Applying for UC on Statutory Sick Pay - Work and Earnings section

Are the below answers correct in the case of someone getting SSP? I'm asking on behalf of someone else.

Work and earnings

Are you currently working?

Yes

Have you stopped working in the last 3 months?

No


Are you expecting any earnings from any previous employment
in the next month?

Please tell us how much you are expecting

In the next month, are you going to be self-employed?

Are you starting any employment in the next month?

When do you expect to start?

How many hours do you expect to work?

How much do you expect to earn?

What is your employment status?

Employed

Approximately, how many hours do you work in a week?

[state typical hours]

How much do you usually earn?

[state wage]

Are you currently receiving any of the following from your employer?
  sick pay
  maternity pay
  ordinary paternity pay
  additional paternity pay
  adoption pay
  shared parental pay

Do you currently get maternity allowance?

I did not even know that you can claim SSP and UC at the same time, so I am interested to learn more about this.

Maybe I can update you with the progress. Is it right that you don't have to start work search/preparation activity until after your ID interview?

Yes, in my experience, it was the ID interview on one day, then the cc interview the following week, then the first WSR the following week.

I am not clear how many interviews you can be mandated to attend, in an assessment period (month), before these appointments can attract travel expenses.

So you start your work search after your CC interview? That makes sense. I don't know how much you're expected to do if you're on the sick, but no doubt it'll be established at the CC interview.

That's a good question about travel expenses.

I would expect that someone on the sick could not be expected to do job search activity at all.

I have been searching for information in regards to the rules regarding SSP. There is little to find.

SSP is treated as income when claiming UC.

I would be interested to know if a WCA is required.

I suppose one thing to do might be to make the UC application and declare the SSP. I understand that it is in the region of £88 / week. DWP can then process the UC claim on the basis of the information provided.

If the person is getting the SSP anyway then getting turned down for UC is the worst that could happen AFAIK.

Thanks Caker (and ND). S/he has applied for UC. If the UC claim is rejected, will s/he be told at the initial interview, if anyone knows?

I would hope s/he would be notified before any interview. If anyone is unwell, the last thing they need is un-necessary interviews at the JC.

That may be something to investigate so s/he is spared that indignity.

Useful info here:

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/12394/#58409

Very useful info' ND.

The regs look quite harsh for anyone with an illness going on longer than 14 days. especially since the 'all work related requirements' apply and the claimant relies upon the discretion of the wc as to whether the work search requirements  can be switched off for the duration of the illness. Of course, that could very much depend upon the wc's understanding of how the illness impacted upon the individual. That is a very complex subject and could involve the claimant being obliged to discuss the sort of details that many people only expect to discuss with a HCP and not a DWP worker. This looks like a whole new thread's worth of discussion.

It is very useful info - thanks, ND.

My relative hasn't been knocked back from UC but I'm not sure which conditionality group s/he's in. S/he had their ID interview, didn't sign a claimant commitment and there's no CC interview scheduled. I am wondering if they have no work search requirements because they haven't left their job and usually earn above the 'income threshold'. However, on their account, there's a statement which reads, 'I will do all I can to look for work or earn more.' It looks like a condition they accepted when they submitted their claim. It's also possible that the income from SSP means they are regarded as 'earning more than £338 p/m but below the threshold', and therefore subject to AWRR 'except to look for work'. I refer to this link: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/Claimant-Commitment-Conditionality

Your relative wil be in the "In work conditionality group".

The work coach must take into account your relative's health condition.

In most circumstances, if you remain unable to work due to your health conditions for 4 weeks, you will be referred for a WCA on the 29th day of your claim.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-quick-guide/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition

If your relative has been working s/he may be entitled to new style ESA as well as UC.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

On their account, it says, 'My commitments: It's important that you understand that you have agreed to look for extra work in return for your UC payment.' Does that mean they have to apply for jobs, although they have no CC?

I think the CC has been overlooked.

A CC is still required when there is no requirement to be available for work, except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/569865/response/1369269/attach/html/4/Annex%203%20UC%20generate%20CC.pdf.html

Non Deficere wrote:I think the CC has been overlooked.

A CC is still required when there is no requirement to be available for work, except in exceptional circumstances.

Does that mean the work coach should have booked a CC interview but hasn't? The work coach my relative saw was not the one named in the interview confirmation in the Journal, so maybe they left it to the designated work coach.

Gallazz wrote:

Non Deficere wrote:I think the CC has been overlooked.

A CC is still required when there is no requirement to be available for work, except in exceptional circumstances.

Does that mean the work coach should have booked a CC interview but hasn't? The work coach my relative saw was not the one named in the interview confirmation in the Journal, so maybe they left it to the designated work coach.

A CC could have been accepted via the UC Journal.

It is their mistake! It maybe worth letting sleeping dogs lie for now.

That would still involve a specific appointment to discuss what would go into the cc. It would then appear in the 'to do list' with a date by which it should be accepted (box ticked at the bottom).

No 'accept your commitments' in the 'to do list'?

I agree with ND, to let sleeping dogs lie. That is what I would do.

Caker wrote:No 'accept your commitments' in the 'to do list'?

There was a tick-box 'accept commitments' item on the To Do List and the deadline for that was before the initial interview. It must correspond to the 'My commitments' heading on their home page, which includes the statement, 'It's important that you understand that you have agreed to look for extra work in return for your UC payment.' So I'm unclear about whether s/he needs to apply for jobs in the mean time.

If your relative is worried, ask him/her to raise a concern within the Journal.

Oh, I see what could have happened. When you apply for UC on-line there is a basic generic (template) cc as part of the application process. After that there usually would be a cc appointment to incorporate more specific actions and details. It looks like that appointment got missed.

As for whether s/he needs to look for work or not, I cannot remember what was in the basic generic cc when I applied initially. If this one does include any actions for looking for work, that might be worth querying in the circumstances. Because the basic generic (template) cc is just that, it is unlikely to be adapted to the circumstances in which the claimant is unfit for work.

I suppose the choice is between complying with the actions in the basic generic (template) cc or raising a query with the risk that DWP will realise the cc appointment has not taken place and a detailed/personalised cc has not been created. Having realised that, they might take steps to raise an appointment for that.

I wonder if there are any FOI about this.

I don't think my relative is worried, but I have been. I have already suggested sending a query throught the journal, and they seem to think that doing so could affect their claim.

The 'accept your commitments' part of the claim, if my memory serves, said, 'I will do everything I can to find work or earn more'. I presume that was the 'generic (template) cc', and that this statement on the Home page, 'It's important that you understand that you have agreed to look for extra work in return for your UC payment', corresponds to it.

If they're in the in-work conditionaility group, which makes sense, I think this is most likely to apply to them on SSP (their normal income is above the Income Threshold):

'If you are single and earning less than your earnings threshold but more than £338 per month, you will be subject to all work-related requirements, except for looking for work. You will still have to be ready to take up more work, to do the things your job coach asks you to and to go to work-focused interviews.'

The actions set out above may constitute 'looking for extra work', I suppose.