Welfare Reform Act 2012
Sections and provisions with full text and the judgments that cite each one.
Section 1 — Universal credit
Universal credit 1 1 A benefit known as universal credit is payable in accordance with this Part. 2 Universal credit may, subject as follows, be awarded to— a an individual who is not a member of a…
Section 1A — Duration of contributory allowance
Duration of contributory allowance 1A 1 The period for which a person is entitled to a contributory allowance by virtue of the first and second conditions set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 shall not…
Section 1B — Further entitlement after time-limiting
Further entitlement after time-limiting 1B 1 Where a person's entitlement to a contributory allowance has ceased as a result of section 1A (1) or (4) but— a the person has not at any subsequent time…
Section 1C — Claimant commitment
Claimant commitment 1C 1 For the purposes of this Part a “claimant commitment” is a record of the claimant's responsibilities in relation to an award of an employment and support allowance. 2 A…
Section 2 — Claims
Claims 2 1 A claim may be made for universal credit by— a a single person, or b members of a couple jointly. 2 Regulations may specify circumstances in which a member of a couple may make a claim as…
Section 2A — Restriction on section 2 arrangements: sex industry
Restriction on section 2 arrangements: sex industry 2A 1 Arrangements made by the Secretary of State under section 2 may not include arrangements in respect of employment for sexual purposes. 2 For…
Section 3 — Entitlement
Entitlement 3 1 A single claimant is entitled to universal credit if the claimant meets— a the basic conditions, and b the financial conditions for a single claimant. 2 Joint claimants are jointly…
Section 3A — Housing credit
Housing credit 3A 1 The first of the conditions mentioned in section 1(2)(c)(iii) is that the claimant is liable to make payments in respect of the accommodation he occupies as his home. 2 The second…
Section 4 — Basic conditions
Basic conditions 4 1 For the purposes of section 3, a person meets the basic conditions who— a is at least 18 years old, b has not reached the qualifying age for state pension credit, c is in Great…
Section 4A
4A Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a person may be entitled to employment and support allowance without having accepted a claimant commitment.
Section 4B — Entitlement to work in the United Kingdom
Entitlement to work in the United Kingdom 4B Regulations may provide that in prescribed circumstances a person who is not entitled to be in employment in the United Kingdom may nevertheless be…
Section 5 — Financial conditions
Financial conditions 5 1 For the purposes of section 3, the financial conditions for a single claimant are that— a the claimant's capital, or a prescribed part of it, is not greater than a prescribed…
Section 6 — Restrictions on entitlement
Restrictions on entitlement 6 1 Entitlement to universal credit does not arise— a in prescribed circumstances (even though the requirements in section 3 are met); b if the requirements in section 3…
Section 6A — Claimant commitment
Claimant commitment 6A 1 A claimant commitment is a record of a claimant's responsibilities in relation to an award of a jobseeker's allowance. 2 A claimant commitment is to be prepared by the…
Section 6B — Work-focused interview requirement
Work-focused interview requirement 6B 1 In this Act a “work-focused interview requirement” is a requirement that a claimant participate in one or more work-focused interviews as specified by the…
Section 6C — Work preparation requirement
Work preparation requirement 6C 1 In this Act a “work preparation requirement” is a requirement that a claimant take particular action specified by the Secretary of State for the purpose of making it…
Section 6D — Work search requirement
Work search requirement 6D 1 In this Part a “work search requirement” is a requirement that a claimant take— a all reasonable action, and b any particular action specified by the Secretary of State,…
Section 6E — Work availability requirement
Work availability requirement 6E 1 In this Act a “work availability requirement” is a requirement that a claimant be available for work. 2 For the purposes of this section “ available for work ”…
Section 6F — Imposition of work-related requirements
Imposition of work-related requirements 6F 1 The Secretary of State must, except in prescribed circumstances, impose on a claimant— a a work search requirement, and b a work availability requirement.…
Section 6G — Connected requirements
Connected requirements 6G 1 The Secretary of State may require a claimant to participate in an interview for any purpose relating to— a the imposition of a work-related requirement on the claimant; b…
Section 6H — Imposition of work-related and connected requirements: supplementary
Imposition of work-related and connected requirements: supplementary 6H 1 Regulations may make provision— a where the Secretary of State may impose a requirement under the preceding provisions of…
Section 6I — Compliance with work-related and connected requirements
Compliance with work-related and connected requirements 6I Regulations may make provision as to circumstances in which a claimant is to be treated as having— a complied with or not complied with any…
Section 6J — Higher-level sanctions
Higher-level sanctions 6J 1 The amount of an award of jobseeker's allowance is to be reduced in accordance with this section in the event of a failure by a claimant which is sanctionable under this…
Section 6K — Other sanctions
Other sanctions 6K 1 The amount of an award of a jobseeker's allowance is to be reduced in accordance with this section in the event of a failure by a claimant which is sanctionable under this…
Section 6L — Delegation and contracting out
Delegation and contracting out 6L 1 The functions of the Secretary of State under sections 6 to 6I may be exercised by, or by the employees of, such person as the Secretary of State may authorise for…
Section 7 — Basis of awards
Basis of awards 7 1 Universal credit is payable in respect of each complete assessment period within a period of entitlement. 2 In this Part an “assessment period” is a period of a prescribed…
Section 8 — Calculation of awards
Calculation of awards 8 1 The amount of an award of universal credit is to be the balance of— a the maximum amount (see subsection (2)), less b the amounts to be deducted (see subsection (3)). 2 The…
Section 8A — Reduction on application of benefit cap
Reduction on application of benefit cap 8A A decision to apply the benefit cap in accordance with regulations under section 96 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
Section 8ZA
8ZA Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a person may be entitled to a jobseeker's allowance without being entitled to be in employment in the United Kingdom.
