Universal Credit claimant commitment
This information applies to England and Wales.
If you claim Universal Credit, you must agree to a ‘claimant commitment’. This is a list of things you need to do to receive your payments.
Your claimant commitment depends on which group the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has put you in after a Work Capability Assessment.
You can see your claimant commitment in your Universal Credit account.
Sign into your Universal Credit account
If you struggle to do the tasks on your claimant commitment, you can ask if they can be reduced or stopped.
If you are too ill for work-related requirements
If your health has changed, you can ask for another Work Capability Assessment. The DWP might put you in a different group.
Check you’re in the right Universal Credit work-related activity group (Citizens Advice)
Warning Avoid benefits sanctions
It is important to:
- do the tasks on your claimant commitment
- speak to your work coach if you cannot do them
Otherwise, the DWP could reduce or stop your benefits.
For example, your work coach invites you to an in-person meeting, but you cannot do this.
Leave a note on your Universal Credit journal asking for a phone or video meeting instead.
Sign into your Universal Credit account
Work-related requirements
If you are in the:
your claimant commitment includes work-related requirements.
These are regular tasks the DWP asks you to do to prepare for work. For example:
- meeting a work coach
- doing training
- writing a CV
If you are in the fit for work group, you also need to look for work.
If your work-related requirements are not accessible
Your work-related requirements might not be accessible to you. You can request a reasonable adjustment.
No work-related requirements
If you are in the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) group, your claimant commitment will not have work-related requirements.
But you might have to agree to other things. For example, to tell the DWP about any change of circumstances.
If you are terminally ill
If it is reasonable to think that your illness could be terminal within 12 months, you are exempt from a claimant commitment. Ask your doctor or medical professional to fill out a SR1 form.
If you are too ill for work-related requirements
You might have work-related requirements but are too ill to do them. You can try to negotiate with your work coach. They may be able to reduce or stop them.
Contact the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Explain you would like an appointment with your work coach to talk about changing your claimant commitment.
Universal Credit helpline (GOV.UK)
Before the appointment, you can post in your Universal Credit journal. Explain why you find it hard to do the work-related requirements.
Sign into your Universal Credit account
You can also get support to negotiate with Universal Credit or your work coach.
If you think you have been treated unfairly
What your work coach decides
Your work coach has a duty to consider your request and your circumstances. But they will decide whether to reduce or stop your work-related requirements.
You can ask to have a new work coach, but you may not be given one.
You can also complain.
If you think you have been treated unfairly
If you are too ill to look for work
If you are in the fit for work group, you must look for work. If you feel too ill and your health has changed, ask for a Work Capability Assessment.
After this, the DWP may put you in a different group.
If you are on long-term sick leave
If you are already employed but are on long-term sick leave, you should not have to:
- do training
- look for work
for the first 14 days after you tell Universal Credit about your fit note.
If your work coach asks you to do these things, get advice.
Fit notes
A fit note is the same as a sick note. It is a document from your GP to say you cannot work for a specific period of time.
Tell Universal Credit about a fit note as soon as you receive it. You should be able to do this through your Universal Credit journal.
For the first 14 days after you send in the fit note, you will not need to:
- do work-related requirements
- look for work if that is in your claimant commitment
After 14 days, your work coach could ask you to do work-related requirements, but they also have the discretion to stop or reduce them.
If your work coach asks you to do these things while you have a fit note, you can:
- leave a note in your Universal Credit journal to ask for a meeting with them
- call the Universal Credit helpline
You can also get support to negotiate with Universal Credit or your work coach.
Benefit sanctions
If you do not fulfil your claimant commitment without a good reason, you risk a benefit sanction. Good reasons include:
- you were too ill or
- you had caring responsibilities
A benefit sanction means the DWP reduces or stops your benefit payments for a time.
Sanctions after missed appointments
Many stopped or reduced payments (sanctions) happen because of missed appointments.
If you know you will have to miss an appointment, make sure you leave a message on your Universal Credit journal before it happens and explain why.
If you have a sanction
You can ask for a mandatory reconsideration.
For example, you were too ill to attend an appointment with your work coach and you get a sanction.
During a mandatory reconsideration, the DWP will decide if you had a good reason for missing the appointment.
Avoid or challenge a Universal Credit sanction (Advicenow)
You can get support to speak to Universal Credit.
If you think you have been treated unfairly
Hardship payments
You can apply for a hardship payment if you have been sanctioned. This is a loan you have to pay back.
Apply through your Universal Credit journal. Explain how you are finding it difficult to pay your bills.
Contact Universal Credit (GOV.UK)
Get a hardship payment if you’ve been sanctioned (Citizens Advice)
If you think you have been treated unfairly
There are things you can do if you think you have been treated unfairly. You can:
- talk to your work coach. Leave a note in your Universal Credit journal asking for a meeting.
- ask for a different work coach. Universal Credit might not agree to this.
- complain to the DWP
- speak to your MP
Last reviewed by Scope on: 06/11/2024
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