DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Annex A
e-mail
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.g ov.uk
Our Ref: FoI 3555
DATE: 7th September 2017
Annex A
Dear Mr Allan,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request of 26 August 2017. You asked:
Please provide me with any recorded information held by the DWP stating whether or not it is a
legal requirement for Universal Credit claimants to set up and use the Universal Credit account
online journal to record evidence of work search.
Please provide me with any recorded information held by the DWP stating whether or not it is a
legal requirement for claimants to give their work coach access to their online journal or share
the log in details of their Universal Credit account with their work coach.
And please provide me with any recorded information held by the DWP stating whether or not
it is a legal requirement for a claimant to provide a mobile telephone number or email address
in order to claim Universal Credit when the claimant is migrating from Jobseeker’s Allowance
to Universal Credit.
DWP Response
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 and The Universal Credit Regulations 2013 set out the
legislation by which Universal Credit operates and can be found at
www.legislation.gov.uk. Parliamentary legislation is available to everyone free of charge and if
you do not have access to the internet at home, access is available through your local library.
1. Section 23 of The Welfare Reform Act 2012, Chapter 2, allows work coaches (on
behalf of the Secretary of State) to specify what information and evidence is required to
verify whether a claimant has complied with a work-related requirement, and how this is
to be provided.
Work search and other requirements will differ for each claimant as work coaches will
tailor them according to their individual circumstances. This may include reflecting and
reducing expectations where a claimant is unable or not expected to work full-time due
to caring responsibilities or a health condition.
Regulations 84 to 99 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 contain specific
provisions relating to the setting of work-related requirements outlined under sections
15 to 25 of the Welfare Reform 2012 Act, including the persons to whom they are to be
applied, the limitations on those requirements and other related matters. Regulation 88
focuses on the expected hours of work search.
2. The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance and
Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 (S.I.
2013/380) sets out the requirements for a claim for Universal Credit (UC).
3. There is no recorded information on this issue because it is not a legal requirement of
claiming UC that a claimant provides a mobile phone number or an e-mail address. UC
can be paid to a claimant without either of these recorded.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Strategy FoI Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailin
g freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any
review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office for a decision. General y the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.gov.uk