Universal Credit
Universal Credit is there to help people of working age on low income with living costs. You can find out more about what it is, if you qualify and how to claim below.
What is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of working age on a low income, whether you are in work or not. It has replaced the following existing benefits, which are now known as “legacy benefits”:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing benefit
You can hear about Universal Credit and how to claim in our audio Q and A.
How can I make a claim?
People across the UK can make an online claim by visiting gov.uk/apply-universal-credit. This online system should meet the guidelines for accessibility and should work with magnification and screen reading technology.
For general information about Universal Credit, who can claim it, how much its worth, how to request an advance and how to appeal a decision, please see our factsheet:
If you cannot access the internet and make your claim online, or feel that you need more support to do this, there are other ways for you to make your claim:
Help to Claim Service
Help to Claim Service Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland provide a Help to Claim Service. To access this support, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Telephone claim
If you are unable to claim online, you can make a telephone claim where a Universal Credit Case Manager will set up an account for you, record the data gathered, submit your claim and identify your claim as a phone claim on the system. Call the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644 (Textphone 0800 328 1344) Welsh language 0800 328 1744 and explain why you cannot apply online.
DWP home visiting service for people living in England, Scotland or Wales
If you require additional support, you can request access to the DWP Home Visiting Team. This is where the DWP would arrange for DWP staff or a “Local Service Support” to visit your home to complete the online form for you. To request a home visit, you can call the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644 and explain why you need this service.
Universal Credit Further Information and Support
We’ve created a series of factsheets and toolkits to support you with making a claim, obtaining reasonable adjustments, requesting a backdate, preparing for agreeing your Claimant Commitment and what to expect from a work capability assessment.
Making a claim toolkit
Our toolkit, which includes template letters, provides guidance on how to make a claim and receive appropriate support and adjustments.
Request to backdate toolkit
You can request to backdate the start of your Universal Credit claim for up to a maximum of one month if you can show that you were unable to claim sooner due to ill health, disability or if the system has failed, meaning you have been left out of pocket.
Our toolkit, which includes template letters, provides guidance on how to request backdating of your Universal Credit claim:
Agreeing your Claimant Commitment
You must agree a Claimant Commitment in order to receive Universal Credit. If you fail to carry out the agreed actions, Jobcentre Plus may suspend your benefits. Use our top tips for signing your Claimant Commitment to ensure that your benefits are not suspended.
Work Capability Assessment
If you are claiming the work capability component of Universal Credit due to disability or illness you will undergo a medical test called the Work Capability Assessment.
Severe Disability Premium (SDP) transitional protection
Claimants in receipt of a Severe Disability Premium in their previous legacy benefit may be entitled to what is known as ‘transitional protection’ for this payment. This payment is a fixed-rate amount, dependent on your circumstances and will be included in the Universal Credit award to compensate for the loss of the SDP. Please note that these payments are only available to people who have received a SDP within their Income Support, JSA or ESA in the month before they claim Universal Credit and continue to meet the eligibility conditions.
For more information on how this change may affect you please get in touch to speak with a Sight Loss Adviser by calling our Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
