DWP Central Freedom of 
Information Team 
Caxton House 
6-12 Tothill Street 
 
London 
 
SW1H 9NA 
 
 
M Downing  
freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx  
 
 
DWP Website 
 
Our Ref: FOI2022/95939 
 
15 December 2022 
 
Dear M Downing, 
 
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 30 November. You 
wrote: 
 
“Certain situations require that Universal Credit work search and work availability 
requirements be automatically "switched off" for a period of time. These are outlined in 
reg 99 of The Universal Credit Regulations 2013. Often, in practice, this does not occur, 
and work search and work availability requirements are still imposed on the claimant 
even though the claimant has properly declared the changes in circumstances that 
triggered the regulation.  
 
I would like to request any recorded information on how often a work search or work 
availability requirement was imposed on a UC claimant when it was supposed to be 
switched off according to this regulation.  
 
If this information could be broken down by year and region, this would be great.” 
 
DWP Response 
 
Following a search of our paper and electronic records, we have established that the 
information you requested is not held by this Department.  
 
However, you may find the following explanation useful. We have provided this outside our 
obligations under the FoI Act. We have included links below to both [1] the guidance and [2] 
the regulations which cover easements policy.  
 
[1] ADM Chapter J3: Work-related requirements (publishing.service.gov.uk) 
[2] The Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) 
 
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us quoting the reference number 
above. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team 
Department for Work and Pensions 
 
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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-mailing 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to: DWP Central FoI Team, Caxton 
House, 6-12 Tothill Street, London, 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. Generally, 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. 
Website: ICO FOI and EIR complaints or telephone 0303 123 1113. 
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