Brits on a certain benefit have been reminded of a vital rule that could see their payments stopped if not followed. Failing to inform the Government of a trip away could cause serious financial problems.

Recipients of Universal Credit must report a planned holiday to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or risk payments being stopped or reduced. They could even be investigated for benefit fraud.

As reported by The Sun, you could also face a costly fine, of anywhere between £350 and £5,000, if you don't declare your holiday as a change of circumstance.

On the GOV.UK website it warns you would be committing benefit fraud if you “do not tell the office that pays your benefit you’re going abroad, even if it’s just for a visit”.

The same also applies if you “deliberately” do not report a change in your circumstances while abroad, like buying a property, working, or claiming a pension or benefit from another country, or are dishonest in order to get benefits, like continuing to claim the pension or benefit of someone who has died overseas.

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid monthly - or twice a month for some people in Scotland.

You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work, or you cannot work. You could be:

• Out of work
• Working (including self-employed or part-time)
• Unable to work, for example, because of a health condition.

To claim, you must:

• Live in the UK
• Be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
• Be under State Pension age
• Have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.

In the UK, 7.5 million people were reported to be claiming Universal Credit in January 2025.

How long can I go away for and still claim Universal Credit?

For those receiving Universal Credit, it's possible to travel abroad for a month and continue to receive payments, provided you've informed your work coach about your plans and continue to meet the conditions of your claim.

This implies that if you're part of the intensive work group and are required to dedicate a minimum number of hours per week to job hunting, this obligation must be maintained. Exceptions do exist, such as being permitted to stay abroad for up to six months for medical treatment or in the event of a close relative's death.

Different rules apply to other benefits. For example, recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can stay abroad for up to 13 weeks, or 26 weeks for medical treatment.

There are other reasons you could see your Universal Credit payments reduced or stopped. These include:

• Failing to apply for jobs
• Rejecting job offers
• Quitting a job without a good reason
• Missing appointments with the Jobcentre
• Refusing to take work in a different field.

To report a change or appeal a sanction, you can:

Or for written appeals or changes, you can send letters to DWP Complaints, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 2GY.