Customers in the No Work Related Requirements Group, for example those with a severe mental health condition or disability, are not subject to conditionality requirements and therefore not subject to sanctions.

Customers are only ever sanctioned if they fail to meet their agreed requirements without good reason and they are given every opportunity to explain why they failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirement before a decision is made. We recognise the importance of understanding how a mental health condition impacts someone’s ability to search for or prepare for work and Claimant Commitments are set in discussion with the claimant and tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department records information on the number of children living in Universal Credit households and these are published every three months as part of the official Universal Credit statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics). The Department also records information on the number of people who have received a sanction on Universal Credit, and these are published every three months as part of the official Benefit Sanctions Statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions). These statistics are produced using different methodologies and it is not possible to provide appropriately quality assured statistics within the disproportionate cost limit.

Ministers frequently ask officials for data and information on a wide range of subjects both informally and formally.

Statistics are published regularly showing the number of Universal Credit full-service customers with a payment that has been reduced due to a sanction. These can be found in the Universal Credit sanction rates dataset on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml). Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, they can also access guidance (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html) on how to extract the information required.

In 2023, 21,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,400 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,200 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2022, 25,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,600 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,500 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2021, 17,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 1,200 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,400 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2020, 12,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 730 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 810 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

Note: for couple claims, both claimants must accept their claimant commitment, or the claim will close due to a claimant commitment not being accepted. This means that for some claimants with each work group requirement above, they accepted their claimant commitment, but the other claimant did not.

Legislation sets out the types of requirements that can be applied to claimants depending on the labour market regime/legal conditionality group that applies to them. The requirements any claimant is asked to meet will be clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment.

All claimants regardless of their conditionality group, including those in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ regime, must accept a Claimant Commitment as a condition of entitlement. Claimants must accept the commitment within 7 days and failure to do this will result in claim termination.

In exceptional circumstances where a claimant is unable to accept a Claimant Commitment we can remove the requirement to do so. This may include, for example, claimants who have an appointee or someone acting on their behalf, claimants who are incapacitated in hospital and exceptional emergency situations.

Claimants who are in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ group are not subject to conditionality. This group includes claimants who are too sick to work, over State Pension Age, have defined caring responsibilities or are earning over their conditionality earnings threshold.

In 2023, 21,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,400 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,200 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2022, 25,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,600 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,500 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2021, 17,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 1,200 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,400 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2020, 12,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 730 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 810 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

Note: for couple claims, both claimants must accept their claimant commitment, or the claim will close due to a claimant commitment not being accepted. This means that for some claimants with each work group requirement above, they accepted their claimant commitment, but the other claimant did not.

Legislation sets out the types of requirements that can be applied to claimants depending on the labour market regime/legal conditionality group that applies to them. The requirements any claimant is asked to meet will be clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment.

All claimants regardless of their conditionality group, including those in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ regime, must accept a Claimant Commitment as a condition of entitlement. Claimants must accept the commitment within 7 days and failure to do this will result in claim termination.

In exceptional circumstances where a claimant is unable to accept a Claimant Commitment we can remove the requirement to do so. This may include, for example, claimants who have an appointee or someone acting on their behalf, claimants who are incapacitated in hospital and exceptional emergency situations.

Claimants who are in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ group are not subject to conditionality. This group includes claimants who are too sick to work, over State Pension Age, have defined caring responsibilities or are earning over their conditionality earnings threshold.

In 2023, 21,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,400 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,200 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2022, 25,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,600 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,500 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2021, 17,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 1,200 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,400 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2020, 12,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 730 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 810 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

Note: for couple claims, both claimants must accept their claimant commitment, or the claim will close due to a claimant commitment not being accepted. This means that for some claimants with each work group requirement above, they accepted their claimant commitment, but the other claimant did not.

Legislation sets out the types of requirements that can be applied to claimants depending on the labour market regime/legal conditionality group that applies to them. The requirements any claimant is asked to meet will be clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment.

