There are many reasons why you could be sanctioned by the DWP – for example, if you fail to attend a JobCentre interview or turn down a job offer without a good reason
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed its new benefit sanction rates for Universal Credit claimants.
There are many reasons why you could be sanctioned by the DWP – for example, if you fail to attend a JobCentre interview or turn down a job offer without a good reason. If you’re hit with a sanction, this normally means your Universal Credit repayments are reduced for a set period of time.
You’ll be sent a “sanction notification” with details about how long your sanction should last for. For the highest penalty, you will be sanctioned for 91 days for your first higher level sanction and 182 days for your second and each subsequent higher level sanction in any 364 day period.
If you think you have been unfairly sanctioned then you can ask the DWP to rethink their decision through a “mandatory reconsideration”. You can do this by writing a message in your Universal Credit online account, through a CRMR1 mandatory reconsideration request form, or through a letter to the DWP.
The amount that can be taken off your Universal Credit payments depends on your circumstances and the type of sanction. However, in some good news, the Government has previously confirmed it is reducing the cap on the maximum level of deductions that can be taken from your Universal Credit.
The DWP and third-parties can typically deduct up to 25% of your standard allowance to repay debts you owe, but this is being reduced to 15% from next April. The measure known as the Fair Repayment Rate. At the same time, Universal Credit payments are also increasing by 1.7% next April.
Universal Credit sanction rates from April 2025
Daily sanction rate
- Single under 25: increasing from £10.20 to £10.40
- Single 25 or over: increasing from £12.90 to £13.10
- Joint claimants both under 25 (per sanctioned claimant): increasing from £8 to £8.10
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over and one is sanctioned (per sanctioned claimant): increasing from £10.10 to £10.30
40% reduced sanction rate
- Single under 25: increasing from £4 to £4.10
- Single 25 or over: increasing from £5.10 to £5.20
- Joint claimants both under 25 (per sanctioned claimant): staying the same at £3.20
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over (per sanctioned claimant): staying the same at £4
Third-party deductions at 5% of Universal Credit standard allowance (excludes deductions for rent and service charges)
- Single under 25: increasing from £15.58 to £15.85
- Single 25 or over: increasing from £19.67 to £20.01
- Joint claimants both under 25: increasing from £24.46 to £24.88
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: increasing from £30.88 to £31.41
Minimum deductions for rent and service charges at 10% of Universal Credit standard allowance
- Single under 25: increasing from £31.17 to £31.70
- Single 25 or over: increasing from £39.35 to £40.01
- Joint claimants both under 25: increasing from £48.92 to £49.76
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: increasing from £61.76 to £62.81
Maximum deductions for rent and service charges at 15% of Universal Credit standard allowance (previously 20%)
- Single under 25: decreasing from £62.34 to £47.55
- Single 25 or over: decreasing from £78.69 to £60.02
- Joint claimants both under 25: decreasing from £97.85 to £74.63
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: decreasing from £123.52 to £94.22
Overall maximum deduction rate at 15% of Universal Credit standard allowance (previously 25%)
- Single under 25: decreasing from £77.92 to £47.55
- Single 25 or over: decreasing from £98.36 to £60.02
- Joint claimants both under 25: decreasing from £122.31 to £74.63
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: decreasing from £154.40 to £94.22
Fraud overpayments, recoverable hardship payments and administrative penalties at 15% of Universal Credit standard allowance (previously 25%)
- Single under 25: decreasing from £77.92 to £47.55
- Single 25 or over: decreasing from £98.36 to £60.02
- Joint claimants both under 25: decreasing from £122.31 to £74.63
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: decreasing from £154.40 to £94.22
Overpayments and civil penalties at 15% of Universal Credit standard allowance
- Single under 25: increasing from £46.75 to £47.55
- Single 25 or over: increasing from £59.02 to £60.02
- Joint claimants both under 25: increasing from £73.38 to £74.63
- Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: increasing from £92.64 to £94.22
