Universal Credit is a payment paid monthly (or twice a month for some people in Scotland) to help with your living costs. If you are already in receipt of benefits Universal Credit will replace the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit

• Housing Benefit

• Income Support

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Working Tax Credit

If you currently receive any of these benefits, you will not be able to claim Universal Credit at the same time. In certain circumstances, you might face sanctions that reduce your entitlement.

You may be eligible to receive Universal Credit if:

• You receive a low income or you are out of work

• You have turned 18 (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17, see below)

• You or your partner is under the Pension Credit qualifying age 

• You and your partner have savings of £16,000 or under between you

• You are resident in the UK

Your children 

Your eligibility is not affected by how many children you have, but it may affect the amount you receive.

Your partner 

Regardless of whether your partner is eligible for Universal Credit or not, their income and savings will be taken into account when determining your eligibility for Universal Credit.

16 and 17 year olds 

If you are age 16 or 17 and any of the following criteria applies to you, you will be able to make a new claim for Universal Credit;

• You have limited capability for work 

• You have medical evidence and you are currently waiting for a Work Capability Assessment

• You are currently caring for a severely disabled person

• You have responsibility for a child

• You’re in a couple and have responsibility for a child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit

• You are pregnant and your expected delivery date is within the next 11 weeks

• Within the last 15 weeks you have had a child

• You have no parental support, you may be estranged from your parents and you are not under the care of the local authority either

Full-time education or training 

A new claim for Universal Credit can be made if you are in full time education or training and any of the following apply;

• Your partner is eligible for Universal Credit, and your partner lives with you

• You have responsibility for a child, either as a single person or as a couple

• You are a disabled person and have entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you have limited capability for work

• You are studying in ‘non-advanced education’ such as, A levels or a BTEC National Diploma, you are 21 or under and you do not have parental support

Pension Credit - the qualifying age 

At the moment if you are of Pension Credit qualifying age, you will only be eligible to claim for Universal Credit if you are living with a partner who is eligible for Universal Credit and is under Pension Credit qualifying age. If this applies you will have to make a joint claim. Alternatively, you will be able to make a claim for Pension Credit as a couple instead. From 15 May 2019 most couples not already in receipt of Pension Credit will not be eligible for Pension Credit until both partners have reached the Pension Credit qualifying age.

Payments of Universal Credit are made up of a standard allowance, combined with any additional extras you are entitled to, such as; If you have children, if you have a disability or health condition which prevents you from working, or if you need help paying your rent.

The amount of Universal Credit you receive will be determined by your earnings. An assessment of your individual circumstances will be made every month and the amount you receive may change. 

The benefit cap may also limit the total amount of benefit you actually receive.

Standard allowance 

A breakdown of the current figures are detailed as follows:

Your circumstances

Monthly standard allowance:-

Single and under 25:

£344.72

Single and 25 or over:

£411.51

In a couple and you’re both under 25:

£490.60 (for you both)

In a couple and either of you are 25 or over:

£596.58 (for you both)

Additional entitlement

If you are eligible for the additional entitlement, the following are amounts are in addition to the standard allowance:

If you are responsible for 1 or 2 children, you will receive an extra amount for each child.

If you are responsible for 3 or more children, you will receive an extra amount for at least 2 children. 

You can only get an extra amount for more children if any of the following apply:

• your children were born before 6 April 2017

• you were already claiming for 3 or more children before 6 April 2017

• other exceptions apply

You’ll get an extra amount for any disabled or severely disabled child, regardless of how many children you have or when they were born.

How much you will get:

Extra monthly amount:

For your first child;

Extra monthly amount: £282.50 (born before 6 April 2017) 

Extra monthly amount: £237.08 (born on or after 6 April 2017)

For your second child and any other eligible children

Extra monthly amount: £235.83 per child

If you have a disabled or severely disabled child;

Extra monthly amount: £128.89 or £402.41

If you need help with childcare costs;

up to 85% of your costs (up to £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for 2 or more children)

You might get the extra amount if you start caring for another child, depending on when they were born and how many children you have.

