Universal Credit, PIP, JSA, ESA Claims and Payments Amendment Regulations
Summary
The UK Secretary of State has issued the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. These regulations amend the 2013 Claims and Payments Regulations to prioritize deductions for child support maintenance over other benefit deductions and correct a cross-referencing error.
What changed
These Regulations amend the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013. Specifically, they alter Schedule 6 to prioritize child support maintenance deductions over other benefit deductions. The amendments also correct a cross-referencing error related to the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019, removing obsolete provisions.
While no significant impact on the private, voluntary, or public sector is foreseen, compliance officers should ensure that systems and processes for benefit deductions correctly prioritize child support maintenance as per the amended regulations. The effective date for these changes is April 30, 2026.
What to do next
- Ensure benefit deduction systems prioritize child support maintenance as per amended regulations.
- Review Schedule 6 of the 2013 Claims and Payments Regulations for compliance with updated deduction priorities.
Source document (simplified)
Status:
This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
This Statutory Instrument has been made in consequence of a defect in S.I. 2019/1084 and is being issued free of charge to all known recipients of that Statutory Instrument.
Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 322
SOCIAL SECURITY
The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Made
19th March 2026
Laid before Parliament
20th March 2026
Coming into force
30th April 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 5(1)(p) and (6) and 189(1), (4) and (5) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(1).
In accordance with section 173(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, the Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed that the proposals in respect of these Regulations should not be referred to it.
Citation, commencement and extent
- —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 30th April 2026.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.
Amendment to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013
- In Schedule 6 to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 (deductions from benefit and direct payment to third parties)(2)—
(a) in paragraph 3(2) omit paragraph (e);
(b) in paragraph 5(2)—
(i) before paragraph (a) insert—
“ (za) Schedule 7 (deductions from benefit in respect of child support maintenance and payment to persons with care) to these Regulations; ”;
(ii) omit paragraphs (g) and (h); and
(c) in paragraph 5(4) for “housing costs” substitute “deductions under Schedule 7 (deductions from benefit in respect of child support maintenance and payment to persons with care) to these Regulations”.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Stephen Timms
Minister of State
Department for Work and Pensions
19th March 2026
Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends Schedule 6 to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/380) so that deductions for child support maintenance have priority over the other deductions listed in paragraph 5(2).
Regulation 2 also omits paragraph 3(2)(e) of Schedule 6. Paragraph 3(2)(e) cross refers to paragraph 10 of that Schedule and it should have been omitted by the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1084) when paragraph 10 was omitted. Paragraph 5(2)(g) is omitted as it also cross refers to paragraph 10 of that Schedule. Paragraph 5(2)(h) is omitted in consequence of regulation 2(b)(i).
A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
(1) 1992 c. 5. Section 5(6) was inserted by section 120(1) of the Housing Act 1996 (c. 52) and amended by paragraph 5(b) of Schedule 2 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5). Section 189 was amended by paragraph 109 of Schedule 7, and Schedule 8, to the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), paragraph 57(2) of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), Schedule 6 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21) and S.I. 2013/252.
(2) S.I. 2013/380, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.
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