Being able to take personal time whilst on UC?

Maybe you could talk with your doctor regarding a sick note?

You'd need to check whether this would clear you of commitments for sure (I don't know), but as far as I was aware, if following your commitments is causing you enough distress, you can be temporarily signed off by a doctor without triggering a work capability assessment (because it is just being signed off for a short time).

You sound worried and stressed, and identify that having a break and being able to spend time with loved ones would help to alleviate this stress and worry.

Stress is a health problem and it can be caused by temporary situations and in many cases relieved with a break and time to connect with people so I would say it is arguable that you could ask for a short sick leave without making anything up. Double check though!

When I was having to do 35 hours a week job search, I went on holidays but they said the ridiculous and impossible idea that I should have to be driven back home hundreds of miles if I had a job interview (I can't drive). The alternative was being left home alone and I was in a poor mental state so did not want that. So I went. Rather than applying for jobs in the run-up and during, I did "work preparation" and stated that the poor wifi made it hard to do it as regularly as I planned to (which was true). Nonetheless it was extremely stressful and I spent the holiday isolated from my family in a poor state of health, not benefiting from the rest the trip was supposed to provide.

Take your mental state seriously OP and do what you can. Despite the rules there's no human justification for denying people the rest and time they need with family, especially in the context of a pandemic where people's lives have been at risk and we haven't been able to see each other.

/r/DWPhelp Thread