Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a government benefit for working age people who are on a low income or out of work. It is a benefit paid by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help with living and housing costs. It's means tested, so how much you get depends on your circumstances and if you have any other money or savings.
It might be worth claiming Universal Credit if:
- you’re struggling to pay the bills
- you’ve lost your job and have no income
- you have a disability or illness that stops you working
- you’re caring for someone.
Universal Credit is replacing these benefits:
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Support for Mortgage Interest.
Receiving Universal Credit can affect other means tested benefits. Some people are worse off if they change from their current benefit to Universal Credit. If you think this may apply to you, check with a specialist benefits adviser before applying.
To find a specialist in your area, contact our Helpline.
Who can get Universal Credit
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 or 17 years old, see below)
- you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
- you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you, and
- you live in the UK.
16 and 17 year olds
If you're 16 or 17 years old you're not usually able to apply for Universal Credit.
In some cases, 16 and 17 year olds who are disabled students or are no longer supported by their parents can apply. If you are still living at home or are supported by your parents, applying for Universal Credit may affect benefits they already receive. Check with them first before you apply.
Disabled students
Lots of people don't consider deafness to be a disability. However, even if you don't consider deafness to be a disability, if you're a deaf student you may be eligible for Universal Credit.
To qualify for Universal Credit as a disabled student you must:
- be under 21
- be doing a course that will lead to a qualification. This qualification must be at the same level as or below A level or equivalent (Scottish Highers, NVQ up to level 3)
- not live with your parents
- receive Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
- have "limited capability for work" because of a disability or medical condition. This may include your deafness making it harder for you to do some activities at work.
Remember to get advice before applying if you're a student, already receive benefits or are from another country.
What you can get through Universal Credit
How much money you will get depends on your circumstances. The following circumstances will affect how much you receive:
- you’re a carer
- you have a child/children
- you pass a work capability assessment
- your income
- your rent or housing costs. You usually can't get help with rent if you are renting from your parents and they live in the same home as you. However, there are some exceptions. See Shelter's website for more information
- you have capital over £6000
- if you are employed but paid a different amount each month. The amount you receive through Universal Credit will vary.
You can use a benefits calculator to find out how much you could receive.
Universal Credit can also help you get other types of support like:
- a work coach
- employment support
- discounts on leisure activities
- payment towards some health costs.
If you are joint tenants with your parents and have a private landlord, you may be able to get a share of the rent. If you live in temporary or supported housing, you will need to apply for housing benefit instead. For more information and help you can get advice from Shelter.
Deafness and Universal Credit
Being deaf may mean you find some things harder to do when it comes to finding a job and need extra support.
Depending on how your deafness affects you, you may be eligible for extra money. This money is to help you look for a job and to meet extra costs. To find out if you're eligible, you would need to have a work capability assessment.
How to apply
It's usually quickest to claim Universal Credit online.
If you have any questions or are struggling to apply online, contact the Universal Credit Helpline. You can contact them by phone, textphone or Relay UK. They can also arrange for someone to visit you in person to help you claim Universal Credit.
Get help to claim
In England, Scotland or Wales, Citizens Advice offer help to claim Universal Credit. In Northern Ireland, Citizens Advice have local community advice services listed who may be able to help with your application.
After applying, you'll likely have to make an appointment at your local Jobcentre. Take your ID documents to this appointment, such as a passport or driving licence. This meeting with be to talk about work options.
Checklist for applying
To claim universal credit you will need the following:
- your National Insurance number
- an email address (if you don't have an email address already you will need to set one up)
- a bank, building society or post office account for DWP to pay the money into
- proof of identity, such as a passport, debit card or driving license. If you don’t have any of these you should get specialist advice
- details about your income and savings, such as payslips and bank statements
- details about your rent or housing costs. This can include, rent receipts, tenancy agreement or information from your mortgage lender.
When you start your claim online you will receive an activation code. You have 28 days to use this code and complete your registration. If you've claimed Universal Credit before you can start a new claim by logging in to the same account.
