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Universal Credit
Who can get it, how much you can get and how to apply
Updated 16 July 2021
Universal credit is a monthly benefit to support those on low incomes (or no income) with living and housing costs. It replaces six benefits – including housing benefit and working tax credit. With millions of people struggling financially due to coronavirus, many will now be able to claim for the first time, but a recent report suggests as many as half a million could be missing out. See our Universal Credit and Benefits Calculator to see how much you could get.
This guide covers England, Wales and Scotland. Universal credit follows the same guidelines in England and Wales and there are some small differences for recipients in Scotland, which we outline. However the system works differently in Northern Ireland.
Universal credit is a monthly payment, paid in arrears for people who are out of work or on low incomes. It replaces six means-tested benefits, often referred to as 'legacy benefits'. If you're making a first-time claim you'll go straight onto universal credit, and eventually everyone currently in the old system will be switched over to universal credit. Right now though, this process has been temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.
Universal credit replaces these six benefits:
- Income support. This is paid to people who are not expected to look for work – for example, carers or lone parents with children under the age of five.
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA). You can get this if you're looking for work and your household is on a low income. It's paid for as long as you show you are trying to find a job. (Note that this is a separate benefit to contribution-based or "new style" jobseeker's allowance.)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA). This is paid if you are sick/disabled, your household is on a low income and you are unable to work, or have limited capacity to work. You will need to pass a 'capability for work' assessment.
- Housing benefit. Housing benefit is help for those on a low income who struggle to pay their rent and can't be used to help with mortgage costs.
- Child tax credit. This is paid to anyone with children aged 16 or under (under 20 if in education or training) and anyone, whether working or not, can apply.
- Working tax credit. This is paid to anyone with children aged 16 or under (under 20 if in education or training) and anyone, whether working or not, can apply.
If you're unemployed, have been made redundant, are off work due to sickness, or are on a low income, you could be entitled to universal credit to help you meet your basic living costs. You could work for an employer, be self-employed and still apply.
You might be able to claim universal credit if all of the following applies:
- You're out of work or on a low income or have been made redundant.
- You're aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you're 16 or 17).
- You or your partner are under state pension age.
- You have less than £16,000 in savings – if you have a partner, their savings count too (if you're self-employed, some savings may not count if they're for business purposes, eg, tax. For full info on what counts, see below).
- You live in the UK.
- You currently receive any of the benefits that universal credit is replacing – eg, working tax credits, child tax credit, income support, housing benefit – and your circumstances change.
Is it the same in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
England, Wales and Scotland follow the same guidelines. Scotland has some extra flexibility when it comes to receiving the payments, known as 'Scottish choices'. This means you can choose to be paid monthly or twice monthly, and if you get an extra housing payment you can choose to get it in your bank account or paid directly to your landlord.
In Northern Ireland, it's a slightly different system and it's normally paid twice a month, though you can choose to be paid monthly. Find out more on the NIdirect website.
Half a million missing out – check NOW to make sure you're getting what you're entitled to
About 500,000 people who were eligible for universal credit at the start of the pandemic did not claim the benefit, a recent report found.
Make sure you don't miss out – it takes just 10 mins to check if you're eligible. Our 10-min Universal Credit and Benefits Calculator helps you work out how much you could get.
Quick questions on who's eligible
I'm on working tax credit – would I be better off switching to universal credit?
Before you think of switching, you must know that if you switch from a legacy benefit to universal credit you CAN'T switch back.
Your personal mix of legacy benefits may very well be worth less than the amount available via universal credit, however there are different rules around savings, earnings, eligibility and capital that makes generalisations about who is better off difficult.
As rough guidelines, those who are better off are typically those who pay private rents in expensive cities. Those who might be worse off are those with disabilities.
It's quick and free to get a good idea of if you'll be better off. Our Universal Credit and Benefits Calculator has an inbuilt comparison tool that clearly shows what you're currently getting and what you might get if you made the switch.
