless employability programs ... and send you texts telling you'd earn more if you worked more! Obviously this is costing a great deal of money.

Matilda it sounds like you will be well over the threshold.

How could you be better of financially not working Schmaltzing. This is what I never understand. And in any case the government has promised nobody will be worse of when they work than when the don't work. So I suppose that's something.