Claimant commitment

People claiming universal credit must accept the 'claimant commitment' condition under which they will be allocated to one of the groups listed below, which will determine the nature of their commitment.[1]

A claimant in this group is not required to undertake any work-related activity in order to receive universal credit. Claimants in this group include those who:[2]

• have limited capability for work and work-related activity

• qualify for state pension credit

• are pregnant and due to give birth within 11 weeks

• have regular and substantial caring responsibilities for a severely disabled person, or

• are the responsible carer for a child under the age of one.

In addition, a claimant who is a victim of domestic violence will be entitled to a 13 week exemption from work-related requirements.[3]

A claimant whose earnings are equal or exceed the 'earnings threshold' which relates to the amount s/he would earn at national minimum wage, working the same number of hours as set out in her/his 'claimant commitment', will also be exempt from work-related requirements.[4]

A claimant in this group must attend work-focused interviews to discuss her/his plans for getting back to work. S/he will not be required to look for, or take up, work. A claimant will be allocated to this group if s/he:[5]

• is the responsible carer for a child aged one (prior to 3 April 2017, the child could be aged between one and three)

• is a foster carer of a child aged one or over

• is a foster parent of a 'qualifying young person' with care needs. For universal credit purposes, a 'qualifying young person' is a person aged between 16 and 19 in non-advanced education or approved training, and not in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance or universal credit.[6]

A claimant will be allocated to this group if s/he is assessed as having a limited capability for work, or is the responsible carer for a child aged two (prior to 3 April 2017, the child could be aged three or four).[7]

S/he will not be required to look for or take up work, but will be expected to take steps to prepare for a move into work, or for a move to better paid work. The steps could include attending work-focused interviews, participating in an employment programme, attending training courses or preparing a CV.

A claimant who does not fall into any of the above groups will be allocated to the all work-related requirements group.[8] This includes the 'responsible carer' (including single parents) of a child aged three or over (prior to 3 April 2017, the 'responsible carer' fell into this group once their child was aged five or over).

A claimant in this group will be expected to look for and be available to take up work. A 'work search requirement' will require such a claimant to take 'all reasonable action' to obtain work. Action to find work includes carrying out searches for work, making applications, putting together an online profile to find work, and registering with an employment agency.

A working claimant allocated to this group will be expected to look for an increase in hours or better paid work.

If a claimant does not comply with all the requirements attached to her/his claimant commitment, s/he will incur in a sanction by way of a reduction of her/his universal credit. There are four levels of sanction:

• higher

• medium

• low

• lowest.

The level of sanction applicable to a claimant will depend on the nature of her/his non-compliance, and the group s/he is in.[9]

In the event of sanctions the claimant can apply for a hardship payment.[10] With effect from 28 April 2014, the claimant can only get a hardship payment where the sanction is set at 100% of her/his benefit.[11]