Uc commitments review

[Whiskyfromsmallglasses]

Hi there I have received a message on my journal to attend a commitments review meeting at my local jobcentre. I'm confused why this is as I work 30hrs a week term time and have done since I started claiming uc. I'm still a single parent and nothing has changed with my child. I'm still with the same employer. Literally nothing has changed. What's also confusing me is I've been asked to update my work profile with my cv and information on type of job I'm looking for etc I'm not looking for work. I'm in work. I have messaged to ask what this is all about but as usual no one has replied. Can anyone shed any light on this?

How old is your child? Are you earning enough if only working term time?

My son is 15. Every month I earn over the aet apart from the summer months obviously

Have you called them about this? They love to pick on soft targets as it makes their stats look good. Push back a little and see what happens.

Why are you only working term time woth a 15 year old?

It’ll be as your earnings were reported under their threshold

So you drop into the intensive work search group and get booked a commitment review. It’s annoying but it’s the way UC works. It should be an easy appointment. They may ask about increasing your hours.
@Bonkers1966 it has absolutely nothing to do with soft targets.

Why are you term time when your kid is 15? Why aren’t you full time

It'll be because your earnings have gone down, you can try sending your work coach a message and explaining and see what they say

Then something has changed. This is the reason.

They are annoying. My friend got called in to discuss her job search/commitment review/chat with staff member, she was working 33 hours a week (all year, not term time only) with a one and a two year old. Over minimum wage and taking professional qualifications through work. She pushed back and they insisted. It meant taking 2 hours out of work (which meant her pay was short that month). Disgusting and I said at the time I bet they go for the easy options.

The main bulk of her UC (if not all of it) was full time childcare for two little ones.

Are you still over the AET if you take the summer months into account? If it drops below then you will need to up your hours.

It will be because your earnings have dropped.

I also receive a UC top up and work 30 hours, my kids are 8 and 11. I plan to go full time in a few years. I would advise you to do the same or consider your options, in 3 years you will lose all your child related benefits.

UC is month to month. It doesn’t matter what it averages out to over the year. You can’t have months were you and earning under. That has triggered the review.

Your kid is 15. Why are you not working full time all year? That’s a bit of a piss take, and that’s why you’ll be expected to look for work as you’ve got 3 months of the year not really working.

Ask your employer to pay you in 12 equal monthly payments. That should keep you above AET all year. Of course it will also mean no larger UC payments during school holidays.

It might be your son’s age and that you’re only working term time.

As your child is 15 they will expect you to be in full time (35 hours a week) and full year work. Your earnings will be under the threshold for a child of that age. Why don’t you work year round? Obviously if your earnings are higher than minimum wage eg teachers, you won’t be required to seek holiday work but you obviously are below that threshold

Someone who is already working is more likely to get more work than someone who isn't working at all.

Maybe Op works in a school

Whys everyone questioning why @Whiskyfromsmallglasses only works term time? Never heard of teachers?

Anyway, I've got one of these booked too. I am job searching, currently unemployed. I have no idea what is different about this vs my usual appointments though.

Yes but teachers get paid throughout the year!!

Do TAs get paid all year or just term time? Because if so that’s what it sounds like to me, in which case they aren’t really a job that’s compatible with claiming UC once a child isa lot older and you can work full time - UC would want to see you were at least looking for a job that pays all year round - not have 3-4 months off on their buck- if you aren’t claiming - then yep - ideal for many but if you aren’t claiming then you have to accept being hassled

If someone works in a school regardless of their role, their salary is equalled out over 12 months. You're paid the same every month.

Thanks for that -wasn’t sure .

I've a theory about this from before uc came in.

No longer live in the uk but I have been unemployed in an area with high unemployment and as I had mostly always worked I was also always called into the job centre for something

I too was a single parent to a young child

In fact this happened when said child was only a few months old and I was still uniquely BFOD

I wasn't entitled to maternity apparently due to X y and z.

Same pattern continued right up until child was school age and by then I found a job a few months later thanks to family helping out. It was never ending

I even had them out at my house looking at my belongings and asking about my bike and car (second hand) and I had to fight back and say I've always worked and look after what I had and I keep the car on the road as I will need it to work as public transport in the area was bad and expensive.

Other people I knew never worked and never bothered.

You are the easier target.