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Universal Credit

Universal Credit – What is it?

Universal Credit (UC) replaces six common benefits paid to people between 18 and state pension age, including:

  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Housing Benefit

Put simply, if you receive any of the benefits listed , you get one payment into your bank account, rather than a single payment for each.

Managed migration - the move to Universal Credit

The government have begun their managed migration programme to move people claiming benefits onto UC. This is a five-year programme - it will not happen overnight! - but it's important to understand how and when this may affect you, if you currently claim one or more of the benefits listed above.

FAQs

The initial claim will have to be made online.

You can get free support from trained advisers to make a Universal Credit claim. They can help you with things like online applications or preparing for your first jobcentre appointment.

The Help to Claim service is provided by Citizens Advice and is confidential. They will not share your personal information unless you agree.

Universal Credit helper

If you're making a claim for Universal Credit and don't know where to start, we've got a really handy guide for you. Our Universal Credit helper is a simple step-by-step guide on how to apply, what each stage of your claim means, and the information you'll need to have for every stage. If you need further help, give us a call on 01494 476100.

UC will consist of a single, monthly payment which is paid in arrears and directly into your bank account.

Couples living in the same household will receive one monthly payment between them.

Households will then be responsible for managing their own rent payments.

Along with the assessment period of one month, you may also need to allow for a further 14 days' delay (seven days either side of the assessment period):

  • One month assessment period
  • Seven-day payment period for administration purposes before you receive your first UC payment

Important: Consider putting money aside and topping up your rent account in advance to tide you over this five-to-six-week delay until your first Universal Credit payment arrives.

In exceptional circumstances, yes, more frequent payments is one of the Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA) that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will consider if you are having difficulty budgeting. APAs are temporary solutions for six months. You should contact DWP/Jobcentre for personal budgeting support.

Possibly. If you have significant support needs, an APA may be set up. This could involve either:

  • Rent paid directly to Red Kite
  • More frequent payments
  • Splitting the payment within the household

DWP staff will consider information from both tenants and landlords before taking a decision to set up an APA.

We're here to help and can put you in touch with the right support if you're experiencing financial difficulties.

Please contact us or visit www.gov.uk/universal-credit.

Got another question?

Use this form to ask us anything we haven't covered in these FAQs - we'll get back to you with an answer, and we'll add it to this list if we think other tenants will find it useful as well.

Consent to store and process your data

Please confirm that you have read and understood the following data protection statement: The information you provide will be held by Red Kite Community Housing in accordance with our data protection policy, privacy notices and retention schedules; the Data Protection Act 2018; and the General Data Protection Regulation 2021. It will be used solely for the purposes described on this form. The information you provide will not be passed on to any third parties without your permission and Red Kite Community Housing does not sell any data to third-party organisations.

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