Couple, young partner is youth money managed, primary client has work preparation obligations, dependent children, both fail

Couples with dependent children who both fail their obligations at the same time do not have their whole benefit sanctioned. Instead, a maximum sanction of 50% of the total benefit may be imposed.

If a client has more than one obligation failure initiated on the same day, only one sanction can be imposed on the client. For the sanction to be lifted, the client must successfully dispute or recomply with all the obligations failures.

Note family tax credit continues to be paid at the full rate.

If the primary client fails their obligations for the first time, their portion of the benefit is reduced by 50% unless they have a non-financial sanction imposed. Extra help (including their portion of Winter Energy Payment) is not affected.

For more information on non-financial sanctions see:

• Non-financial sanctions

If the young partner fails for the first time, their in-hand allowance and any incentive payments will be suspended. Their Extra help (including their portion of Winter Energy Payment) is not affected.

If the primary client fails their obligations a second time, their portion (50% of the couple's benefit) is reduced by 25%. Their portion of Extra help is also suspended. They will not get their portion of Winter Energy Payment.

If the young partner also fails for the second time, their in-hand allowance and any incentive payments will be suspended.

The young partner will continue to get their portion of any Extra help to which they are entitled. In effect the couple gets 50% of the total Extra help to which they are entitled. This is as they have 50% protection for the family unit.

The young partner will also continue to be paid the full couple rate of the Winter Energy Payment as they are still getting a qualifying benefit.

If both clients fail their obligations a third time, 50% of the couple's benefit is cancelled. The couple will continue to get a maximum of 50% of their married rate of benefit until they recomply. The young partner's portion will be paid directly to their bank account, not via youth money management.

If both clients are subject to a non-entitlement period for 13 weeks, both clients may get a provisional benefit if they start a 6-week approved activity or programme of activities.

While part of the benefit is cancelled, the couple gets 50% of any Extra help to which they are entitled. They can continue to get the full couple rate of the Winter Energy Payment.

This is as they have 50% protection for the family unit.

If the primary client recomplies first, their portion of the benefit and Extra help must be resumed or re-granted. The young partner's benefit must remain sanctioned until they recomply.

If the young partner recomplies first, their portion of benefit and Extra help is not able to be resumed or re-granted as the primary record is not current. The payments must be manually made.