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Oh no
On the advice line and flummoxed straight away. Single parent with children aged 8 and 2 years. Recently separated from partner and there is a house up for grabs. I think I’ve figured the capital questions. Client renting and is now in a position of having to claim UC. She asked me about availability for work and, try as I might I’m struggling to be certain as to the answer. I think , but I am more than happy to be corrected, that she will have to claim via JSA route and will have to be available for full time work.
Help please.
Patrick.
Unless you’re further forward in Trafford wouldn’t she still be claiming IS as a single parent as doesn’t have to be available for work as has a child under 5 yo? Or maybe I am behind…
WBH 2015/16 p.1102/3, a single person responsible for a child aged at least 1 but under 3 has WFI requirement only I think.
WBH 2015/16 p.1102/3, a single person responsible for a child aged at least 1 but under 3 has WFI requirement only I think.
Yes, I did check the CPAG book first at the page indicated. Maybe it’s just me but when I give advice about something that’s new and at which I have very little experience in giving advice on, I am a little nervous about putting my name to something without checking with my peer group experts. As I say, maybe it’s just me.
Thank you for your help Paul, as always, the good folk of “Rightsnet” do it again.
Patrick.
Hi Patrick,
there’s two parts to this.
The first part is whether she can fit through the “gateway” into Universal Creditland. The size and shape of the gateway is different in different parts of the country. For example, where I am in Wrexham it is only open wide enough to admit single childless jobseekers.
If she does not meet the gateway conditions for your area then she would not be expected to claim UC. I don’t think that there are many places that are taking UC claims from lone parents with young children and complicated bits of capital tied up in former houses yet.
If she does fit through the gateway, then you get to look at what type of conditionality applies to her. As the lone parent of a two year old she should be work-focused interview requirement only group.
Hope this helps,
Cordelia