Section 8B — Annual reports
Annual reports 8B 1 Before each anniversary of the coming into force of this section the Commission must publish a report setting out its views on the progress made towards the goals in subsection…
Section 8C — Other functions
Other functions 8C A Minister of the Crown may direct the Commission to carry out any other activity relating to the goals in section 8B(2).
Section 9 — Standard allowance
Standard allowance 9 1 The calculation of an award of universal credit is to include an amount by way of an allowance for— a a single claimant, or b joint claimants. 2 Regulations are to specify the…
Section 9A — Maintenance agreements: indicative calculations
Maintenance agreements: indicative calculations 9A 1 A person with care or non-resident parent in relation to any qualifying child or qualifying children may apply to the Secretary of State for an…
Section 10 — Responsibility for children and young persons
Responsibility for children and young persons 10 1 The calculation of an award of universal credit is to include an amount for each child or qualifying young person for whom a claimant is…
Section 10ZA
10ZA Regulations may for any purpose of this Part provide for— a circumstances in which a person is to be treated as having or not having a good reason for an act or omission; b matters which are or…
Section 10B — Responsibility for children
Responsibility for children 10B Regulations may for any purpose of this Part specify circumstances in which a person is or is not responsible for a child.
Section 11 — Housing costs
Housing costs 11 1 The calculation of an award of universal credit is to include an amount in respect of any liability of a claimant to make payments in respect of the accommodation they occupy as…
Section 11A — Claimant commitment
Claimant commitment 11A 1 A claimant commitment is a record of the responsibilities of a person entitled to an employment and support allowance in relation to the award of the allowance. 2 A claimant…
Section 11B — Work-focused interview requirement
Work-focused interview requirement 11B 1 In this Part a “work-focused interview requirement” is a requirement that a person participate in one or more work-focused interviews as specified by the…
Section 11C — Work preparation requirement
Work preparation requirement 11C 1 In this Part a “work preparation requirement” is a requirement that a person take particular action specified by the Secretary of State for the purpose of making it…
Section 11D — Persons subject to no work-related requirements
Persons subject to no work-related requirements 11D 1 The Secretary of State may not impose any work-related requirement on a person falling within this section. 2 A person falls within this section…
Section 11E — Persons subject to work-focused interview requirement only
Persons subject to work-focused interview requirement only 11E 1 A person falls within this section if— a the person is a single person responsible for a child who is aged at least 1 and is under a…
Section 11F — Persons subject to work preparation and work-focused interview requirement
Persons subject to work preparation and work-focused interview requirement 11F 1 A person who does not fall within section 11D or 11E falls within this section. 2 The Secretary of State may, subject…
Section 11G — Connected requirements
Connected requirements 11G 1 The Secretary of State may require a person entitled to an employment and support allowance to participate in an interview for any purpose relating to— a the imposition…
Section 11H — Imposition of requirements
Imposition of requirements 11H 1 Regulations may make provision— a where the Secretary of State may impose a requirement under this Part, as to when the requirement must or must not be imposed; b…
Section 11I — Compliance with requirements
Compliance with requirements 11I Regulations may make provision as to circumstances in which a person is to be treated as having— a complied with or not complied with any requirement imposed under…
Section 11J — Sanctions
Sanctions 11J 1 The amount of an award of an employment and support allowance is to be reduced in accordance with this section in the event of a failure by a person which is sanctionable under this…
Section 11K — Delegation and contracting out
Delegation and contracting out 11K 1 The functions of the Secretary of State under sections 11 to 11I may be exercised by, or by the employees of, such person as the Secretary of State may authorise…
Section 12 — Other particular needs or circumstances
Other particular needs or circumstances 12 1 The calculation of an award of universal credit is to include amounts in respect of such particular needs or circumstances of a claimant as may be…
Section 13 — Work-related requirements: introductory
Work-related requirements: introductory 13 1 This Chapter provides for the Secretary of State to impose work-related requirements with which claimants must comply for the purposes of this Part. 2 In…