Universal Credit

Contents

  1. What Universal Credit is
  2. Eligibility
  3. What you’ll get
  4. How your earnings affect your payments
  5. How you’re paid
  6. How to claim
  7. Get an advance on your first payment
  8. Your responsibilities
  9. Report a change of circumstances
  10. Other financial support
  11. Contact Universal Credit

Eligibility

You may be able to get Universal Credit if:

  • you’re on a low income or out of work
  • you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
  • you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
  • you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you
  • you live in the UK

The number of children you have does not affect your eligibility for Universal Credit, but it may affect how much you get.

Use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you could get if you’re not eligible for Universal Credit.

If you live with your partner

Your partner’s income and savings will be taken into account, even if they are not eligible for Universal Credit.

If you’re 18 or over and in training or studying full-time

You can make a new Universal Credit claim if any of the following apply:

  • you live with your partner and they’re eligible for Universal Credit
  • you’re responsible for a child, either as a single person or as a couple
  • you’re disabled and entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and have limited capability for work
  • you’re in further education, are 21 or under and do not have parental support, for example you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care

If you’re 16 or 17

You can make a new Universal Credit claim if any of the following apply:

  • you have limited capability for work or you have medical evidence and are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment
  • you’re caring for a severely disabled person
  • you’re responsible for a child
  • you’re in a couple with responsibility for at least one child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit
  • you’re pregnant and it’s 11 weeks or less before your expected week of childbirth
  • you’ve had a child in the last 15 weeks
  • you do not have parental support, for example you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care

If you’re studying full-time

You can also make a claim if you’re in full-time further education and any of the following apply:

  • you do not have parental support
  • you have limited capacity for work and you’re entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • you’re responsible for a child
  • you’re in a couple with responsibility for a child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit

If you’re in a couple and one of you is State Pension age

You and your partner can claim Universal Credit as a couple if one of you is under State Pension age and eligible for Universal Credit.

When you both reach State Pension age your Universal Credit claim will stop.

You may be able to apply for Pension Credit or other benefits as a couple when your Universal Credit stops. Ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach what else you could be eligible for.