One of the underlying principles of universal credit is that it's a payment based on need. It helps if you think about universal credit like a set of scales: on one side, you get your standard payment along with extra payments based on what you need to meet your basic costs; and on the other side, these payments are reduced if you have increased savings, earnings, or get other benefits (more on reductions in the chapter below).
As a result, two people the same age and earning similar amounts could easily be entitled to vastly different amounts based on extra help the Government thinks each needs.
But as a starting point there's a standard allowance, based on age and whether you're single or in a couple. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Government increased the universal credit standard allowance by around £20 a week, but this uplift is set to expire in September this year.
Here's a table showing what the current standard allowance is and what it will change to:
Universal credit standard allowance
Your circumstances |
Current monthly allowance – including the £20/wk uplift | Monthly allowance from 1 October 2021 |
Single and under 25 |
£342.72 |
£257.33 |
Single and 25 or over |
£409.89 |
£324.84 |
In a couple and both under 25 |
£488.59 per couple |
£403.93 |
In a couple and either of you is 25 or over |
£594.04 per couple |
£509.91 |
In addition, universal credit offers some people extra help. This is for:
- Housing costs – for rent, but mortgage-holders can apply for a 'support for mortgage interest' loan
- If you care for children
- If you have a sickness or disability that prevents you from working
- If you have other caring responsibilities
Housing element for rent
There is not standard amount for housing. Instead, the amount you get is set by your age, circumstances and the 'local housing allowance' rate in your area. For the full ins and outs of the local housing allowance, see What is the local housing allowance?
For example, the amount for two-bedroom accommodation in the London borough of Ealing is £339.49/week or about £1,360/month. The amount for a two-bedroom accommodation in the Isle of Scilly is £143.84/week or about £575/month. Want to see what you could get, check your area's rates here.
Help with mortgage interest payments
If you qualify for universal credit, after nine months you can apply for support for mortgage interest (SMI) on up to £200,000 of your mortgage, based on a standard rate of interest – currently 1.3%. The money is paid directly to your lender. This is a loan and not a benefit – this means it must be repaid when you die or sell your home. For more information, see the Gov.uk.
If you are having difficulty meeting your mortgage payments, you should speak to your lender and see whether a 'mortgage holiday' could be an option for you. The payment holiday won't affect your credit rating and it could save you from going into arrears.
Help towards caring for children
If you're looking after a child under the age of 16, you can apply for an extra amount to help with the costs. If you have two children, you'll get extra for your second child. If you have three children you might get an extra payment, but it depends when they were born.
For your first child:
- £282.50/month (born before 6 April 2017)
- £237.08/month (born on or after 6 April 2017)
For your second child (and any other eligible children):
- £237.08/mth per child
If you have three or more children, you only get an extra amount for third or subsequent children if any of the following are true:
- If your children were born before 6 April 2017, and
- You were already claiming for three or more children before 6 April 2017
If you have a disabled or severely disabled child:
£128.89/mth or £402.41/mth (for severely disabled child)
In Scotland? If you claim universal credit (among other means-tested benefits) you could get an extra £10/week for every child you care for under the age of six. See more in our 10-min benefit checker.
Help for a disability or health condition
If you can't work because of sickness or disability, you may be able to claim the 'limited capability for work and work-related activity' element of universal credit.
If you have limited capability for work and work-related activity:
£343.63/mth
If you have limited capability for work and you started your health-related universal credit claim before 3 April 2017:
£128.89/mth
Did you know? If you have paid enough national insurance contributions, you may also be able to claim new-style employment and support allowance (ESA) of up to about £446/mth. See our Universal Credit and Benefits Calculator to see how much you could get.
Help for caring for a severely disabled person
If you're a carer for someone in your household for at least 35 hours a week who is severely disabled, you may be able to get the 'carer's element' as part of your monthly universal credit payment.
The carer's element is:
- £163.73/mth
Important: If you and someone else in your household care for the same person, you can't both get the carer's element. You'll have to decide which of you will claim it. If you're getting the separate carer's allowance benefit you can continue to get it, if you continue to be eligible.
