Universal Credit: Couples AET and Household CET

Tommy_123

Hi,

I have seen in the budget that the couples AET is being removed:

• Increasing the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET): the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET), the minimum amount a person can earn without being asked to meet regularly with their Work Coach, will be increased from the equivalent of 15 to 18 hours of earnings at the National Living Wage for an individual claimant. The couples AET, where a second member of a household may not be asked to look for work if their partner is working, will be removed entirely. These changes are expected to require over 100,000 additional claimants to meet more regularly with a Work Coach and take active steps to move into work or increase their earnings.
• Expanding work search requirements: these changes are expected to encourage over 700,000 lead carers of children on Universal Credit to look for work or increase their hours and will receive additional Work Coach support to do so. Previously they would have had only limited requirements, or no requirements at all.

But there has been no mention of the Household CET being removed?

This was the previous Household CET:
Claimants are placed in the light-touch regime if they are in the All-Work-Related Requirement (AWRR) group and have earnings between the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) and the CET.
This includes claimants with:
 individual earnings above their AET
no earnings and in a household with earnings above the AET
earnings below the individual AET but in a household with earnings above the household AET



Questions that I have:

1) Have the Government removed Household CET as well?

2) I earn above the 18 hours NLW threshold - but whilst my wife works, she does not earn above this. We would still above the Household CET if this was still in place. Will she have to increase her hours?

3) We have a 1 year old and a 4 year old - how will this impact things?

4) Is there a timeframe for this change? As there has only recently been an increase to 15 hours at NLW in February 2023.

calcotti

Nothing can be said about this until more information is provided.

L_Volunteer

I would just like to add a warm welcome @Tommy_123. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything else we can do to support you