Legislation – Welfare Reform Act 2012
Which version?
Latest available (Revised)
Original (As enacted)
Changes to legislation:
Welfare Reform Act 2012, Cross Heading: Entitlement is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 29 October 2025. 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.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Part 1 Chapter 1 Crossheading Entitlement:
- 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 1Entitlement and awards
Entitlement
3Entitlement
(1)
A single claimant is entitled to universal credit if the claimant meets—
(a)
the basic conditions, and
(b)
the financial conditions for a single claimant.
(2)
Joint claimants are jointly entitled to universal credit if—
(a)
each of them meets the basic conditions, and
(b)
they meet the financial conditions for joint claimants.
4Basic conditions
(1)
For the purposes of section 3, a person meets the basic conditions who—
(a)
is at least 18 years old,
(b)
has not reached the qualifying age for state pension credit,
(c)
is in Great Britain,
(d)
is not receiving education, and
(e)
has accepted a claimant commitment.
(2)
Regulations may provide for exceptions to the requirement to meet any of the basic conditions (and, for joint claimants, may provide for an exception for one or both).
(3)
For the basic condition in subsection (1)(a) regulations may specify a different minimum age for prescribed cases.
(4)
For the basic condition in subsection (1)(b), the qualifying age for state pension credit is that referred to in section 1(6) of the State Pension Credit Act 2002.
(5)
For the basic condition in subsection (1)(c) regulations may—
(a)
specify circumstances in which a person is to be treated as being or not being in Great Britain;
(b)
specify circumstances in which temporary absence from Great Britain is disregarded;
(c)
modify the application of this Part in relation to a person not in Great Britain who is by virtue of paragraph (b) entitled to universal credit.
(6)
For the basic condition in subsection (1)(d) regulations may—
(a)
specify what “receiving education” means;
(b)
specify circumstances in which a person is to be treated as receiving or not receiving education.
(7)
For the basic condition in subsection (1)(e) regulations may specify circumstances in which a person is to be treated as having accepted or not accepted a claimant commitment.
5Financial conditions
(1)
For the purposes of section 3, the financial conditions for a single claimant are that—
(a)
the claimant’s capital, or a prescribed part of it, is not greater than a prescribed amount, and
(b)
the claimant’s income is such that, if the claimant were entitled to universal credit, the amount payable would not be less than any prescribed minimum.
(2)
For those purposes, the financial conditions for joint claimants are that—
(a)
their combined capital, or a prescribed part of it, is not greater than a prescribed amount, and
(b)
their combined income is such that, if they were entitled to universal credit, the amount payable would not be less than any prescribed minimum.
6Restrictions on entitlement
(1)
Entitlement to universal credit does not arise—
(a)
in prescribed circumstances (even though the requirements in section 3 are met);
(b)
if the requirements in section 3 are met for a period shorter than a prescribed period;
(c)
for a prescribed period at the beginning of a period during which those requirements are met.
(2)
A period prescribed under subsection (1)(b) or (c) may not exceed seven days.
(3)
Regulations may provide for exceptions to subsection (1)(b) or (c).