Help with council tax
If you qualify for universal credit it doesn't always mean you can get help with your council tax, but you can apply to your council for a "council tax reduction". This is a long-standing discount of up to 100% off bills for those on benefits or a low income. It doesn't matter if you own your own home or rent, or whether you're employed or not. All can apply. Yet what you get depends on:
- Where you live (each council runs its own scheme)
- Your circumstances (eg, income, number of children, benefits, residency status)
- Your income, including savings, pensions and your partner's income
- If children live with you
- If other adults live with you
For more information see our
Coronavirus Finance & Bills Help guide.
Not sure what you could get? Use our 10-minute Benefits Calculator as a ready reckoner
Our 10-minute Benefits Calculator will give you a good idea of what you're entitled to depending on your circumstances.
Quick questions on getting extra payments
Just as you can get awarded extra payments depending on your extra needs, your payments can also be reduced if you have extra savings, earnings or payments from other benefits.
It's like a set of scales: on one side, you get awarded an amount based on what you need, while on the other, this amount can go down depending on what you have.
Here's what can reduce your payments:
Income can affect the amount you'll get
One of the principles of universal credit is the more you have, the less you're likely to get. So earnings from a job can affect the amount you can get.
This may be from a job or self-employed work. If you have children or are disabled, you can earn up to a particular amount before your payment starts to be reduced.
This work allowance is £293 a month if you get help towards paying your housing costs, or £515 a month if you don't. And for every £1 you earn (above your work allowance if you have one), your universal credit will be reduced by 63p.
More than £6,000 in savings, you'll get less, more than £16,000 you'll get nowt
- Less than £6,000 and it's disregarded. If you have less than £6,000 in savings you'll have to declare it, but it won't affect your universal credit entitlement.
- Having between £6,001 and £16,000 will affect your universal credit amount. It is treated as if it gives you a monthly income of £4.35 for each £250, or part of £250, regardless of whether it does or not. So if you have £6,300 in a savings account, £6,000 of it will be ignored and the other £300 will be treated as giving you a monthly income of £8.70.
- More than £16,000 and you will not be eligible. Any savings more than £16,000, you'll stop you getting universal credit.
Redundancy payouts are treated as savings. So if you have a lump sum, and it takes you over the £6,000 mark it can impact how much your monthly payment is. And if it's over £16,000, like those with regular savings, you will be ineligible.
- Been rejected because your savings (or you and your partner's combined savings) were above £16,000? Reapply immediately when your savings dip below that amount. This is because anyone with savings of less than £16,000 will start being eligible for universal credit (as long as you fit the other eligibility criteria). But the closer to £16,000 you are, the less universal credit you'll get.
You will have to make a fresh application – any previous claims are not kept open on the system. Here's what you'll need to do:
- First, apply online. The quickest way to claim universal credit is online. If you're in a couple living in the same household, you will need to make a joint claim. If you can't claim online, you can call the free universal credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
- Then you'll need to attend an interview. After a successful online claim, you have to visit the Jobcentre for an interview with your work coach. (All face-to-face interviews were temporarily suspended due to coronavirus but are now open again.)
It's worth noting that the person assessing your claim may look into why and how quickly your savings have fallen. They may ask for evidence that you've spent them legitimately and you haven't knowingly reduced your savings just to get or increase universal credit. You may even be asked for receipts as evidence (to show you've not hidden or temporarily shifted money to another person's account to try to get more universal credit), particularly if it was a big, sudden drop.
- Were you getting a reduced universal credit payment due to having £6,000-£16,000 in savings? If your savings balance has since dropped, you can now claim more. This is because if you have more than £6,000 and up to £16,000 in savings you'll still get some universal credit – with the amount reducing the closer you get to the £16,000 threshold.
