Single Parent FAQs: Universal Credit Managed Migration – Issue 28

• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

To apply online you’ll need:

• your bank, building society or credit union account details
• an email address
• access to a phone

To prove your identity, you’ll need some documents such as your:

• driving licence
• passport
• debit or credit card
• payslip or P60

To complete your claim you’ll need to provide information about:

• your housing, for example how much rent you pay
• your earnings, for example payslips
• any disability or health condition that affects your work
• how much you pay for childcare if you want help with childcare costs
• your savings and any investments, like shares or a property that you rent out

If you have received a Migration Notice and you claim Universal Credit before the deadline in your letter and you are worse off financially you would receive Transitional Protection. This means that you would receive the same amount as you did claiming Legacy benefits until your circumstances change or Universal Credit rates catch up.

If you receive tax credits, you can make a Universal Credit claim even if you have money, savings and investments of more than £16,000. After 12 months, normal eligibility rules will apply. You will not be eligible for Universal Credit if you still have more than £16,000 in money, savings and investments.

To continue receiving financial support you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given in your letter. This is 3 months from the date the letter was sent out. Legacy benefits will stop after this.

You can get in touch with us and we can do a calculation for you to see what you will receive when you claim Universal Credit.

You can apply for Universal Credit online.

You need to create an account to make a claim. You must complete your claim within 28 days of creating your account or you will have to start again. Your claim starts on the date you submit it in your account.

It usually takes around 5 weeks to get your first payment.

If you need help with your living costs while you wait for your first payment, you can apply for an advance.

You’ll need to pay back your advance in instalments from your future Universal Credit payments.

Your legacy benefits will stop, get in touch with us and we can offer advice on making your claim in time to ensure you meet the deadline.