If you are disabled or you have a health condition:

How much you’ll get

Extra monthly amount: £343.63

If you have limited capability for work and work-related activity

If you have limited capability for work and you started your health-related Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claim before 3 April 2017

Extra monthly amount: £128.89

If you care for a severely disabled person

How much you’ll get:

Extra monthly amount: £163.73

You are providing care for at least 35 hours per week for a severely disabled person who receives a disability-related benefit.

This amount will be on top of any extra amount you get if you have a disabled child.

Housing 

How much help you receive for your housing costs will depend on your age and circumstances. A housing payment could cover rent and some service charges.

Homeowners might be eligible for a loan to help with interest payments on your mortgage or other loans specifically taken out for the home.

If you are employed, there is no limit to how many hours you can work, but your payments will reduce gradually as you earn more, for every £1 you earn your payment will be reduced by 63p.

The work allowance

If you, or your partner are responsible for a child or young person, or you, or your partner are living with a disability or health condition that affects your ability to work, you are entitled to earn a certain amount before your Universal Credit is reduced. This is known as your work allowance and will be reduced if you receive help with your housing costs.

Your circumstances

Monthly work allowance;

You get help with housing costs;

£293

You do not get help with housing costs;

£515

Surplus earnings 

If your monthly earnings exceed £2,500 over the amount where your payment stopped, you will have ‘surplus earnings’.

Surplus earnings will be carried forward to the following month, where they count towards your earnings. If your earnings (including your surplus earnings) are then still over the amount where your payment stops, you will not be eligible for a Universal Credit payment.

If your earnings fall below the amount where your payment stopped, the surplus will decrease. Once your surplus has gone, you will have entitlement to a Universal Credit payment again. It will be necessary to reclaim Universal Credit every month until your earnings have reduced enough to be eligible for another payment.

Further information can be obtained from your work coach and your personal statement in your online journal will show your work allowance and when your surplus has reduced.

You and your partner separate 

If you separate from your partner (and you have a joint claim) , any surplus earnings will be divided equally between you. You will both have to make an individual claim and your individual part of the surplus earnings will count towards your earnings.

If you’re a victim of domestic abuse any surplus earnings from your partner will not be taken on by you. You can contact your work coach in this situation.

If you’re self-employed a loss, as well as any surplus will be carried over to the following month. Any loss will be deducted from your next month’s earnings.

Universal Credit is paid once a month, normally direct into your bank, building society or credit union account. This will include your housing amount (if eligible) and you are responsible for paying this to your landlord.

If you’re not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, contact the Universal Credit helpline to arrange an alternative method of receiving your payment.

Payment dates 

You should receive your first payment after 5 weeks (the assessment period), if in the meantime you need help with your living costs, you can apply for an advance. You will then receive a monthly payment on the same date or on the next working day, if this falls on a weekend or bank holiday. You will also receive a monthly statement of the amount you will receive. In Scotland you can get paid once or twice a month.

Payment advance

You can apply for an advance whilst you're waiting for your first payment to come though, this will only be up to the amount of your first estimated payment.

An application can be made via your online account or through your Jobcentre Plus work coach. It will be necessary to:

• Provide details as to why you need an advance

• Verify your identity (either online when you submit your Universal Credit claim or at your first Jobcentre Plus interview)

• Give details of your bank account (talk to your work coach if you cannot open an account)

A decision is normally made the same day. If you need further help contact the Universal Credit helpline.

Universal Credit helpline

T: 0800 328 5644 

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Textphone: 0800 328 1344 

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm 

Paying back the advance 

Repayments will be taken from your first payment, but you can choose how many months you will pay the advance back over (but within 12 months - sometimes this can be extended over 48 payments). You are not required to pay interest on the advance.

An agreement called a ‘Claimant Commitment’ will be drawn up with your work coach. The requirements of the agreement will depend on your situation. You might need to do activities such as: write a CV, search and apply for jobs, attend training courses. In addition you may need to pay your own rent and housing costs and you will be required to report any changes in your circumstances.