If your savings have dropped it's up to you to make sure you disclose this to get more. This is what you'll need to do:
- Simply update your savings amount via your online journal. But do it as soon as possible to make sure you'll get the full amount you're entitled to – once you've done so you should see the amount you get change when you're next due a payment. If you can't access this online, call the universal credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Don't delay: It's vital to make your fresh claim (if you're newly eligible) or to update your online journal as soon as your savings dip as the sooner you act, the sooner you'll be paid – or see your award increase.
Generally speaking, you won't be able to backdate a fresh claim without a good reason (such as an illness), and even then, it'll only be up to one month. And it's unlikely (though we are checking) that if you're late updating your reduced savings, you'll be able to backdate at all.
For every £1 you get from other benefits (or a pension) your amount will reduce
For every £1 of other income you receive from other benefits or a private pension, your universal credit payment will reduce by £1. Some benefits are protected such as child benefit, disability living allowance, personal independence payment and war pensions.
If you get more than £20,000 in total in benefits
If your household gets more than £20,000 in benefits and you live outside of London, you might be subject to the benefits cap. This is the total amount of benefits (some are excluded) your household can receive in a year. So while it technically doesn't reduce your amount, it's a ceiling amount that you can't exceed.
In London, this is up to £23,000 for couples and families (£15,410 for single people without children), while outside of London, it's up to £20,000 (£13,400 for single people without children). Of course, the easiest way to work out how much you'll get is to use our Universal Credit and Benefits Calculator, which will also inform you what other benefits you may be eligible for.
I'll get paid early due to a bank holiday, does it mean I could get less in universal credit?
Possibly, if you’re paid earlier than normal and you end up having two monthly salaries fall into one universal credit assessment period.
Why is this a problem?
If you are paid earlier than normal it could confuse the Department for Work and Pensions' system to think you’ve had a bumper month if it’s registered two sets of salaries coming in over one month. This can count against you when it comes to your universal credit payouts, as the more you earn the less you get.
Every claimant has a monthly assessment period where income is calculated over that time to work out what benefits you’ll get in the next monthly cycle. Each monthly period doesn’t necessarily cover a calendar month.
It can create a problem if, say, your assessment period this month is from 1 April – 30 April and you’re paid on the 3rd of each month. You should have been paid in early April but your May salary may come in on 30 April as it's the last working day before the May Day bank holiday on 3 May, as employers tend to pay staff on the same date in every month or on the closest working day before that date if it falls on a weekend or bank holiday.
In that scenario you’ll have had two payments in April.
Does being paid monthly or weekly have an impact?
Yes. This mainly affects universal credit claimants who are paid monthly. But the good news is you can do something about it (see the section below).
In theory, it could affect other claimants too, eg, those paid weekly or every four weeks, but, according to Department for Work and Pensions, they can’t do anything about it – we’re checking exactly why that is the case.
If I’m paid monthly, and I think I’ll get hit by this, what can I do?
Let your work coach (the person who helps with your universal credit claim) know via your online journal as soon as possible – ideally on the final working day of your assessment period.
You need to ask for the 'early' salary payment you’ve had to be manually moved so the system thinks you were paid it in the following monthly cycle. This has been possible since November 2020 but you have to ask for it to be done – it won't happen automatically.
Quick questions on circumstances that can reduce your payment
Self-employed and have savings put aside to pay tax? It needn't decrease the universal credit you get
Saving around a third of your profits to pay tax is normally sensible. But if you're now looking at claiming universal credit, you might think that any business savings in your personal account will affect your eligibility for this support. We've checked with the Department for Work and Pensions, which confirmed that while it'd expect business savings to be in a business account, nevertheless "if someone has money in their personal account to be used for business purposes, it won't be counted towards their capital".
However, it did warn that you may need to prove the cash is for business purposes. So if this applies to you, make it clear in your application that the savings are business savings, and put a note of it in your online universal credit 'journal', where you record any changes to your circumstances. It should then be discounted from the calculations.
There is a two-step process to getting your payments:
1. First you need to claim
The quickest way to claim universal credit is online.
