Universal Credit Claimant Commitment: What You Need to Do
A Universal Credit claimant commitment explains what you agree to do while receiving Universal Credit.
Your commitments depend on your circumstances. They can include looking for work, preparing for work, attending appointments or increasing your earnings.
You normally must accept your claimant commitment to receive Universal Credit. You can view your latest commitment in your online account.
Last updated: October 2026
What Is a Universal Credit Claimant Commitment?
A claimant commitment records the responsibilities you accept as part of your Universal Credit claim.
It sets out what you may need to do to prepare for work, look for work or increase your earnings.
Your requirements depend on your personal circumstances. These can include your health, disability, caring responsibilities, children and earnings.
Your commitment can be reviewed and updated when your circumstances change.
If you claim Universal Credit with a partner, you will each have your own claimant commitment.
What Can Be Included in Your Commitment?
Depending on your circumstances, your commitment may include:
- Looking for suitable jobs
- Applying for jobs
- Registering with recruitment agencies
- Updating your CV
- Attending training
- Preparing for work
- Attending appointments with your work coach
- Recording your work search activity
- Trying to increase your earnings if you already work
Your specific tasks will appear in your Universal Credit account.
Universal Credit Claimant Commitment Example
Your claimant commitment will depend on your situation.
For example, someone who is able to work and currently has no job could have commitments such as:
| Area | Example |
|---|---|
| Job search | Search for suitable vacancies |
| Applications | Apply for suitable jobs |
| CV | Update your CV |
| Work coach | Attend agreed appointments |
| Training | Complete agreed work preparation |
| Online account | Record completed activities |
This is only an example. Your actual claimant commitment may contain different requirements.
A claimant with children, health problems or caring responsibilities may have fewer or different work-related requirements.
How Do You Accept Your Commitments on Universal Credit?
You normally accept your claimant commitment through your Universal Credit online account.
The process is usually:
- Sign in to your Universal Credit account.
- Open the task or message about your claimant commitment.
- Read the requirements carefully.
- Check that they reflect your current circumstances.
- Accept the commitment if the details are correct.
- Check your account regularly for new tasks or messages.
If you cannot access your account, see our guide to Universal Credit login problems.
If something in your commitment is not realistic, explain the problem to your work coach.
Do I Have to Accept My Claimant Commitment?
Normally, yes.
Accepting a claimant commitment is a basic condition of receiving Universal Credit.
It is not an ordinary employment contract. However, the requirements you accept form part of your Universal Credit claim.
If you do not meet your agreed requirements without a good reason, your payment may be reduced through a sanction.
There are exceptions in certain circumstances, including some people nearing the end of life.
What Happens at a Universal Credit Claimant Commitment Appointment?
Your appointment is used to discuss your circumstances and agree your commitments.
Your work coach may ask about:
- Your work history
- Your skills and qualifications
- The type of work you can do
- Your health or disability
- Caring responsibilities
- Childcare
- Your current work and earnings
- Support you may need
The appointment is usually at a jobcentre, although some appointments can take place by phone.
The requirements should reflect your circumstances.
Which Universal Credit Work-Related Requirement Group Applies to You?
Universal Credit uses different levels of work-related requirements.
| Group | What it means |
|---|---|
| No work-related requirements | You are not expected to work or take part in work-related activities. |
| Work-focused interview | You may need to attend interviews about your future work plans. |
| Work preparation | You may need to prepare for work through activities such as training or CV work. |
| All work-related requirements | You may need to look for work, be available for work and complete work-related activities. |
Your work coach considers your circumstances when deciding what requirements apply.
Your group can change when your situation changes.
How Your Circumstances Affect Your Claimant Commitment
Your claimant commitment should reflect your current situation.
If You Have Children
If you have children, you need to nominate a main carer.
For a main carer, the requirements can change as the youngest child gets older.
| Youngest child | General expectation |
|---|---|
| Under 1 | No work-related requirement. |
| Age 1 | No requirement to look for work, but regular appointments about a future move into work. |
| Age 2 | No requirement to look for work, but regular appointments and work preparation. |
| Age 3 to 12 | Up to 30 hours of work or work-related activity. |
| Age 13 or over | Up to 35 hours of work or work-related activity. |
These are general rules. Your requirements can be reduced or removed because of health, disability or other caring responsibilities.
If You Care for Someone
Caring responsibilities can affect your claimant commitment.
If you provide at least 35 hours of care each week for someone receiving certain disability or health-related benefits, you may have no work-related requirements.
Tell Universal Credit if your caring responsibilities change.
If You Have a Health Condition or Disability
Your health can affect what Universal Credit expects you to do.
You may be expected to prepare for work rather than look for work.
If you are assessed as having limited capability for work and work-related activity, your work-related requirements can be removed.
Tell your work coach about health problems that affect what you can reasonably do.
Can Universal Credit Make You Look for Work?
It depends on your circumstances.
If you are able and available for work, your claimant commitment may require you to look for suitable work.
If you have a health condition, disability, caring responsibility or young child, your requirements may be different.
