Going outside of GB for about 9 hours

SavageWentWhere · 01:13

Hello,

I've looked and can't find an actual concrete answer.

I am LCWRA on UC and I am going outside of the UK (to France) for a few hours - about 9 hours. Leaving in the morning and returning in the evening. I am unsure if I actually need to report going outside of GB.

I have read that the DWP don't actually count the first and last day as being outside of the UK anyway and some people have said that it doesn't need to be reported but some people have said that it does.

Has anyone had experience with this? Does it need to be reported as it is only for a few hours?

I don't want to break the rules but the Government website says that you are committing benefit fraud if you don't tell them you are going abroad even for a visit.

Any information or help would be appreciated.

poppy123456 · 08:19

You are allowed to go abroad for up to 1 month when claiming UC. As you have LCWRA then you have no commitments. The day you go and the day you return are not counted within the timeframe. Therefore you do not need to report it. Even if it was longer than that you wouldn't need to report it unless it was for longer than 1 month.

Yes, I'm aware what is says on Gov.uk but in my opinion, it's misleading. You have no commitments so there's nothing to report.

Jimm_Scope · 15:33

If you are starting the day and ending the day inside the UK I think it is fine to not report it. Especially as the day you go and day you return are not counted as Poppy mentions.

While Poppy is correct that you don't need to report it unless it is longer than 1 month, I personally would still do so if it was for two weeks or so. Simply because I would want to prevent any issue from a work coach who may try to find fault because they do not know the exact requirements and are just going off gov.uk themselves.

poppy123456 · 15:48

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/976879#Comment_976879

For those with LCWRA you don't have a work coach anyway so there would be no issues with that. Some people think it should be reported, some don't and I'm in the "some don't" group. I've not reported my daughters going away for our annual holiday and she claims UC with LCWRA and there's never been an issue.

It's pretty much the same as the Gov.uk website telling you that all changes must be reported but in some cases this is misleading, especially for benefits such as PIP.

SavageWentWhere · 23:15

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/976904#Comment_976904

Thank you (both) for the reply.

So you've never had issue with not reporting a trip away? I'm actually going out of the UK later on this year too for medical treatment and a surgery and I was defo going to be reporting that.

I will admit I am a little worried about doing any reporting because I just don't trust them not to make things difficult for or to be put under some kind of spotlight.

poppy123456 · 23:26

I don't claim UC myself, I still claim ESA. My daughter claims UC and I'm her appointee so I manage her claim for her. I do not report when we go on holiday and never have. We went last year for 10 days and the year before for 2 weeks. This year it will be for 10 days. She also has LCWRA so no commitments. I've never reported going because it's less than 1 month. Never had any issues.

For your medical treatment if you're out of the country for more than 1 month you must report that. When claiming UC you can go abroad for up to 6 months BUT you must report this and let a decision maker decide when your claim will continue for longer than 1 month. They will no doubt ask you for some evidence of your medical treatment. See link.

https://www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad/universal-credit#:~:text=Going%20abroad%20for%20medical%20treatment,known%20as%20'approved%20convalescence')

Going outside of GB for about 9 hours

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