Your Claimant Commitment is the contract between you and DWP. Understanding it — and knowing your rights — is essential to keeping your UC claim running smoothly.
What Is the Claimant Commitment?
Every UC claimant must agree to a Claimant Commitment. It’s a personalised document that sets out:
- What work-related activities you must do
- How many hours you should spend on job search
- What types of jobs you should apply for
- Any training or programmes you must attend
- Consequences for not meeting the requirements
You agree to your Claimant Commitment at your initial Jobcentre appointment. It can be updated at any time by your work coach.
Conditionality Groups
DWP places you in one of four conditionality groups based on your circumstances:
| Group | Who’s In It | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| All work-related requirements | Unemployed, fit for work | Full job search up to 35 hrs/week |
| Work-focused interview only | Lone parents with child aged 1, health conditions awaiting WCA | Attend regular interviews, no job search |
| Work preparation only | LCW group, health limits work | Prepare for future work, training, no active job search |
| No work-related requirements | LCWRA, lone parent with child under 1, carer, heavily pregnant | None |
Changes Based on Your Youngest Child’s Age
If you’re a parent, your requirements change as your youngest child grows:
| Child’s Age | Your Requirements |
|---|---|
| Under 1 | No work-related requirements |
| 1 | Work-focused interviews only |
| 2 | Work-focused interviews only |
| 3–4 | Work preparation (and some light job search from age 3) |
| 5–12 | All work-related requirements (but limited to school hours) |
| 13+ | Full work-related requirements (up to 35 hours/week) |
What Your Commitment Includes
Job Search Requirements
- Number of jobs to apply for — Your work coach sets a target (typically 2–5 per week)
- Hours of job search — Up to 35 hours per week for the all-requirements group
- Types of work — Initially, you may limit to your previous sector, but after a period DWP expects you to widen your search
- Travel time — You’re expected to accept jobs up to 90 minutes’ commute each way
- Minimum pay — You should apply for any job paying at least National Minimum Wage
Other Activities
Your work coach may also require you to:
- Attend training courses or workshops
- Create or update your CV
- Register with recruitment agencies
- Attend job fairs
- Accept referrals to the Work Programme or other schemes
- Take part in work experience
Reporting Requirements
- Record activity in your journal — Log job applications, interviews, training
- Attend appointments — Jobcentre meetings as scheduled
- Report changes — Any change in circumstances immediately
Reasonable Adjustments
Your Claimant Commitment should reflect your real circumstances. Adjustments can be made for:
Health Conditions
- Reduced hours of job search
- Limited types of work (avoiding physical roles if you have mobility issues)
- Excused from attending the Jobcentre (telephone appointments instead)
- Temporary easements during flare-ups of conditions
Caring Responsibilities
- Reduced job search hours
- Work limited to certain hours (school hours for parents)
- Exemption from applying for jobs requiring overnight stays or long commutes
Other Circumstances
- Language barriers (time allowed for ESOL classes)
- Domestic abuse (easement from all requirements)
- Bereavement (temporary easement)
- Homelessness (reduced requirements while you stabilise housing)
Your Rights
| Right | Detail |
|---|---|
| To be treated fairly | Requirements must be reasonable and achievable |
| To request changes | Ask your work coach to update your Commitment if circumstances change |
| To challenge | Raise concerns through your journal or formally complain |
| To refuse unreasonable requirements | But get advice first — refusal can lead to sanctions |
| To have a support worker present | At any meeting with your work coach |
| To request a different work coach | If the relationship breaks down |
When Requirements Can Be Paused
DWP can temporarily pause (or “easement”) your work requirements for:
- Domestic abuse — Up to 13 weeks, renewable
- Bereavement — Usually 1–2 months
- Illness — While awaiting a WCA or during hospital stays
- Homelessness — While you find stable accommodation
- Court proceedings — Jury service, criminal proceedings
- End of a relationship — Temporary easement while you adjust
Ask your work coach about easements — they won’t always offer them proactively.
Sanctions for Not Meeting Your Commitment
If you fail to meet your Claimant Commitment without good reason:
| Level | Examples | Sanction Length |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | Missing a Jobcentre appointment | Open-ended until you re-comply + fixed days |
| Medium | Failing to attend a training scheme | Open-ended until you re-comply + fixed days |
| Higher | Leaving a job voluntarily, turning down a job offer | 91 days (first offence), 182 days (second within 365 days) |
During a sanction, your standard allowance is reduced to zero, but housing, child, and disability elements continue to be paid.
Tips for Managing Your Claimant Commitment
- Read it carefully before signing — Understand exactly what’s expected
- Negotiate upfront — It’s easier to set reasonable terms at the start than to change them later
- Keep detailed records — Log every job application, interview, and activity in your UC journal
- Report problems early — If you can’t meet a requirement, tell your work coach before you miss a deadline
- Get advice — Citizens Advice and welfare rights organisations can help if you think your Commitment is unreasonable
- Request a review — If your circumstances change, ask for your Commitment to be updated immediately