Using the Journal

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Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

In replies to Freedom of Information requests made by myself and others about whether or not it is a legal or mandatory requirement of Universal Credit that claimants use the Universal Credit journal to provide evidence of work search or evidence of an up to date CV, the DWP has never given a definitive answer but has instead quoted sections of The Welfare Reform Act 2012 and The Universal Credit Regulations 2013.

However, I have noticed in a recent response to a Freedom of Information request on this subject that the DWP is now stating it is not a mandatory requirement for claimants to provide the required work search evidence via their journal. The claimant must be able to provide written evidence of their work search. And it is not mandatory for the claimant to upload their CV onto the journal, but the claimant must however be able to show a completed and up to date CV.

Can you clarify whether work search evidence can be provided via a claimants own Netbook or other digital device screen or as a printed copy – or is it a mandatory/legal requirement that they use the Universal Credit journal to provide this evidence?

Can you clarify whether evidence of an up to date CV can be provided via a claimants own Netbook or other digital device screen or as a printed paper copy – or is it a mandatory/legal requirement that they use the Universal Credit journal to provide this evidence.

Yours faithfully,

Theodore Allan

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Please see the attached reply to your Freedom of Information request 4528
 
Yours sincerely
 
DWP Strategy Freedom of Information Team

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Theodore Allan left an annotation ()

A straight answer, at last. But its taken some time to wring this out of them.

The fact is the DWP have not always been clear that there is no specific information or legal requirements that compels Universal Credit claimants to use the journal. On the contrary, when myself and others have asked for this information, the DWP have always quoted Section 23 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, Chapter 2, which I am already familiar with.

Frank Zola left an annotation ()

Extract

"DWP has been clear that there is no specific information or legal requirements that compels all Universal Credit claimants, in every case, to use the journal. However some claimants can have a requirement set, to provide information and evidence as part of their work-related
requirement for claiming Universal Credit. This requirement can be set by a Work coach under Section 23 of the Welfare Reforms Act 2012, Chapter 2 but it does not compel this evidence to be supplied in a particular way, only that it must be supplied if and when requested."
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/4...

Thanks to 'Theodore Allan' for getting this response, very helpful clarifications.