PART 2Claims
Time within which a claim for universal credit is to be made26
1
Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, a claim for universal credit must be made on the first day of the period in respect of which the claim is made.
2
Where the claim for universal credit is not made within the time specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary of State is to extend the time for claiming it, subject to a maximum extension of one month, to the date on which the claim is made, if—
a
any one or more of the circumstances specified in paragraph (3) applies or has applied to the claimant; and
b
as a result of that circumstance or those circumstances the claimant could not reasonably have been expected to make the claim earlier.
3
The circumstances referred to in paragraph (2) are—
a
the claimant was previously in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance or an employment and support allowance and notification of expiry of entitlement to that benefit was not sent to the claimant before the date that the claimant’s entitlement expired;
b
the claimant has a disability;
c
the claimant has supplied the Secretary of State with medical evidence that satisfies the Secretary of State that the claimant had an illness that prevented the claimant from making a claim;
d
the claimant was unable to make a claim in writing by means of an electronic communication used in accordance with Schedule 2 because the official computer system was inoperative;
e
where an award of universal credit has been terminated in the circumstances specified in regulation 9(6) and the person who first notifies the Secretary of State makes a further claim to universal credit as a single person;
f
where—
i
the Secretary of State decides not to award universal credit to members of a couple jointly because one of the couple does not meet the basic condition in section 4(1)(e) of the 2012 Act;
ii
they cease to be a couple; and
iii
the person who did meet the basic condition in section 4(1)(e) makes a further claim as a single person;
g
where—
i
an award of universal credit to joint claimants has been terminated because one of the couple does not meet the basic condition in section 4(1)(e) of the 2012 Act;
ii
they cease to be a couple; and
iii
the person who did meet the basic condition in section 4(1)(e) makes a further claim as a single person.
4
In the case of a claim for universal credit made by each of joint claimants, the prescribed time for claiming is not to be extended under paragraph (2) unless both claimants satisfy that paragraph.