What to do if my Universal Credit is sanctioned
What is a sanction?
In return for receiving Universal Credit you will need to do certain things. This may include looking and preparing for work, attending appointments with your work coach. What is asked of you will depend on your situation and will be recorded in your Claimant Commitment. If you fail to do what you have agreed in your claimant commitment without good reason, or without notifying the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), your Universal Credit payments may be reduced for a set period. This is known as a sanction.
Appealing a sanction
If you have been sanctioned and you think it is wrong, you can challenge this decision. This is called a mandatory reconsideration.
You can ask for a mandatory reconsideration at any time, and there is no time limit to apply!
The DWP should send you a mandatory reconsideration notice once they have reconsidered the decision.
- If the decision is changed in your favour, you should be paid any arrears owed to you.
- If the decision is not changed, you can appeal within 1 month of the decision notice being issued to you. In some circumstances an appeal may be made up to 13 months from the date the mandatory reconsideration notice is issued.