What to do if you've been sanctioned while on Universal Credit

If you haven't done one of the activities in your claimant commitment, you could be sanctioned. This means your Universal Credit payments will be temporarily reduced.

Apply for a hardship payment

If you're struggling with money  because of the sanction, you can:

• apply for a hardship payment to get emergency money for things like food and bills

• see what other help or benefits you could get - your nearest Citizens Advice can help with this 

If you think you've been unfairly sanctioned

You can ask for the DWP to rethink their decision if you think you've been sanctioned unfairly. This is called ‘mandatory reconsideration’ - the contact details will be on the letter sent to you about your sanction.

You'll need to tell them why you think the sanction was wrong. You can prepare by:

• reading the arguments for challenging a sanction

• checking if you were given the right sanction 

Your nearest Citizens Advice can help you.

What happens next 

You'll get a letter telling you about your decision - it may be changed or you may get an explanation of why the sanction is upheld. 

The letter will tell you how you can appeal to a tribunal if you're still unhappy with the decision.

How to avoid another sanction

Getting a claimant commitment that’s right for you

You should talk to your work coach about getting your claimant commitment changed if you're struggling to meet the conditions you signed up for. 

Read our advice on changing your claimant commitment.

If you can't make it to a Jobcentre appointment

If you can’t get to an appointment at the Jobcentre, ring them to let them know as soon as you can - explain your reasons and ask to rearrange. Keep a note of the date and time of the call, who you speak to and what was said.

If you need help with the cost of travelling to appointments, ask the Jobcentre what support is available.

Evidence of work-related activities

Keep a diary each week of what you’ve done to meet the conditions of your claimant commitment. For example, the date you did an online job search and how long you spent doing it. If there’s something you haven’t been able to do, be prepared to explain why. If there’s a reason, try and get evidence of it to show the Jobcentre. For example, if you were ill get a note from the doctor.

Reporting changes in circumstances

Make sure you tell the Universal Credit helpline of any changes in your personal circumstances straight away.