If you live with your partner, they will also need to apply. Your claims will be linked.
What next?
Once you've completed your application, DWP will assess your claim. They will assess your claim to find out if you’re eligible for Universal Credit and how much money you can get.
If your claim is successful, you'll usually receive a payment within 6 weeks of completing your claim. You can ask for a payment in advance, but you will have to pay it back.
You'll receive the payments directly into your bank account. Universal Credit is paid monthly in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, you can receive your payments weekly.
Claimant Commitment
To receive Universal Credit everyone has to agree to a claimant commitment. Your claimant commitment outlines what you need to do to receive Universal Credit. What you will need to do depends on your situation. It can include activities to help you find a job, like writing a CV, applying for jobs or going on training courses.
If you're a student claiming Universal Credit, it's different. It's unlikely you will have to do anything under your claimant commitment.
The claimant commitment should be tailored to your needs. If you need to change your commitment you should write this in your online journal and tell your work coach. If they don't agree to change it, you can make a complaint.
Sanctions
If you don't complete your claimant commitment, you may be sanctioned. Being sanctioned is when DWP stop paying a claimant for failing to meet the commitment. You can appeal sanctions. See challenging decisions below for information about complaints and appeals.
If you're being treated unfairly because of your deafness, this is disability discrimination. Contact our Helpline for advice.
To do list
The things you need to do whilst on Universal Credit are set out in a ‘to do’ list on your online account. These are things you need to do to complete your claim or things that are a part of your claimant commitment. When you complete them, they will move to your ‘journal’.
Your journal is a record of everything you’ve done whilst claiming Universal Credit. You can use your journal to contact your work coach, for example, if your circumstances change. It's important to tell your work coach about any changes in your circumstances. These changes could affect the amount you receive and cause an overpayment. Overpayments would need to be paid back.
Additional help
Getting Universal Credit can make you eligible for additional support. You, your partner or children could get help with other things, including:
- free health and dental care
- school meals
- legal aid and court fee exemptions
- early years childcare
- education grants
- council tax support or rates relief.
Finding a job with Universal Credit
The work coach is there to help you if you are looking for work or want to increase your income.
Jobcentres run different schemes to help you. These schemes may include CV writing clubs, support groups or access to local employers. Each work coach also has access to a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA). The DEA can give advice about the help you might need at work or what adjustments an employer might need to make. They can also help you to access support for interviews, like getting a BSL interpreter.
In England and Wales, you may be able to get help through the Work and Health Programme. You can ask your work coach if you are eligible.
How long Universal Credit is paid for
Universal Credit will stop if you no longer meet the criteria. This could be for lots of reasons, like moving abroad or an increase in earnings.
Your Universal Credit can also stop or be reduced if you don’t do something in your claimant commitment. If you are struggling with money because of a sanction, you can apply for a hardship payment. Contact the Universal Credit Helpline.
You may also be able to challenge this decision.
If you're unhappy with a Universal Credit decision
If you're not happy with a Universal Credit decision, you can challenge it. You can ask DWP to look at their decision again if you think they've made a mistake. This includes decisions about how much money you're entitled to and sanctions.
If you think they've made a mistake the first step is to ask for a mandatory reconsideration. If your claim is still open, you can write this in your online journal but it's a good idea to contact them. If your claim has been closed, you won’t be able to use your journal. You will need to contact the Universal Credit Helpline.
In some cases, the decision will remain the same after a mandatory reconsideration. You can then lodge an appeal and the decision will be looked at again at a tribunal.
If you are challenging a Universal Credit decision or making a complaint it is important to get specialist advice. Contact our Helpline and we can sign post you to a specialist in your area.
Make a complaint
If you're not happy with how your claim has been handled, you can complain. Find more information on the complaints procedure (GOV.UK).
If DWP has failed to contact you properly, despite knowing about your deafness, this may be disability discrimination. If you're finding it difficult to contact DWP, contact our Helpline for advice with this.
Full references for this webpage are available by emailing
informationteam@ndcs.org.uk