THOUSANDS could banned from claiming Universal Credit under a huge shake up to get Brits back to work.
The proposals were announced today as part of paper published by the government on benefit reform.
Millions could be banned from claiming Universal Credit[/caption]
As part of the plans those aged under 22 could be banned from claiming the health element of Universal Credit.
The UC health element is the payment replacing the limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) element of UC.
To be eligible for the UC health element you will need to be getting the UC standard allowance and any element of PIP.
This proposal is intended to redirect resources towards the Youth Guarantee, which is focused on getting young people into work or training.
It comes as the Work Capability Assessment, which determines whether someone is deemed fit for work or has limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA), will be scrapped by 2028.
Instead, the only assessment to determine eligibility for additional financial support related to health would be the PIP assessment.
It’s worth noting that these proposals are subject to consultation.
Today’s announcement comes as part of a sweeping package of cuts to the UK’s benefit system as the Treasury looks for ways to plug a hole in public fiances.
A number of other proposals were also laid out in the paper.
That includes merging jobseekers’ allowance and employment support allowance, where people who have worked get more than those who have not.
A new eligibility criterion will be introduced for the daily living component of PIP.
To receive the £105 per week support, Claimants must achieve a minimum score of four points in at least one of the daily living activities evaluated during the assessment to be eligible.
Currently, it’s possible to qualify for the daily living component with a lower overall score spread across multiple activities.
This change means individuals with lower needs in daily living activities could no longer be eligible for the aid.
The government said that this change will impact some current claimants and is considering how to best support them, including options for transitional protection.
They are also consulting on further support measures.
The Government has also announced plans for a comprehensive review of the PIP assessment process, acknowledging that it has remained largely unchanged since its introduction over a decade ago.