All claimants regardless of their conditionality group, including those in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ regime, must accept a Claimant Commitment as a condition of entitlement. Claimants must accept the commitment within 7 days and failure to do this will result in claim termination.

In exceptional circumstances where a claimant is unable to accept a Claimant Commitment we can remove the requirement to do so. This may include, for example, claimants who have an appointee or someone acting on their behalf, claimants who are incapacitated in hospital and exceptional emergency situations.

Claimants who are in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ group are not subject to conditionality. This group includes claimants who are too sick to work, over State Pension Age, have defined caring responsibilities or are earning over their conditionality earnings threshold.

In 2023, 21,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,400 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,200 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2022, 25,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 2,600 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,500 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2021, 17,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 1,200 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 1,400 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

In 2020, 12,000 claimants with a claimant commitment with 'No work-related requirements', 730 with 'Work preparation' requirements, and 810 with 'Work-focussed interview' requirements were part of a UC claim that closed because a claimant commitment was not accepted.

Note: for couple claims, both claimants must accept their claimant commitment, or the claim will close due to a claimant commitment not being accepted. This means that for some claimants with each work group requirement above, they accepted their claimant commitment, but the other claimant did not.

Legislation sets out the types of requirements that can be applied to claimants depending on the labour market regime/legal conditionality group that applies to them. The requirements any claimant is asked to meet will be clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment.

All claimants regardless of their conditionality group, including those in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ regime, must accept a Claimant Commitment as a condition of entitlement. Claimants must accept the commitment within 7 days and failure to do this will result in claim termination.

In exceptional circumstances where a claimant is unable to accept a Claimant Commitment we can remove the requirement to do so. This may include, for example, claimants who have an appointee or someone acting on their behalf, claimants who are incapacitated in hospital and exceptional emergency situations.

Claimants who are in the ‘No Work-Related Requirements’ group are not subject to conditionality. This group includes claimants who are too sick to work, over State Pension Age, have defined caring responsibilities or are earning over their conditionality earnings threshold.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

No assessment has been made of the potential mental health impact of sanctions for (a) minor infringements of welfare rules and (b) being late for jobcentre meetings.

Under Universal Credit, sanctions do not apply to all customers. Those with a health condition, illness or disability who are found to have ‘limited capability for work and work-related requirements’, are not subject to work-related conditions and will therefore not be sanctioned. Those on work-related benefits are expected to take responsibility for meeting the conditionality requirements they have agreed with their work coach to do so. Where a customer on a work-related benefit has a health condition, illness or a disability, work coaches have the discretion to tailor their requirements to what is reasonable and achievable taking into account the individual's condition. Additionally, in some circumstances a customer’s work-related requirements maybe be lifted for a period if their ability to carry them out is disrupted due to their personal circumstances.

A sanction is only applied where an individual has failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirements without demonstrating good reason for doing so and in the cases where vulnerabilities are known or suspected, a pre-referral quality check is undertaken prior to any sanction referral to ensure that it is appropriate in the circumstances. For minor conditionality failures, including failing to attend a mandatory appointment with a work coach an open-ended sanction is applied. Open-ended sanctions can be ended at any time by the customer simply re-engaging with their work coach and complying with the failed conditionality requirement.

Under Universal Credit, sanctions do not apply to all customers. Those with a health condition, illness or disability who are found to have ‘limited capability for work and work-related requirements’, are not subject to work-related conditions and will therefore not be sanctioned.

Those on work-related benefits are expected to take responsibility for meeting the conditionality requirements they have agreed with their work coach. Where a customer on a work-related benefit has a health condition, illness or a disability, work coaches have the discretion to tailor their requirements to what is reasonable and achievable taking into account the individual's condition. In some circumstances a customer’s work-related requirements maybe be lifted for a period if their ability to carry them out is disrupted due to their personal circumstances.

A sanction is only applied where an individual has failed to meet their agreed conditionality requirements without demonstrating good reason for doing so and in cases where vulnerabilities are known or suspected, a pre-referral quality check is undertaken prior to any sanction referral to ensure that it is appropriate in the circumstances. For customers who demonstrate that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs as a result of a sanction, we have a well-established system of hardship payments. These needs can include heating, food and hygiene.

