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Universal Credit is a new benefit, whatever your employment status, and should make changes into and out of work easier as people won’t need to move to a different benefit. For example whilst claiming it will be easier to:
- take temporary or part-time work
- increase your hours
- work overtime
If you are making a new claim for any of these benefits, you will now need to claim Universal Credit instead:
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
The Department of Work & Pensions has provided up to date information on 'Understanding Universal Credit'.
Money Advice
You can get help and advice from:
- your Jobcentre Plus work coach
- Citizens Advice
- Money Advice Trust
- the Money Manager tool from Money Advice Service
- National Debtline
- Shelter for help with housing and homelessness
- StepChange
- Turn2Us
Housing Benefit and paying your rent
Universal Credit may include money towards your housing costs. You’ll have to arrange with your landlord to start paying your own rent, if you don’t do this already.
Find out details of your rent from your landlord, for example:
- how much the rent is and how you need to pay it
- if you need to pay any service charges or bills, for example, gas and electricity
If you think you’ll have problems managing your rent, talk to your landlord or Universal Credit work coach if you want to find out more about how payments can be made directly to your landlord.
Help with Council Tax
Help with Council Tax is not included in your Universal Credit payment. You need to make your Council Tax Support claim to us when you apply for Universal Credit. If you don't, you may miss out.