What is a Universal Credit Sanction?
A Universal Credit sanction is a reduction of your benefit payment for a set time for failing to meet the conditions of your Claimant Commitment. We explain how much this is, the type of sanction that can be given to you, and how to avoid another one.
When you claim Universal Credit, you will need to accept your Claimant Commitment — the responsibilities you have accepted in return for the benefit.
If you fail to meet the conditions of your Claimant Commitment without good reason, your Universal Credit payments may be reduced — this is called a Universal Credit sanction.
How much is a Universal Credit sanction?
A sanction reduces the amount of Universal Credit standard allowance you receive. This depends on your circumstances. For example, your payments will normally be reduced by 100% of the standard allowance rate for each day the sanction is in effect; however, if you are aged 16 or 17, or if your only responsibility is to attend appointments to discuss work, this reduction rate is reduced to 40% for each day the sanction is in effect.
If your payments are already reduced due to how much you earn or other income, and your Universal Credit is so low that they cannot take the full sanction amount, your payments will be reduced to zero, and they will regard the sanction as being fully applied.
This will not affect any extra amounts you receive on top of your standard allowance, such as for children or housing costs. These will still be paid to you. However, you may lose your entitlement to other benefits, such as financial help with NHS costs.
Daily reduction rates
|
Your situation |
100% reduction rate per day |
40% reduction rate per day |
|
Single and under 25 |
£10.40 |
£4.10 |
|
Single and 25 or over |
£13.10 |
£5.20 |
|
Joint claimants, both under 25 (per sanctioned claimant) |
£8.10 |
£3.20 |
|
Joint claimants, one or both aged 25 or over (per sanctioned claimant) |
£10.30 |
£4.10 |
Your daily reduction rate may change if the amount of Universal Credit you are paid changes, or your circumstances change.
Whether you are a single or joint claimant, you will continue to get additional Universal Credit elements if you are sanctioned.
Exceptions
You might have less money taken off your Universal Credit in some circumstances, for example:
- You are pregnant and your baby is due in less than 11 weeks
- You had a baby less than 15 weeks ago
- You have caring responsibilities for young children or people with disabilities
- You are adopting a child, and it has been less than one year since the child was placed with you
If any of these exceptions apply to you, but you are still having the full sanction amount applied to you, please seek advice from a welfare benefits advisor as soon as possible.
How long do Universal Credit sanctions last?
There are four sanction levels, depending on which work-related activity (or ‘conditionality’) group you’re in.
The sanction levels are:
- lowest
- low
- medium
- high
Lowest-level sanctions
You may receive the lowest-level sanction if your only responsibility is to attend appointments to discuss work, and you do not take part without good reason.
These sanctions last from the date of the appointment until the day before you contact the DWP to arrange a new one. You must attend this new appointment.
Low-level sanctions
Most Universal Credit sanctions are low-level. You may get a low-level sanction if, without good reason, you do not:
- Attend and take part in work-focused interviews or appointments, and the lowest level sanction does not apply
- Report work-related changes, such as losing pay
- Provide work-related evidence that you have been asked for
- Attend or take part in training courses or employment schemes that has been recommended as part of your work preparation
- Take specific actions to get paid work or increase your earnings from work
Sanction length if you're aged 18 or over
These sanctions last from the date you failed to take part in the activity you were sanctioned for, lasting until the day before you do the activity, plus a fixed number of extra days.
If you have not received a sanction in the last 365 days, this is usually seven extra days. If you received a sanction in the last 365 days, the number of days added to your sanction usually depends on how many extra days your most recent sanction included:
| Extra days added to your most recent sanction | Extra days added to your next sanction |
|---|---|
| 7 days | 14 days |
| 14 days | 28 days |
| 28 days | 28 days |
Sanction length if you're aged 16 or 17
If you're aged 16 or 17 and you have not received a sanction in the last 365 days, then low-level sanctions start from the date you failed to take part in the activity you were sanctioned for, lasting until the day before you do the activity. No fixed number of extra days is applied.
If you received a low-level sanction in the last 15 to 365 days, then your sanction usually lasts from the date you failed to take part in the activity you were sanctioned for, lasting until the day before you do the activity, plus an extra seven days.
If your most recent low-level sanction was within the last 14 days, your sanction will usually last from the date you failed to take part in the activity you were sanctioned for, lasting until the day before you do the activity, plus the same number of extra days your most recent sanction included.
