The Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2024

Statutory Instruments

2024 No. 159

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2024

Made

15th February 2024

Coming into force

19th February 2024

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 41(5)(a) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012(1).

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2024 and comes into force on 19th February 2024.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.

Extension of the In Work Pilot Scheme

2.  The In Work Pilot Scheme in Part 3 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme and Amendment Regulations 2015(2) is to continue to have effect until the end of the period of twelve months beginning with 19th February 2024.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Jo Churchill

Minister of State

Department for Work and Pensions

15th February 2024

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order extends the period for which the pilot scheme established under the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme and Amendment Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/89) (“the In Work Pilot Scheme Regulations”) has effect.

The In Work Pilot Scheme Regulations established the pilot scheme under section 41 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5) for the purpose of testing the imposition of work-related requirements on universal credit claimants in paid work where those requirements would otherwise be suspended by virtue of regulation 99(6) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/376). Regulation 8 of the In Work Pilot Scheme Regulations provides for the pilot scheme to cease to have effect at the end of a period of three years unless the scheme continues to have effect by Order of the Secretary of State. Six Orders made under section 41(5)(a) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 have continued the effect of the pilot scheme(3), the latest being the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/157), which continued the scheme in effect for a period of twelve months beginning on 19th February 2023.

Article 2 of this Order continues the effect of the pilot scheme for a further period of twelve months beginning on 19th February 2024.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sector is foreseen.

(1)

2012 c. 5.

(2)

S.I. 2015/89, amended by 2015/1754.

(3)

Article 2 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/168), article 2 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/249), article 2 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/152), article 2 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/147) and article 2 of the Universal Credit (Work-Related Requirements) In Work Pilot Scheme (Extension) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/139), each continued the effect of the pilot scheme for a period of twelve months beginning on 19th February 2018, 19th February 2019, 19th February 2020, 19th February 2021 and 19th February 2022 respectively.