Statistics are published regularly showing the number of Universal Credit full service claimants with a payment that has been reduced due to a sanction. These can be found in the UC sanction rates dataset on Stat-Xplore and are available by Westminster parliamentary constituency monthly from April 2019 to August 2023.

There is no change to free prescriptions eligibility as a result of the sanctions measures announced at Autumn Statement 2023.

The Autumn Statement 2023 claim closure measures will only impact customers who are entitled to the Universal Credit (UC) Standard Allowance and where they do not re-engage for a continuous period of six months or more following an open-ended sanction decision.

Entitlement to free prescriptions is based on receipt of a monetary award of UC, sanctioned customers in receipt of the UC Standard Allowance only will lose their entitlement to help with health costs at the point that the sanction decision is applied. Therefore, closure of their claim after 6-months will not change this position.

The Autumn Statement 2023 measure will not be applied where the customer receives additional amounts of UC for childcare, housing, or a disability, or where they have a new, or pre-existing vulnerability which impacts on their ability to look for, or to take up work.

The Department collects information on UC households which includes the number of children by age group and the age of the youngest child. The Department also collects data on UC households with entitlement to the Disabled Child element which is payable where a child is entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP). All this information is published as part of the quarterly Universal Credit statistics (see https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics), with further breakdowns available in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore (see https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/tableView/tableView.xhtml).

The measures announced at Autumn Statement 2023 are designed to ensure that individuals that can work, will engage with support and opportunities available to them.

Additionally, the Autumn Statement claim closure measure will not be applied where the customer receives additional amounts of Universal Credit for a disability, or where they have a new, or pre-existing vulnerability which impacts on their ability to look for, or to take up work.

The conditionality and sanctions regime does not apply to those with Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity and where an individual on a work-related benefit has a health condition or a disability, work coaches have the discretion to tailor their conditionality requirements to what is reasonable and achievable – these requirements can also be lifted for a period if an individual’s ability to carry them out is disrupted due to their personal circumstances.

No assessment is required as there is no change to free prescriptions eligibility as a result of the sanctions measures announced at Autumn Statement 2023.

The Autumn Statement 2023 claim closure measures will only impact customers who are entitled to the UC Standard Allowance and where they do not re-engage for a continuous period of six months or more following an open-ended sanction decision.

Entitlement to free prescriptions is based on receipt of a monetary award of UC, sanctioned customers in receipt of the UC Standard Allowance only will lose their entitlement to help with health costs at the point that the sanction decision is applied. Therefore, closure of their claim after 6-month will not change this position.

This measure will not be applied where the customer receives additional amounts of Universal Credit for childcare, housing, or a disability, or where they have a new, or pre-existing vulnerability which impacts on their ability to look for, or to take up work.

Comprehensive Universal Credit guidance is provided to Work Coaches when referring cases for a decision, which may lead to a sanction. For example, before referring for or applying a sanction, staff must consider if the claimant is a care leaver, has complex needs, is vulnerable, has a health condition or if there have been previous sanctions recorded in the last 12 months.

For sanctions imposed on Universal Credit claimants with dependent children; all claimants will have their conditionality tailored to their individual circumstances.

Relevant guidance for Decision Makers is available on GOV.uk. Specific relevant chapters can be found here:

K1: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/644a43f8faf4aa0012e12f52/admk1.pdf

K2: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61e13d648fa8f5058667834d/adm-k2.pdf

K3: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64b6afc961adff000d01b2f9/admk3.pdf

K4: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c92307840f0b633f71989d7/admk4.pdf

K5: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64ca5b6421df0f000dab4be6/admk5.pdf

K6: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d0b94a3e5274a0694afe5c3/admk6.pdf

K8: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5aa2811de5274a3e391e37a6/admk8.pdf

K9: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64b6afd60ea2cb000d15e546/admk9.pdf