Medium-level sanctions
You may get a medium-level sanction if you do not do enough to look for work or if you are not available for work. For example, you may get a medium-level sanction if, without good reason:
- You have to look for work, but you do not apply for a particular job when you are told to do so
- You do not take all reasonable actions to find paid work or increase your earnings from work
- You have to be available for job interviews, but you are not available to attend interviews or start work
- You have to be available for work, but you're not able or willing to start paid work immediately
Sanction length if you're aged 18 or older
These sanctions usually last for 28 days for your first medium-level sanction in any 365-day period. If you had a medium-level sanction in the past year, but not within the last 14 days, the sanction may last for 91 days (13 weeks).
Sanction length if you're 16 or 17 years old
If you're aged 16 or 17, medium-level sanctions will usually last seven days. If you've had a medium-level sanction in the past 365 days, your sanction will usually be 14 days.
| Number of medium-level sanctions | Duration |
|---|---|
| First time (aged 18 or older) | 28 days (4 weeks) |
| First time (aged 16 or 17) | 7 days (1 week) |
| Second time and each subsequent time (aged 18 or older) | 91 days (3 months) |
| Second time and each subsequent time (aged 16 or 17) | 14 days (2 weeks) |
High-level sanctions
You might get a high-level sanction if, without good reason:
- You have to look for work, but you do not apply for a particular job when told to do so
- You have to be available for work, but you fail to accept a job offer
- You leave a job or lose pay by choice while claiming Universal Credit, or just before you claim Universal Credit
- You leave a job or lose pay due to misconduct while claiming Universal Credit, or just before you claim Universal Credit
Sanction length if you're aged 18 or older
You'll be sanctioned for 91 days for your first high-level sanction in any 365-day period. If you have had a high-level sanction in the past 365 days but not in the last 14 days, your sanction can be a maximum of 182 days (about six months).
Sanction length if you're 16 or 17 years old
If you're 16 or 17 years old, a high-level sanction will usually last for 14 days. If you had a high-level sanction in the past 365 days, the sanction will usually be 28 days.
| Number of high-level sanctions | Duration |
|---|---|
| First time (aged 18 or older) | 91 days (3 months) |
| First time (aged 16 or 17) | 14 days (2 weeks) |
| Second time and each subsequent time (aged 18 or older) | 182 days (6 months) |
| Second time and each subsequent time (aged 16 or 17) | 28 days (4 weeks) |
How does a Universal Sanction reduction work?
You cannot receive more than one sanction at once; however, if you have received another sanction, it can be applied once your current sanction has ended.
When you have received a sanction, it will be taken from your next Universal Credit payment, or future payments, until your sanction has ended.
Sanctions are calculated after taking your earnings and unearned income into consideration. If there is not enough Universal Credit remaining to take the full sanction amount, the sanction will be reduced to zero and considered to be paid in full.
If you are struggling financially because of your Universal Credit sanction, read our guide on how to get financial help if you have had a Universal Credit sanction.
What can I do if I don't agree with a sanction?
If you don't agree with a Universal Credit sanction, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the issued sanction. Find out how to challenge a Universal Credit sanction.
How to avoid another Universal Credit sanction?
There are several things you can do to make sure you don't receive another Universal Credit sanction.
Making sure your Claimant Commitment is suitable for you
If you are finding it challenging to meet the conditions of your Claimant Commitment, you should discuss changing this with your work coach.
Get more advice with our how to change your Universal Credit Claimant Commitment guide.
Reporting a change in circumstance
You are required to inform the DWP of any change in your personal circumstances. You should contact the Universal Credit helpline immediately to avoid an additional sanction.
If you can't make a Jobcentre appointment
If you can't make your scheduled Jobcentre appointment, you will need to contact them immediately and explain your reasons and ask to rearrange for another day.
If you contact them by phone, make a note of the following:
- The date and time of the call.
- The person you spoke with.
If you're finding the cost of travelling to and from your Jobcentre appointment is too much, you can ask your work coach what support is available.
Keep a work-related journal
You should keep a work-related journal to provide evidence of meeting the conditions of your Claimant Commitment. This could include:
- The time, date and duration you spent looking for a job online.
- Recording what jobs you've applied for.
- If you haven't been able to apply, write down the reasons why and provide evidence (such as a doctors note if you were unwell).
