Universal Credit claimants can have their monthly payments reduced if they fail to complete agreed work-related activities without a good reason. These reductions are known as sanctions and are managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Claimant commitment and work-related requirements
When receiving Universal Credit, claimants must accept a "claimant commitment" which includes taking part in "work-related requirements". These requirements vary depending on individual circumstances but can include attending appointments with a work coach, updating a CV, or searching for jobs.
To avoid a sanction, claimants should ensure they understand all the requirements and attend all appointments on time, as well as take part in interviews.
Four levels of sanctions
There are four different levels of sanction (lowest, low, medium, and high) which people can get, depending on which work-related activity group a claimant is in.
Below are the full list of 26 reasons that someone's Universal Credit payments could be taken away, along with the number of cases, according to data provided by the DWP. It covers the period from May 2016 to January 2026.
Full list of reasons Universal Credit payments could be taken away
- Failed to accept an offer of paid work: 1,712
- Failed to apply for a job: 9,019
- Failed to attend skills assessment: 976
- Failed to be available to take up work: 1,191
- Failed to undertake all work search action: 69,379
- Failed to undertake particular specific work preparation action: 22,379
- Failed to undertake particular specific work search action: 3,103
- Failed to participate in an employment programme: 57,228
- Failed to participate in mandatory work activity: 19
- Failed to participate in training: 1,010
- Failed to participate in work experience or work placement: 291
- Left work voluntarily: 21,099
- Lost work because of misconduct: 11,409
- Failed to comply with a work focused interview requirement: 33,460
- Failed to comply with an interview requirement: 2,724,801
- Failed to comply with an interview requirement self employed: 17,834
- Failed to comply with requirement to report specified change in circumstances relevant to work related requirements lowest: 80
- Failed to improve personal presentation: 15
- Failed to maintain a CV: 1,022
- Failed to prepare a business plan: 17
- Failed to comply with requirement to provide evidence or confirm compliance: 167
- Failed to comply with requirement to provide evidence or confirm compliance lowest: 71
- Failed to comply with requirement to report specified change in circumstances relevant to work related requirements: 42
- Loss of pay through misconduct: 1,636
- Lost pay voluntarily: 2,783
- Unknown: 274
Total: 2,981,007
