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Holiday Warning For DWP Universal Credit And PIP Claimants

If you're on Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and planning a holiday, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has some rules you need to follow. You must tell them about any changes in your situation, like going abroad, as it could affect your benefits.

You can officially go on holiday for up to a month, but you still have to stick to the rules you agreed to when you first signed up. This means if you're in an intensive work search group, you have to spend between 35 and 37 hours a week looking for a job, even while you're on holiday. After changes to earning limits, an extra 114,000 people were put into the intensive work search group in September 2022, followed by another 120,000 in January 2023.

If you're going abroad for a short time, you can claim certain benefits for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it's for medical treatment). You can keep getting Carer's Allowance if you take up to four weeks' holiday out of 26 weeks. Remember to tell the office that deals with your benefit that you'll be away. These are the holiday rules for PIP claimants, reports MyLondon. The Government's guide to PIP says that people must tell the DWP about changes in their situation.

What you need to do if going on holiday

The PIP guide explains: "We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad."

If you're on PIP and you leave the UK for more than four weeks, it might change your payments. The rules say: "We need to know if the claimant's condition, the amount of help they need or their circumstances change. This is because it may change how much PIP they can get."

The guide also says: "It is important the claimant tells DWP straight away about any changes in their life that could affect their benefit. Based on these changes their benefit may go up, go down, stay the same or it may stop. If the claimant is overpaid, they will normally have to repay the money. Failure to tell DWP about any of these changes may result in prosecution."

You can go abroad for a short time, up to 13 weeks, or 26 weeks for medical treatment, without affecting your PIP. But you must tell them if you'll be away for four weeks or more.

Universal Credit holiday rules

For Universal Credit, the Government advises: "You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month. You need to report changes as soon as they happen. Any delay may mean you receive too much money and will have to make a repayment. Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you're paid for your whole assessment period - not just from the date you report them."

To start receiving Universal Credit, you must be in the UK when you apply. If you've just returned from holiday or will be going on one on the same day, that's okay. Just make sure you apply while you're in the country.

When you go on holiday, which can be up to one month long, it's important to follow the rules set out when you signed up for Universal Credit. This usually involves proving that you are job hunting. In some cases, you may need to return to the UK for a job interview or to start work.

If there are any changes in your life, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) needs to know about it. These changes could include having a baby, moving in with someone, changing your address, leaving a job, being unable to work due to illness, not being able to meet your work coach, or changing your bank details, phone number or email address. If any of these changes occur, it's essential to call the Universal Credit helpline at 0800 328 5644.

10 U.S. Airports With The Most Holiday Flight Delays—According To New Report

Some airports are more prone to flight delays during the holiday season, and they're not in areas ... [+] that get pounded with snow.

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You're headed home for the holidays—and hopefully, barring any flight delays, you make it before the turkey hits the table or the holiday festivities get underway. A new report from Upgraded Points, a points and miles website, reveals the airports where travelers are most likely to be delayed during the winter holiday season.

While you might expect airports in winter wonderlands to top the list, the most flight delays actually happen at airports in states with mild weather, the analysis found.

"Weather as one of the top causes of holiday flight delays is a common misconception," Audrey Small, a research assistant with Upgraded Points said.

In fact, across all carriers and airports that the team analyzed, weather was a cause of flight delays in November and December about 25% of the time in 2022 and even less frequently in 2021.

Airports with the highest percentage of delays are, surprisingly, not in cold-weather cities.

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"The large majority of delayed flights are caused by other factors, such as air carrier delays, an aircraft arriving late, and national aviation system delays," Small said.

Flight delays are an inevitable part of traveling, especially as the 2023 holiday travel season is bound to be a busy one. Nearly half (48%) of people plan to travel during the holiday, according to Deloitte, which is up 31% from last year. Airports will be especially hectic, as the Transportation Security Administration predicts the busiest holiday season on record.

But knowing which airports and carriers tend to have more delays can help you avoid travel hiccups, especially if you've got options when it comes to the routes on your itinerary or which carrier you fly.

The holiday travel season is expected to be exceptionally busy this year.

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To determine the U.S. Airports most prone to holiday flight delays, the researchers at Upgraded Points analyzed on-time performance data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation. The team looked at data from 2014 to 2022 during the winter holiday season between December 14 and January 5. The study evaluated the 100 busiest U.S. Airports and the 10 largest U.S. Airlines, determined by Federal Aviation Administration data.

Which Airports Have The Highest Percentage Of Delayed Departures During The Holiday Season?

The average percentage of delayed flights from airports is 25%, according to Upgraded Points. Here are the airports that have higher-than-average delayed departures.

No. 1: El Paso International Airport (ELP) in Texas: 32.8%

No. 2: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico: 30.7%

No. 3: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) in New Mexico: 30.6%

No. 4: San Antonio International Airport (SAT) in Texas: 30.3%

No. 5: William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston, Texas: 30.2%

No. 6: Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma: 30%

No. 7: Oakland International Airport (OAK) in California: 29.8%

No. 8: Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) in Nevada: 29.7%

No. 9: Sacramento International Airport: (SMF): 29.3%

No. 10: Boise Airport (BOI): 29.2%

Which Airlines Have The Most Delays During The Holiday Season?

