Policy paper

Welfare Reform Act 2012 regulations from 2015 to 2018

Published 8 May 2015

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

The following regulations and statutory instruments relating to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 are published on the legislation.gov.uk website. We have published the links here so that you can find the legislation published between May 2015 and 2018 relating to the Act in one place.

Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order No. 881 (C. 68) – provides for the final expansion of the Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to further postcodes between 5 September 2018 and 12 December 2018. This completes the rollout of Universal Credit to every jobcentre in Great Britain.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order No. 532 (C. 43) – provides for the expansion of the Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to further postcodes between 2 May 2018 and 25 July 2018.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2018 No. 138 (C. 13) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to further postcodes between 7 February 2018 and 25 April 2018. It also provides for Universal Credit claimants who are living in temporary accommodation to claim Housing Benefit instead of the Universal Credit housing element from 11 April 2018.

The Universal Credit (Miscellaneous Amendments, Saving and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2018 – bring together a number of changes to various pieces of legislation where improvements or simplifications have been identified, including measures announced in the Autumn 2017 Budget and other changes as a result of changes being made elsewhere in government.

The roll-out of Universal Credit full service in postcode areas administered by North Kensington Jobcentre will now take place from 12 December 2018. These postcodes are: W8, W10 5, W10 6, W10 9 and W11 as listed in Part 29 of the Schedule to Commencement Order No. 29. The date was changed by the Minister for Employment on 11 December 2017 on behalf of the Secretary of State, in a decision made under Regulation 4 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014. This supersedes a previous decision made by the Minister for Employment on 26 September 2017.

The Determination also covers the closure of Universal Credit Live Service for new claimants from 1 January 2018.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2017 No. 952 (C. 86) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to further postcodes between 4 October 2017 and 24 January 2018.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2017 No. 664 (C. 56) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to postcodes administered by a total of 30 jobcentres on a weekly basis between 5 to 19 July.

Ramsgate, Margate, Barnsley, York Monkgate, Southend, Harlow, Dudley and Solihull Jobcentres will initially launch this service to around half of the postcode areas they administer in July, with the remaining postcodes joining the service in September.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2017 No. 584 (C. 53) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to postcodes administered by a total of 13 jobcentres on a weekly basis between 3 May and 28 June 2017.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2017 No. 57 (C. 5) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to postcodes administered by a total of 15 jobcentres on a weekly basis between 1 February and 26 April 2017.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2016 No. 963 – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to postcodes administered by a total of 20 jobcentres on a weekly basis between 5 October and 14 December 2016.

This Order includes minor variations of the expansion plan as follows:

• Shepherds Bush Jobcentre will now join the service on 23 November, rather than December
• Peckham Jobcentre will join in 2 phases on 5 October and 9 November, rather than entirely in October
• Swindon Jobcentre will join in 2 phases on 30 November and 14 December, rather than entirely in December

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – amending Commencement Order 2016 No. 596 (C. 41) – provides for the expansion of the full Universal Credit service (‘Digital Service’ in legislation) to postcodes administered by a total of 16 jobcentres from 25 May, 29 June and 27 July 2016.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – Commencement Order No. 27 – provides for the introduction of the Universal Credit Digital Service in postcodes administered by Croydon, London Bridge and Musselburgh Jobcentres from 23 March 2016, and in Purley, Thornton Heath and Great Yarmouth Jobcentres from 27 April 2016.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – Commencement Order No. 26 – provides for the introduction of the Universal Credit Digital Service in postcodes administered by Sutton, London Bridge, Hounslow and Croydon Jobcentres from 27 January and 24 February.

Certain postcode areas administered by Croydon and Sutton Jobcentres will now take new claims for Universal Credit from 23 March 2016, instead of from 24 February 2016. These are: CR0 1, CR0 3, SM2 5, SM2 7, SM3 8, SM5 4 and SM7 3, as listed in Part 2 of the Schedule to Commencement Order No. 26. This decision is made under Regulation 4 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – Commencement Order No. 25 – provides for expansion of Universal Credit to further postcodes in the London Borough of Sutton from 2 December 2015.

The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 – provides that people who are in a 6 month ‘re-award’ period, during which time Universal Credit may be awarded without having to make a new claim, may not also claim Housing Benefit, Tax Credits or Income Support.

The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2015 – technical changes to Universal Credit regulations and consequential changes to other benefits regulations.

Welfare Reform Act 2012 – Commencement Order No. 24 – completes the national expansion of Universal Credit claims for single claimants between 21 September 2015 and 25 April 2016.