Statutory Instruments
SOCIAL SECURITY
Made
12th April 2024
Laid before Parliament
19th April 2024
Coming into force
6th May 2024
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 18(5), 22(2)(a), 40 and 42(1) and (2) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012(1).
In accordance with section 172(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(2), the Secretary of State has referred the proposals in respect of these Regulations to the Social Security Advisory Committee.
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and come into force on 6th May 2024.
(2) Any amendment made by these Regulations has the same extent as the provision amended.
2. In paragraph (6) of regulation 99 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (circumstances in which requirements must not be imposed)(3)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (a) for “15 hours” substitute “18 hours”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (b) for “24 hours” substitute “29 hours”.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Work and Pensions
12th April 2024
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend regulation 99 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/376), which sets out the circumstances in which work search and work availability requirements must not be imposed on a universal credit claimant. Regulation 2 amends paragraph (6) of regulation 99 so that work search and work availability requirements may not be imposed where a claimant has monthly earnings from employment that are equal to, or more than, 18 hours per week at the national minimum wage rate as set out in regulation 4 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/621) (“the national living wage”) or, where the claimant is a member of a couple, their combined earnings from employment are equal to, or more than, 29 hours per week at the national living wage rate, in both cases converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
2012 c. 5. Section 40 is cited for the meaning of the word “prescribed”.
S.I. 2013/376 amended by S.I. 2015/89 and 1754, S.I. 2022/886 and S.I. 2023/7.