If you are part of a couple and living in the same household, you will need to make a joint claim for universal credit. You will receive a single monthly payment for your whole household.
If you have no access to digital services or have accessibility issues, you can call the free universal credit helpline on: 0800 328 5644.
You can also contact the helpline on 0800 328 5644 if you run into difficulties, or if you need to make a claim in an alternative format such as Braille, large print or audio CD. For Welsh language applications, call 0800 012 1888.
You'll be asked a few questions to ensure you meet the basic criteria before being taken to the main claim page. Need help? Citizens Advice also assists universal credit applicants. You can call their "help to claim service" 0800 144 8 444.
What information will I need?
As you have to make your claim in one online session (you can't save and come back to it), you should ensure you have all the information you'll need before starting. At the very least, this will include your:
- Contact details
- Bank account details
- National insurance number
Depending on what's relevant to you, you may also need details of your:
- Current employment
- Monthly earnings (have a copy of your payslip to hand)
- Housing costs
- Tenancy agreement
- Other income, savings and any other benefits you or your partner receive
Although it goes without saying, make sure you only give correct information as you'll have to provide proof of anything you say in your application. Once you've entered all the information, you'll be shown an estimate of the amount of universal credit you'll get each month. You'll also have to complete a declaration that all the information you've provided is correct.
2. Then you need to attend an interview
After a successful online claim, you'd have to visit the Jobcentre and have an interview with your work coach if you want to claim universal credit. Face-to-face interviews were temporarily suspended due to coronavirus, but are now open again.
You'll be told what information you need to take to the interview, but it'll definitely include physical evidence of details you provided in your claim (eg, your address, how much rent you pay, how much you earn at work).
Citizens Advice has a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for your interview and examples of documents you may need to take with you.
At this interview you'll have to sign a 'claimant commitment'. This is an agreement that you will commit to certain conditions, such as looking for a set amount of work hours.
When will I be paid?
Your payment date is based on the date you applied, usually five weeks after. For example: Sarah applies for universal credit on 1 September. Her first assessment period will last until 30 September. She's paid on 7 October and will be paid on the 7th of every month after that.
- England and Wales: You're paid once a month, but in Scotland and Northern Ireland there are some differences.
- Scotland: Here there are some extra flexibility when it comes to receiving the payments, known as 'Scottish choices'. This means you can choose to be paid monthly or fortnightly, and if you get an extra housing payment you can choose to get it in your bank account or paid directly to your landlord.
- Northern Ireland: It's a slightly different system and it's normally paid twice a month, though you can choose to be paid monthly. Find out more on the NIdirect website.
Struggling to wait five weeks until your first payment?
You won't get your first payment until about five weeks after making your claim. If you don't have enough money to live on while you wait for your first payment, you can request an advance payment.
Here's how it works:
- You need to make the request via your online universal credit account, or through your work coach.
- You can ask to receive all or part of your first payment.
- It's interest-free but works like a loan, and you'll repay it through your regular universal credit payments, which will be lower until you pay it back.
- You can choose over how many months you want to pay it back, but it must be fully repaid within 12 months.
- You'll usually be told the same day if you'll get an advance, and you'll typically have the money within three working days.
Need-to-know
From April 2021 new claimants will be able to spread universal credit advances repayments over a 24-month period and the maximum rate of deductions from universal credit will be reduced for all to 25%.
Quick questions on how to apply
What to do if you think your payment is wrong
Whether you think your initial entitlement is wrong, or if your entitlement is changed after you start claiming, firstly, contact the universal credit helpline on 0800 328 5644. If a mistake has been made, it should be rectified while you're on the phone.
If this isn't the case, you can appeal against the decision by asking for a 'mandatory reconsideration'. You must do this within one month of the date of your initial entitlement decision. See more info on making a mandatory reconsideration. If you do decide to appeal, make sure you gather supporting evidence before you do so.
