Will I lose UC if my income drops? Please advise

[Volumedelachanel]

I might have to leave my job where I earn £1400pm working 23 hours, and work in a job where I would be earning £860pm working 21 hours roughly. I have a 17 year old going into college this September. My question is would I lose UC and/or be sanctioned? I am single and a council tenant.

You would be expected to meet the AET which is higher than £860 a month. If your earnings are below the AET then you'll likely be called into work coach meeting regularly. This is unless there's a good reason to drop like you are a carer or for health reasons. They would expect you to be looking for more hours with a 17 year old rather than less.

I would be leaving for health reasons. Current job has left me with back problems, the commute is really long. Would I need to prove evidence for this? I've suffered for a year and won't be able to carry on in Current job.

If your earnings would work out to less than 16x nmw and health problems are limiting how much you can work then you can submit sick notes to UC and wait to be assessed for work capability if you want to go down that route. I think £860 will work out too high for that though. Do you claim PIP ?

"the commute is really long"

Don't uc expect you take any job within a 1hour 45m commute via bus ( each way)

@Miley1967 I don't know what 16× nmw means. is that £11.44 × 16?

I don't claim PIP, have never had health problems till now and don't want to go down that route of going route of claiming it.

Do you have an official health problem that the doctor can provide evidence of or is it something you're changing as a preventative as your back has started hurting? UC are going to want evidence one way or the other wether it's sick notes or something else.

The commute doesn't come in to as long as it isn't over their maximum, you are expected to work.

Yes correct 16 x national minimum wage.

I thought it was full time at NMW?

very new to UC, thanks for all responses everyone

The commute is 2 hours each way on public transport. I haven't been diagnosed yet, but my back has become really bad since i took the job. I'm in pain quite a lot and find it hard to stand straight after work

If someone wants to be assessed for limited capability for work then they cannot be assessed for this unless earnings are less than 16xnmw per week. if they have a PIP award then they can be assessed regardless of earnings.

So would you say that as I'm earning over 16×NMW i might be ok and not lose UC or be sanctioned by UC if I take lower paying closer job?

No I'm saying that as you earn over 16 x nmw you can't be assessed for work capability . Unfortunately I think if you are only earning £860 they will expect you to look for more hours or you will be called into regular appointments with a work coach to discuss what you are doing to increase earnings.

I really appreciate your responses. Would you mind explaining what that last post meant?

It means that if you are working under the expected amount of hours/earning less than they expect you to and have no evidenced mitigating circumstances you will have work coach appointments either via the phone or in person at a job centre where you show what you are doing to improve your situation so that you get a job that pays more or has more hours / take on a second job. They will want to know about job applications you have made and things like that.