Universal Credit and your claimant commitment
How the Universal Credit claimant commitment works and what is expected of claimants in return for getting Universal Credit.
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This guide explains that if you claim Universal Credit you’ll need to accept a claimant commitment before you can receive your payment.
It explains:
- what the claimant commitment is
- the kinds of things that you will be required to do in return for receiving Universal Credit, depending on your individual circumstances
- what will happen if you fail to do what you’ve accepted in your claimant commitment
If a medical professional has said you have less than 12 months to live, you will not need a claimant commitment.
Updates to this page
Last updated
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Added a link to the new Universal Credit sanctions page.
Update history
2026-04-29 10:38
Replaced the table on how the age of a claimant’s youngest child affects their responsibilities, with a link to where the information is already available. This is to reduce duplication. There has been no change in law or policy.
2025-02-12 16:51
Added a link to the new Universal Credit sanctions page.
2024-10-31 16:45
Added information about when your claimant commitment work-related activity can be reduced or removed.
2023-10-25 00:01
From 25 October 2023, if you are the lead carer of a child aged between 3 and 12, you will be expected to work up to 30 hours a week, or spend up to 30 hours a week on work related activities.
2023-01-09 17:51
Added a section about the impact of the age of your child, and a definition of a work coach.
2022-04-04 00:15
People near the end of their life who have been told by a medical professional that they might have less than 12 months to live, do not need to make a Claimant Commitment and they will not be sanctioned. This has changed from 6 months.