If you're already receiving universal credit and you're struggling, there's some extra help you can apply for depending on your circumstances. You can apply for a budgeting advance, hardship payments or ask for help if you're at risk of rental arrears.
Budgeting advance
You can get a budgeting advance if you need help with emergency household costs, for example if you need to replace a cooker. Like an advance payment, you'll pay it back through your universal credit payments, which will be lower until it's paid off. If you're struggling to buy food, you might be able to get a budgeting advance to pay for food – speak to your work coach or call the universal credit helpline.
There are certain criteria you need to meet to qualify for a budgeting advance.
- You must have been receiving universal credit for six months or more – unless you need the money to get a job or stay in work.
- You must have earned less than £2,600 in the past six months (or £3,600 if you're part of a couple), and have paid off any previous budgeting advances that you've had.
The smallest amount you can borrow is £100. The maximum amount depends on your circumstances:
- Up to £348 if you're single
- Up to £464 if you're a couple
- Up to £812 if you've children
Hardship payments
If you're in financial hardship because you've been sanctioned, you can request a hardship payment. This is usually a loan that you can only get if you're struggling to meet your basic needs or those of your children (such as accommodation, heating, food and hygiene costs).
You must be 18 or over to apply, and you need to prove that you've tried to get the money from somewhere else, and that you only spend your money on essentials. To apply for this, contact the universal credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Help if you're at risk of rental or mortgage arrears
Falling into rent arrears can lead to your landlord taking you to court and potentially to eviction, so it's not an issue to be taken lightly. If you think you're at risk of arrears, you can ask for:
- Your universal credit more than once a month, and
- For your landlord to be paid directly
If you've a mortgage
If you're at risk of falling behind with your mortgage payments due to universal credit, speak to your lender immediately. It may be that you're able to get a mortgage holiday while you're waiting for your payments, or your lender may be able to give you other help at its discretion.
Need more in-depth advice or practical support?
If you need extra advice or support or have a specific question that isn't answered here, many other organisations and charities offer detailed guidance and advice. Here are just a few that you may find useful, and please let us know in our forum discussion thread if you find any others that help you.
- Turn2Us: Help with benefits, searching for grants and accessing support services.
- Entitledto: As well as providing free benefits calculators, it has tons of guidance on benefits.
- Citizens Advice: Guidance for all aspects of universal credit.
- Gingerbread: Primarily aimed at single parent families.
- Christians Against Poverty: Help with debt, finding work and free courses to get control of your finances.
Cheap broadband and mobile data
There are some cheap broadband and sim plans that are tailored to those receiving universal credit. While some of these may come with limitations, it’s always worth seeing what’s out there to see if you can save money on your current bills.
Free prescriptions, dental treatments and eye tests
If you're on universal credit and your earnings were under £435 in the last assessment period, you’re eligible for free NHS prescriptions, free dental care and free eye tests. This earnings threshold rises to £935 for certain claimants, so check the NHS website for the full eligibility criteria. Recipients of certain other benefits will qualify too.
If you meet any of these criteria and you’ve spent money on any of these things in the last three months, you can claim it back providing you have the necessary receipts.
London travel discount
If you’re on universal credit and you’ve been unemployed for at least 13 weeks, you may be entitled to a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card, which gets you 50% off London pay as you go fares on buses, trains, the tube and more. See the TFL website for the full breakdown of the discount and the eligibility criteria.
Free school meals
If you’re on universal credit, your child may be eligible to receive free school meals. Recipients of certain other benefits are also eligible. For the full list, and to check if your child is eligible, enter your postcode at Gov.uk.
Free school uniforms
If you qualify for free school meals, you may be able to get up to £200 a year towards school uniform. For more information including the full criteria, check out Can I get help towards my child's school uniform costs?
This is the latest incarnation of this guide. Please give us feedback, suggest improvements and share your tips in the universal credit forum thread.
Thanks to Wendy Alcock of Entitledto for fact-checking the guide.
Spotted out of date info/broken links? Email: brokenlink@moneysavingexpert.com
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