Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of easements in benefit conditionality for claimants of universal credit experiencing domestic abuse.

No assessment has been made by the Department.

Universal Credit allows Work Coaches to tailor conditionality, setting requirements based on what is reasonable in the individual’s circumstances. Where a claimant is experiencing domestic abuse, in discussion with the Work Coach, requirements can be tailored and in some circumstances switched off for an agreed period of time.

There are circumstances when a claimant’s work search and availability requirements must be switched off for an agreed period of time, and other work-related requirements can be lifted too where appropriate. This includes where the claimant has suffered domestic violence and abuse, or periods where a child in their care is suffering distress due to experiencing or witnessing violence or abuse.