Upgraded Points analyzed the airlines with the highest percentage of holiday flight delays.

Upgraded Points

The top 5 airlines with the most delayed departures during the holiday season are as follows:

No. 1: Frontier Airlines: 31.9%

No. 2: Southwest Airlines: 31.8%

No. 3: JetBlue: 30.8%

No. 4: Allegiant Air: 29.2%

No. 5: Spirit Airlines: 28.1%

What Airports Have The Smallest Percentage Of Delays During The Holiday Season?

On the flip side, some airports boast good on-time records. These are the top five airports for on-time departures, according to Upgraded Points, which reported the following percentages of holiday delays:

No. 1: Lihue Airport (LIH) on the Island of Kauai: 16.8%

No. 2: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina: 17.4%

No. 3: Kahului Airport (OGG) on the Island of Maui: 17.6%

No. 4: Kona International At Keahole Airport (KOA) on the island of Hawaii: 17.9%

No. 5: Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia: 19.4%

Retail Sales Fall 0.8% In January From December As Shoppers Pause After Strong Holiday Season

NEW YORK -- Americans pulled back their spending more than expected in January after the traditional holiday season splurge.

Retail sales fell 0.8% in January from the strong pace in December when they rose a revised 0.4%, according to the Commerce Department's report on Thursday. Excluding sales at auto dealerships and gas stations, sales were down 0.5% for the month. The decline was bigger than the 0.10% drop that economists projected and marked the lowest monthly figure since March of last year.

Economists attributed part of the pullback to snowy weather conditions, but they also said the slowdown shows that shoppers may finally be buckling under higher interest rates and other financial hurdles and that the economic momentum from the end of 2023 could be starting to fade. Consumers account for roughly two-thirds of economic activity.

Excluding sales of autos, gas, building materials, and restaurant meals, the so-called control group of sales — used to calculate economic growth —fell 0.4% in January. Economists expected an increase.

The retail sales report could offer positive news that the Federal Reserve could finally start to cut rates, bringing relief to shoppers and businesses seeking lower rates for borrowing.

"Real consumption appears to have declined in January and, even allowing for a recovery over February and March, growth will slow sharply in the first quarter," wrote Andrew Hunter, deputy chief U.S. Economist at Capital Economics, in a report. "The upshot is that Fed officials may not need to worry much longer about the possibility of continued economic resilience reigniting inflation."

Despite higher borrowing costs and elevated prices, household spending continues to be fueled by a strong jobs market and rising wages.

There was another surprising burst of hiring to start off 2024 as employers added 353,000 jobs in January, more evidence that the highest interest rates in two decades, intended to slow the economy, have yet to take hold.

But last month's slowdown was widespread as shoppers cut back their spending in nine of 13 categories including clothing and accessory stores. Sales at building materials and garden suppliers fell a steep 4.1%, reflecting bad weather. Online sales fell 0.8%. But a solid gain at restaurants showed that spending at services remains sturdy, analysts said.

Consumer inflation in the United States cooled last month yet remained high, and the U.S. Reported this week that consumer price index rose 0.3% from December to January. Compared with a year ago, prices are up 3.1%.

That's far below the 9.1% inflation peak in mid-2022, but solidly above the Federal Reserve's 2% target level at a time when public frustration with inflation has become a pivotal issue in President Joe Biden's bid for re-election.

Starting next week, major retailers including Walmart and Macy's are slated to report fiscal fourth-quarter results, which includes the holiday period.

But weaker sales at some of the big food and beverage companies could forebode a slowdown in spending at stores.

Kraft Heinz reported on Tuesday that fourth-quarter sales slipped as some customers, pinched by a bout of inflation, traded down to cheaper brands or did not buy as much.

A number of food makers, citing inflation, have raised product prices and that has helped preserve profits. But that can come at a cost to sales as some customers look for bargains elsewhere.

Last week PepsiCo, which makes snacks and drinks, experienced a similar trade-off after multiple price hikes, and it posted a rare decline in revenue.

Bill Barton, CEO of Bob's Discount Furniture, noted the chain of more than 170 stores has been the beneficiary of shoppers trading down from department stores to less expensive options. The starting price for bedroom sets at Bob's is $999. Barton noted that the Manchester, Connecticut-based company is able to keep costs down by offering fewer choices than department stores but going deep in inventory.

But Barton said shoppers are still cautious about spending on big ticket items because of higher borrowing costs. And the still high mortgage rates for homes has also dampened furniture sales.

"The impact of rates coming down would definitely improve furniture sales," he said. "It would certainly be good for the furniture category to take some pressure off the consumer in multiple ways."

One big bright spot has been the beauty sector, helped by post-pandemic splurges by shoppers looking to indulge themselves in self-care and grooming products.

E.L.F. Beauty raised its annual profit and sales outlook last week after the beauty company reported strong sales in the latest quarter that included the holiday season.

"We've long been bullish on beauty," CEO Tarang P. Amin told The Associated Press. "It's one of these great categories, where particularly with all the pent-up demand from the pandemic, people really expressed themselves."

The government's monthly retail sales report offers only a partial look at consumer spending; it doesn't include many services, including health care, travel and hotel lodging.

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AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber in Washington contributed to this report.

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio: http://twitter.Com/ADInnocenzio

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