Leaving work without good reason
If you leave work without good reason you will not be able to get the adult component of Income Support for 13 weeks. This does not apply to you if you:
- are not expected to find work under Income Support rules
- have a good reason for leaving a job, such as compulsory redundancy
If you are aged under 65, are thinking of leaving your job and think you will need to claim benefit, you should first speak to us about your options. Our staff will be able to advise you on how to avoid cuts to your benefit.
If you start or finish a new job
If you're receiving Income Support and you start or finish a new job, or your hours or pay change, you need to let us know within 14 days.
If you don't, you may lose benefit, or you may be overpaid benefit which you would have to repay.
You can tell us about any employment changes using the form below.
Tell Income Support about your employment changes
Income Support and failing to look for work
If the Income Support rules expect you to look for work, you must do this. This includes participating in training or work experience that has been arranged for you, attending interviews and taking up any suitable work that is offered to you.
If you don't, our officers have the power to:
- reduce or stop your Income Support payments
- reduce or stop Income Support payments to your entire household, including payments for rent and special payments
- prevent people who leave work without a good reason from getting the adult component of Income Support
Cuts to your payments will get longer if you ignore a written warning that you are not doing enough to look for work. Once you receive a written warning, it will stay active for at least a year. If you breach the written warning, your benefit will be cut.
Penalties for failing to look for work
If you do not do enough to look for work, your benefit will be cut. If you repeatedly ignore written warnings about your behaviour, all payments to your household will eventually be stopped. As well as payments being stopped, a person who reaches the third or subsequent breach of a warning will be required to show 42 days’ (six weeks) compliance with jobseeking requirements before they can claim Income Support again.
| First occasion | Warning | None | In place for one year from date of receipt |
| Second occasion | First breach of warning | Adult component of Income Support removed for two weeks | In place for one year from date of receipt |
| Third occasion | Second breach of warning | Adult component of Income Support removed for four weeks | In place for one year from date of receipt |
| Fourth occasion | Third breach of warning | All Income Support removed for six weeks minimum | In place for one year from date of receipt |
| Subsequent occasions | Subsequent breach | All Income Support removed for six weeks minimum | In place for one year from date of receipt |
If the adult component is removed, this will also include any additional amount that is paid to a single parent.
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