For people who are fit to work, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) places Universal Credit claimants on low incomes into groups known as “Light Touch” and “Intensive Work Search”. The Administrative Earnings Threshold or AET determines which group a person is placed in based on how much they earn and therefore how much support they receive to find work and develop a career.
Changes that come into force on Monday (26 September) mean that people will remain in the Intensive Work Search Group until their earnings reach the new higher threshold. This will mean they continue to benefit from weekly or fortnightly meetings one on one with a dedicated work coach for longer. A single claimant earning below £494 per calendar month and couples with combined earnings below £782 per calendar month will be eligible for the support.
The increased support will ensure claimants who are already in work but earn low pay will continue to receive support from a work coach until they are earning a secure income and forging a sustainable career, helping grow the economy.
Existing claimants affected by these changes will receive a message in their journal and can talk to their work coach to understand what it means for them and help is available. Claimants will receive this journal message at the end of their first full assessment period after 26 September.
The Chancellor announced plans last week to take this measure even further, as part of reforms to the welfare system, with the ambition to raise the AET higher in the coming months. This means more benefit claimants will benefit from the additional support on offer.