Your work coach should take your circumstances into account when setting your commitments.
How Many Hours Do You Have to Look for Work?
For people in the all work-related requirements group, Universal Credit can expect up to 35 hours a week of work or work-related activity.
This does not mean every claimant has a 35-hour requirement.
Parents, carers, people with health conditions and other claimants may have different requirements.
What If You Already Work?
You can receive Universal Credit while working.
Your claimant commitment may include steps to increase your earnings if your income is below the relevant threshold.
From 1 April 2026, the Administrative Earnings Threshold is:
- £991 per assessment period for an individual
- £1,597 per assessment period for a couple
If your individual earnings reach the AET, you normally will not have regular work coach meetings.
If your earnings are below the AET, you may need to show that you are looking for more or better-paid work and are available for work.
If you earn above the AET, you should still consider looking for more or better-paid work where possible.
Different rules apply to self-employed earnings.
What Is a Commitments Review on Universal Credit?
A commitments review checks whether your claimant commitment still reflects your circumstances.
Your work coach may review your commitments when something changes.
For example, this could happen if:
- You start or leave a job
- Your earnings change
- You have a child
- Your health changes
- Your caring responsibilities change
A commitments review is different from a wider Universal Credit review. See our Universal Credit review guide for information about the wider review process.
How Often Is a Claimant Commitment Reviewed?
There is no single fixed review date for every claimant.
Your commitment can be reviewed regularly and whenever your circumstances change.
How to Change Your Universal Credit Claimant Commitment
Tell Universal Credit if your circumstances change or you cannot complete your current requirements.
You can ask your work coach to review your claimant commitment.
If you use the Universal Credit journal, you can also explain the change there.
Citizens Advice also recommends contacting your work coach when your circumstances mean your current work-related activities may need changing.
You should continue following your current commitment while waiting for a change, unless Universal Credit tells you otherwise.
You can use our Universal Credit journal guide if you need help contacting your work coach through your account.
If you are planning a temporary trip abroad, see our Universal Credit Going Abroad guide for information about holiday and travel rules.
What Happens If You Do Not Accept Your Commitment?
You normally need to accept your claimant commitment to keep receiving Universal Credit.
If you refuse an updated claimant commitment, you may be given a short cooling-off period to reconsider.
Current DWP provider guidance specifies a five working day cooling-off period in cases where a claimant or partner refuses an updated commitment.
If the commitment is still refused, the Universal Credit claim can be closed.
If you believe something in the commitment is wrong, explain your circumstances before refusing to accept it.
What Happens If You Do Not Meet Your Commitments?
Contact Universal Credit as soon as possible if you cannot complete something in your commitment.
For example, you may become ill, have a family emergency or lose childcare unexpectedly.
Explain what happened and why you could not complete the requirement.
If you have a good reason, your payment may not be reduced.
If you fail to meet a requirement without a good reason, you may receive a sanction.
A sanction can reduce your Universal Credit payment.
Where Can You Find Your Claimant Commitment Online?
Your latest claimant commitment is available through your Universal Credit online account.
Your account can also show:
- Your work plan
- Appointments
- Messages from your work coach
- Work search activities
- Other tasks you need to complete
Check your account regularly so you do not miss important tasks or messages.
Universal Credit Claimant Commitment FAQs
Is a claimant commitment legally binding?
It is not an ordinary employment contract.
However, accepting it is a basic condition of receiving Universal Credit, and the requirements you accept form part of your claim.
Failing to meet those requirements without a good reason can lead to a sanction.
Can I negotiate my claimant commitment?
You can discuss your circumstances with your work coach.
If a requirement is not realistic because of your health, childcare, caring responsibilities or another relevant circumstance, explain why it needs changing.
What happens if I refuse to accept my claimant commitment?
You may be given a cooling-off period to reconsider.
If you continue to refuse an updated commitment, your Universal Credit claim can be closed.
Do both partners have to accept a claimant commitment?
Yes. If you claim Universal Credit as a couple, each partner has their own claimant commitment.
Can my claimant commitment change?
Yes. It can be reviewed and updated when your circumstances change.
How often is my claimant commitment reviewed?
There is no single review schedule for everyone.
It can be reviewed regularly and whenever there is a relevant change in your circumstances.
Is a claimant commitment the same as a commitments review?
No.
The claimant commitment is the record of what you agree to do.
A commitments review is the process of checking whether those requirements still reflect your circumstances.
Can a commitments review happen by phone?
Yes. Some Universal Credit appointments can take place by phone instead of at a jobcentre.
What if I cannot meet one of my commitments?
Contact Universal Credit as soon as possible.
Explain what happened and why you cannot complete the requirement.
Do not simply ignore the commitment.
Do I have to look for work if I have children?
Not always.
Your requirements depend mainly on the age of your youngest child, your role as the main carer and your other circumstances.
Can Universal Credit require me to work?
Your claimant commitment can include work-related requirements if you are expected to look or prepare for work.
The requirements depend on your circumstances and can change when your situation changes.