How do I apply for Universal Credit?

Information you need to make a claim

There are several pieces of information you will need to make your online claim for Universal Credit.

These will include:

• your national insurance number
• your postcode
• details of your bank/building society account
• housing details including your landlord’s address and phone number
• details of earnings and other money like benefits, savings, shares or pensions
• childcare costs
• Child Benefit reference numbers for the children you are responsible for

The application  takes around 40 minute to complete so it is useful to have all the information you need to hand before you start.

Your online account

After you submit your claim for Universal Credit, you will be given a username and password for your online account. It will be your responsibility to keep all your personal details and information on your account up to date.

This account is where you will be able to:

• report any changes in your circumstances like if you start working, have a baby or change your work hours
• flag any issues you have, for example if you have a disability or if you need to request help with paying for childcare
• check when your next payment of Universal Credit will be
• look at your claimant commitment
• check your to-do-list and add any notes to your journal

If you do not have a computer at home you might be able to use one in a library or your local Jobcentre.

The Claimant Commitment – agreeing the steps to find work

To complete your claim for Universal Credit you need to agree to a Claimant Commitment. You will do this during the interview after you have made your online application.

The Claimant Commitment is a contract between you and DWP and will include:

• how many hours you must spend looking for work each week
• how many hours you are expected to work each week
• any caring responsibilities you have
• any disabilities affecting your ability to work or jobs you can apply for

It is also a record of tasks you must complete to remain entitled to your Universal Credit. This is also called ‘work related activity’.

Your work-related activity depends on your circumstances and the age of your children. It can include writing a CV, attending training, applying for and taking a job

Single parents and the claimant commitment

Generally, as a single parent you will have no work-related activity if:

• you’re pregnant within 11 weeks of your expected delivery date
• you’re within 15 weeks of having a baby even if the baby did not survive
• you have limited capability for work and work related activity
• you have a child under one year old or get Carer Support Payment
• you have been a victim of domestic abuse. If you report the abuse to the DWP, you will have no work related activity for 13 weeks after the abuse

If none of the above applies to you, you will generally have either:

• Work focused interviews if your youngest child is one year old, or if you’re getting Employment and Support Allowance and your youngest child is under 3
• Work preparation (not including applying for or taking a job) if you have limited capability for work or a child of two years old
• All work-related activity (including applying for and starting work of 35 hours per week) if your youngest child is 3 or over

If you have a child under 13, you can restrict the hours you work to fit with your child’s school hours, but you would still be expected to look for work of around 25 hours per week.

If you do not get Carer Support Payment, but care for one or more severely disabled people for at least 35 hours per week, you may be asked to do some work related activity. Your work related activity may be decreased if you can prove that your caring responsibilities make it difficult to complete.

Any caring responsibilities (for both children and any disabled people) should be put into your Claimant Commitment so your work coach is fully aware of all the restrictions you have.

Once all of this is agreed, you’ll sign your Claimant Commitment. Any later changes to your Claimant Commitment, including if your circumstances change, must also be agreed with your work coach.

It is very important that you carefully consider what is included in your Claimant Commitment, as your Universal Credit can be stopped if you do not follow it.

Claiming Universal Credit if you have a life limiting medical condition

If you have a medical condition that is expected to end your life within 12 months you can claim Universal Credit under special rules. You or a family member can ask your doctor to fill out form SR1 and send it to DWP. Your claim for Universal Credit will then be completed quickly without the need for an interview.

If you are already getting Universal Credit when you are told your life is expected to end within 12 months you can report this in your online account. You may then receive a higher amount of Universal Credit depending on how much you were already getting.

You may also be able to get Adult Disability Payment to help with your day to day living costs.

Sanctions

Your Universal Credit could be reduced if you do not carry out the tasks in your Claimant Commitment. This is called a sanction.

The length of the sanction depends on:

• the work-related activity you’re expected to do
• the activity you failed to complete and
• the number of times you didn’t complete it

There are four levels. Each reduces your Universal Credit for a different period of time:

• high: at least 91 days
• medium: at least 28 days
• low: at least seven days
• lowest: until the task that was not carried out is completed

More than one sanction can be applied at the same time. A second or third sanction will start when your current sanction ends. It will increase the length of time your Universal Credit is reduced but not the amount of money you lose each month.

If you get a high, medium or low-level sanction, you will lose an amount equal to the standard allowance of your Universal Credit for the length of the sanction. If you have a child under three years, you will lose an amount equal to 40% of the standard allowance from your Universal Credit.

Single parents with a child under one year old, or who have limited capability for work related activity, cannot be sanctioned.

Hardship payments

If your Universal Credit is reduced because of a sanction, causing you to have less money for food, heating, housing and hygiene products, you may get a hardship payment. This payment is equal to 60% of the standard allowance of Universal Credit.

Any hardship payments you get must be repaid when the sanction has been lifted. If you start work and earn more than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at national living wage, the hardship repayments will be stopped. They will be written-off if the employment continues for at least six months.