AFA Universal Credit
On this page
- Universal Credit is a welfare benefit for people with low or no income to help with living costs, bills and rent. It is paid to people on low income, out of work or unable to work due to health. It is paid monthly.
- Universal Credit has replaced the following benefits:
- Housing Benefit (in most cases)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Tax credits
- It is made up of ‘elements’ depending on a client’s circumstances (such as Housing Costs, if they have a Disability, if they have a Child, if they are a Carer etc)
- There are work conditionality rules requiring work searches, interview prep etc, unless a person is unable to due to health or being a carer. Universal Credit will check this when you make a claim.
- Most claims are managed via an online journal, there is a “Telephone only” claim option for digitally excluded people
To claim a client must:
– live in the UK
– be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
– be under State Pension age
– have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments
– Not be in full-time advanced education (details of “advanced” education)
For EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, they will need Settled status or be a worker with Pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get Universal Credit
There is the standard allowance that all people receive and then additional elements depending on circumstances.
- 2026/27 Standard Allowance rates:
| Circumstance | Rate |
| Single under 25 | £338.58 |
| Single over 25 | £424.90 |
| Single parent/ Couple under 25 | £528.34 |
| Singe parent/Couple over 25 | £666.97 |
Click HERE for further information
- Most people will already have received a letter telling them to move over to Universal Credit by a certain date – this is called a Migration Notice
- If a client gets a migration notice, they should claim Universal Credit by the date on the letter to continue receiving financial support.
- The deadline on your letter is the ‘deadline day’ – usually at least 3 months after the date the notice was sent.
- Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline : 0800 169 0328
To make a claim a person needs:
- Bank account
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Address/Care-of address
If they do not have these, call Universal Credit helpline 0800 328 5644
- If someone needs help to claim or is unsure: Citizens Advice Help to Claim: 0800 144 8 444
- Please note: There is a 5 week wait between date of claim and date of payment so a client may need to ask for an Advance (a loan which is the DWP will automatically take back via repayments from future Universal Credit payments). See HERE
- If you cannot claim online, you can claim by phone through the Universal Credit helpline : 0800 328 5644
- If a client’s UC claim has been stopped and they have no other income
- If a client has a managed migration letter with a deadline and cannot contact Help to Claim line directly
- If there is any issues with a person’s ongoing Universal Credit
- If a client has a change of circumstances and cannot report this to Universal Credit themselves
- If the client is a student and wants to claim Universal Credit
- If the client is in a couple where one person is over 65 and one person is under 65
- If a client is having their money deducted and they don’t understand why
- If a client is not a UK citizen or is unsure if they are eligible for Universal Credit
