Claimants of Universal Credit or PIP (Personal Independence Payment) planning their holidays for this year should note the DWP rules regarding travelling abroad.

People must inform the DWP of any upcoming trips abroad as this could affect their payments. A person can go away for up to a month but they have to stick to the requirements of their benefits, including looking for work.

People who are in the intensive work search group are required to spend between 35 and 37 hours a week looking for a job – even while on holiday. In September 2022, changes to earnings limits meant 114,000 more claimants were moved into the intensive work search group, followed by another 120,000 in January in 2023.

Express.co.uk has compiled a list of the rules that claimants must follow below.

Going abroad temporarily

You can claim the following benefits if you’re going abroad for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it’s for medical treatment):

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

You can carry on claiming Carer’s Allowance if you take up to four weeks holiday out of a 26-week period. You will need to tell the office that deals with your benefit that you’ll be away.

PIP travel and holiday rules

Government guidance for PIP states that claimants must inform the DWP of changes in circumstances.

Claimants must contact the PIP enquiry line if:

• Personal details change, for example their name, address or doctor
• The help they need or their condition changes
• A medical condition has worsened and they are not expected to live more than 12 months
• They go into hospital or a care home
• They go abroad
• They are imprisoned or held in detention
• Their immigration status has changed, if they’re not a British citizen.

The newly updated PIP guide says: “We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad.”

It says leaving the country or planning to do so for a period of more than four weeks – even if this is a holiday – may affect a person’s entitlement to PIP.

The rules state: “We need to know if the claimant’s condition, the amount of help they need or their circumstances change.

“This is because it may change how much PIP they can get. It is important the claimant tells DWP straight away about any changes in their life that could affect their benefit.

“Based on these changes their benefit may go up, go down, stay the same or it may stop. If the claimant is overpaid, they will normally have to repay the money. Failure to tell DWP about any of these changes may result in prosecution.

“A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for four weeks or more.”

Universal Credit travel and holiday rules

Government guidance states: “You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month.

“You need to report changes as soon as they happen. Any delay may mean you receive too much money and will have to make a repayment.

“Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you’re paid for your whole assessment period – not just from the date you report them.”

With regards to travel, if a person is making a new application to receive Universal Credit, they must be in Britain on the day it’s submitted.

An applicant will usually be fine to travel abroad later that same day, or have come back from a holiday earlier that day.

A holiday can be for up to one month but you must stick to the conditions of the claimant commitment you agreed to when first applying.

This will probably include having to show evidence of looking for work – such as a list of jobs you have applied for.

In a worst-case scenario, a claimant could be asked to come back home for a job interview or to start work.

The DWP also needs to know of any other changes in circumstances. These could include:

• Having a child
• Moving in with a partner or to a new address
• Leaving a job
• Being too sick to work or meet your work coach
• Changing your bank details, phone number or email address.

A person can report a change in circumstances by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.

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