If you have made a joint claim with your partner, you’ll each have a Claimant Commitment and your own set of responsibilities.

If you are responsible for children 

If you’re a single parent or you are the lead carer in a couple, your responsibilities will alter as your youngest child becomes older. See below:

• Age of your youngest child;

Your responsibilities;

Under 1 - You do not need to look for work

Aged 1 - You do not need to look for work. You need to have interviews with your work coach to discuss plans for moving into work in the future

Aged 2 - You do not need to look for work. You need to have regular interviews with your work coach and do work preparation activities (for example, writing your CV)

Aged 3 or 4 - Work a maximum of 16 hours a week (or spend 16 hours a week looking for work)

Aged between 5 and 12 - Work a maximum of 25 hours a week (or spend 25 hours a week looking for work)

3 or older - Work a maximum of 35 hours a week (or spend 35 hours a week looking for work)

Support with childcare costs 

You have a responsibility to do the following if you receive support with childcare costs:

• You must report your childcare costs when you pay them

• You must prove you’ve paid your childcare provider

In addition you will need to provide proof of:

• Childcare provider details for each child, for example an invoice or contract that includes the provider’s registration number and full contact details

• The amount you paid the provider and when you paid for it, for example a receipt or bank statement

Providing evidence can be done using your online Universal Credit account. The childcare payment will be paid in your next  Universal Credit payment.

If your childcare is paid for after it’s been provided, you are able to claim up to 3 months of past costs at any one time, however there may be a limit to how much you get back if you claim for more than one month’s fees at a time. 

If you do not meet your responsibilities you will be sanctioned, meaning your payments may be reduced or stopped altogether. If you apply jointly with a partner and only one of you breaches your responsibilities, you will receive a half sanction.

Help if your payment is stopped or reduced;

• If your payments have stopped or been reduced you can ask for a hardship payment for help to pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs. This will be repaid through your Universal Credit payments which will be lower until you pay it back.
  
  

• You must be 18 or over and must evidence the following:

  • • • You have tried to find the money from somewhere else

      • You will only spend the money on essentials
        
        

Call the Universal Credit helpline to ask for a hardship payment.

It is essential to report changes to your circumstances straight away otherwise your claim might be stopped or reduced.

Changes in circumstances can include:

You have found or finished a job

• You are having a child

• You are moving in with your partner

• You are caring for a child or disabled person

• You will be moving to a new address

• You are changing your bank details

• Your rent is increasing or going down

• You have changes to your health condition

• You become too ill to work or meet your work coach

• There are changes to your earnings (only if you’re self-employed)

• You have been overpaid

• You have a terminal illness (life expectancy less than 6 months)
  
  

You can report a change in circumstances by signing in to your Universal Credit account online.

If you are receiving a severe disability premium, or obtained the premium within the last month and still eligible, you are not entitled to claim Universal Credit. 

If you do have a change in your circumstances that affects the severe disability premium or your other benefits, you need to report the change and you will be advised about what you need to do next.

Once you are in receipt of your Universal Credit payment, we recommend that you make sure that you can navigate around your online portal.

Payment Breakdown

It is important that you understand what, if any housing costs are being paid and any deductions being taken from your benefit or allowances.

For example:

• Deductions for overpayment of benefits

• Benefit cap

• Advance loan

• Budget loan

• Income

• Bedroom Tax

• Non-dependent deductions

• Magistrate Court Fines

• Council Tax Arrears
  
  

If not all your housing costs are covered, you may have a shortfall in rent that you need to meet to prevent rent arrears. You may be able to apply for discretionary housing payment (DHP) from your local authority if you have a qualifying shortfall.

DWP Debt Management Centre

If you want to check any debt repayment deductions, in the first instance, you should contact the DWP Debt Management Centre. If you present evidence of extreme hardship, deductions can sometimes be lowered.

DWP Debt Management contact centre

Telephone: 0800 916 0647

Textphone: 0800 916 0651

NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647

Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users