Field: Universal Credit Status
Description
For Paying Parents who are claiming Universal Credit, this variable gives the Universal Credit Conditionality regime to which they are subject.
Conditionality means work-related activities an eligible adult will have complete in order to gain full entitlement to Universal Credit. Each eligible adult will fall into one of six conditionality regimes based on their capability and circumstances.
The six levels of conditionality under Universal Credit are shown below. Different members of a household can be subject to the same or different requirements. As circumstances change claimants will also transition between different levels of conditionality.
Classification
Conditionality regime for claimants can take the following values:
| Conditionality Regime | Description |
|---|---|
| Searching for work | Not working, or with very low earnings. Claimant is required to take action to secure work - or more / better paid work. The Work Coach supports them to plan their work search and preparation activity. |
| Working - with requirements | In work but could earn more, or not working but has a partner with low earnings |
| No work requirements | Not expected to work at present. Health or caring responsibility prevents claimant from working or preparing for work. |
| Working - no requirements | Individual or household earnings over the level at which conditionality applies. Required to inform DWP of changes of circumstances, particularly if at risk of decreasing earnings or losing job. |
| Planning for work | Expected to work in the future. Lone parent / lead carer of child aged 1(a). Claimant required to attend periodic interviews to plan for their return to work. |
| Preparing for work | Expected to start preparing for future even with limited capability for work at the present time or a child aged 2(b), the claimant is expected to take reasonable steps to prepare for work including Work Focused Interview. |
| (a) Aged 1 - 2, prior to April 2017. (b) Aged 3 - 4, prior to April 2017. |
Two additional categories are also available:
Parents who are not claiming Universal Credit
Parents who are claiming Universal Credit but for whom no conditionality regime information is available
Total number of categories: 8
Quality Statement
Universal Credit data is taken from datasets underlying Universal Credit Official Statistics. As a result, the data used to set this variable is recorded as of the second Thursday of the final month of the relevant calendar quarter (e.g. for the quarter ending December 2020 this would be 10th December 2020). This stands in contrast to other variables in this dataset, which are recorded as of the final day of the calendar quarter.
Universal Credit data for the most recent published quarter is provisional and subject to revision in the next release.