DWP confirms new Universal Credit sanction rates and how much can be taken for debt

There are galore reasons wherefore you could beryllium sanctioned by the DWP - for example, if you neglect to be a JobCentre interrogation oregon crook down a occupation connection without a bully reason

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed its caller benefit authorisation rates for Universal Credit claimants.

There are galore reasons wherefore you could beryllium sanctioned by the DWP - for example, if you neglect to be a JobCentre interrogation oregon crook down a occupation connection without a bully reason. If you’re deed with a sanction, this usually means your Universal Credit repayments are reduced for a acceptable play of time.

You’ll beryllium sent a “sanction notification” with details astir however agelong your authorisation should past for. For the highest penalty, you volition beryllium sanctioned for 91 days for your archetypal higher level authorisation and 182 days for your 2nd and each consequent higher level authorisation successful immoderate 364 time period.

If you deliberation you person been unfairly sanctioned past you tin inquire the DWP to rethink their determination done a "mandatory reconsideration". You tin bash this by penning a connection successful your Universal Credit online account, done a CRMR1 mandatory reconsideration petition form, oregon done a missive to the DWP.

The magnitude that tin beryllium taken disconnected your Universal Credit payments depends connected your circumstances and the benignant of sanction. However, successful immoderate bully news, the Government has antecedently confirmed it is reducing the headdress connected the maximum level of deductions that tin beryllium taken from your Universal Credit.

The DWP and third-parties tin typically deduct up to 25% of your modular allowance to repay debts you owe, but this is being reduced to 15% from adjacent April. The measurement known arsenic the Fair Repayment Rate. At the aforesaid time, Universal Credit payments are besides expanding by 1.7% adjacent April.

Universal Credit authorisation rates from April 2025

Daily authorisation rate

• Single nether 25: expanding from £10.20 to £10.40
• Single 25 oregon over: expanding from £12.90 to £13.10
• Joint claimants some nether 25 (per sanctioned claimant): expanding from £8 to £8.10
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon implicit and 1 is sanctioned (per sanctioned claimant): expanding from £10.10 to £10.30

40% reduced authorisation rate

• Single nether 25: expanding from £4 to £4.10
• Single 25 oregon over: expanding from £5.10 to £5.20
• Joint claimants some nether 25 (per sanctioned claimant): staying the aforesaid astatine £3.20
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon implicit (per sanctioned claimant): staying the aforesaid astatine £4

Third-party deductions astatine 5% of Universal Credit modular allowance (excludes deductions for rent and work charges)

• Single nether 25: expanding from £15.58 to £15.85
• Single 25 oregon over: expanding from £19.67 to £20.01
• Joint claimants some nether 25: expanding from £24.46 to £24.88
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: expanding from £30.88 to £31.41

Minimum deductions for rent and work charges astatine 10% of Universal Credit modular allowance

• Single nether 25: expanding from £31.17 to £31.70
• Single 25 oregon over: expanding from £39.35 to £40.01
• Joint claimants some nether 25: expanding from £48.92 to £49.76
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: expanding from £61.76 to £62.81

Maximum deductions for rent and work charges astatine 15% of Universal Credit modular allowance (previously 20%)

• Single nether 25: decreasing from £62.34 to £47.55
• Single 25 oregon over: decreasing from £78.69 to £60.02
• Joint claimants some nether 25: decreasing from £97.85 to £74.63
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: decreasing from £123.52 to £94.22

Overall maximum deduction complaint astatine 15% of Universal Credit modular allowance (previously 25%)

• Single nether 25: decreasing from £77.92 to £47.55
• Single 25 oregon over: decreasing from £98.36 to £60.02
• Joint claimants some nether 25: decreasing from £122.31 to £74.63
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: decreasing from £154.40 to £94.22

Fraud overpayments, recoverable hardship payments and administrative penalties astatine 15% of Universal Credit modular allowance (previously 25%)

• Single nether 25: decreasing from £77.92 to £47.55
• Single 25 oregon over: decreasing from £98.36 to £60.02
• Joint claimants some nether 25: decreasing from £122.31 to £74.63
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: decreasing from £154.40 to £94.22

Overpayments and civilian penalties astatine 15% of Universal Credit modular allowance

• Single nether 25: expanding from £46.75 to £47.55
• Single 25 oregon over: expanding from £59.02 to £60.02
• Joint claimants some nether 25: expanding from £73.38 to £74.63
• Joint claimants, 1 oregon some 25 oregon over: expanding from £92.64 to £94.22