Legislation – Welfare Reform Act 2012

Welfare Reform Act 2012, Cross Heading: Regulations is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 26 March 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Part 1 Chapter 3 Crossheading Regulations:

specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/1511 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 5 13 14 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 4–6 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2657 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 13 15 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/2846 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 7 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 3
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(1)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(2)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2013/983, art. 5A(1), 6(1) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 2
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 8 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/209 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 10 16 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 5 9 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3 7 8 13 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 5 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 5 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3–5 10 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 4 6–12 14 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3–9 11 12 17 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6–9 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3–5 7–9 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/596 art. 3 4 11 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 3–12 15 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/57 art. 3–7 9 12 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/584 art. 3 4 6–9 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2017/664 art. 3–9 Sch.
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(2)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(3)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/33, art. 6(11) by S.I. 2017/483 art. 3
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/138 art. 6
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/10 reg. 3(3)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/167 art. 5(4)
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2019/37 art. 5
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634, art. 7(2) by S.I. 2017/376 reg. 4
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2016/596 by S.I. 2016/963 art. 17
specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2019/37 by S.I. 2019/935 art. 2
specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/1583 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2014/2321 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/101 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/1537 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 3 Sch.
specified provision(s) modification of earlier commencing S.I. 2015/634 by S.I. 2018/532 art. 5

Part 1Universal credit

CHAPTER 3Supplementary and general

Regulations

41Pilot schemes

(1)

Any power to make—

(a)

regulations under this Part,

(b)

regulations under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 relating to universal credit, or

(c)

regulations under the Social Security Act 1998 relating to universal credit,

may be exercised so as to make provision for piloting purposes.

(2)

In subsection (1), “piloting purposes”, in relation to any provision, means the purposes of testing—

(a)

the extent to which the provision is likely to make universal credit simpler to understand or to administer,

(b)

the extent to which the provision is likely to promote—

(i)

people remaining in work, or

(ii)

people obtaining or being able to obtain work (or more work or better-paid work), or

(c)

the extent to which, and how, the provision is likely to affect the conduct of claimants or other people in any other way.

(3)

Regulations made by virtue of this section are in the remainder of this section referred to as a “pilot scheme“.

(4)

A pilot scheme may be limited in its application to—

(a)

one or more areas;

(b)

one or more classes of person;

(c)

persons selected—

(i)

by reference to prescribed criteria, or

(ii)

on a sampling basis.

(5)

A pilot scheme may not have effect for a period exceeding three years, but—

(a)

the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument provide that the pilot scheme is to continue to have effect after the time when it would otherwise expire for a period not exceeding twelve months (and may make more than one such order);

(b)

a pilot scheme may be replaced by a further pilot scheme making the same or similar provision.

(6)

A pilot scheme may include consequential or transitional provision in relation to its expiry.

42Regulations: general

(1)

Regulations under this Part are to be made by the Secretary of State, unless otherwise provided.

(2)

A power to make regulations under this Part may be exercised—

(a)

so as to make different provision for different cases or purposes;

(b)

in relation to all or only some of the cases or purposes for which it may be exercised.

(3)

Such a power includes—

(a)

power to make incidental, supplementary, consequential or transitional provision or savings;

(b)

power to provide for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter.

(4)

Each power conferred by this Part is without prejudice to the others.

(5)

Where regulations under this Part provide for an amount, the amount may be zero.

(6)

Where regulations under this Part provide for an amount for the purposes of an award (or a reduction from an award), the amount may be different in relation to different descriptions of person, and in particular may depend on—

(a)

whether the person is a single person or a member of a couple;

(b)

the age of the person.

(7)

Regulations under section 11(4) or 12(3) which provide for the determination or calculation of an amount may make different provision for different areas.

43Regulations: procedure

(1)

Regulations under this Part are to be made by statutory instrument.

(2)

A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Secretary of State under this Part is subject to the negative resolution procedure, subject as follows.

(3)

A statutory instrument containing the first regulations made by the Secretary of State under any of the following, alone or with other regulations, is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure—

(a)

section 4(7) (acceptance of claimant commitment);

(b)

section 5(1)(a) and (2)(a) (capital limits);

(c)

section 8(3) (income to be deducted in award calculation);

(d)

section 9(2) and (3) (standard allowance);

(e)

section 10(3) and (4) (children and young persons element);

(f)

section 11 (housing costs element);

(g)

section 12 (other needs and circumstances element);

(h)

section 18(3) and (5) (work availability requirement);

(i)

section 19(2)(d) (claimants subject to no work-related requirements);

(j)

sections 26 and 27 (sanctions);

(k)

section 28 (hardship payments);

(l)

paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 (calculation of capital and income);

(m)

paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 6 (migration), where making provision under paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of that Schedule.

(4)

A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Secretary of State by virtue of section 41 (pilot schemes), alone or with other regulations, is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

(5)

A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Secretary of State under this Part is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure if—

(a)

it also contains regulations under another enactment, and

(b)

an instrument containing those regulations would apart from this section be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

(6)

For the purposes of subsections (2) to (5)—

(a)

a statutory instrument subject to the “negative resolution procedure” is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament;

(b)

a statutory instrument subject to the “affirmative resolution procedure” may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(7)

A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Welsh Ministers under section 32 may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, the National Assembly for Wales.