Who can get Universal Credit Benefits
You can apply for Universal Credit if you are on a low income or unemployed.
You will usually only be able to claim Universal Credit if you are aged 18 or over, but some people aged 16 or 17 can get it, depending on their circumstances.
And you usually won’t be able to claim Universal Credit if you’re in full-time education or training, but people with certain circumstances can still apply.
You can’t claim Universal Credit if you:
- get the severe disability premium or are entitled to it, or
- got or were entitled to the severe disability premium within the last month, and are still eligible for it.
Read the detailed guidance on eligibility and Universal Credit and students to find out more.
You can use a benefits calculator to help you understand what benefits you could get. You will be asked to enter information about your circumstances, and it will tell you which benefits you might be able to apply for. One of those might be Universal Credit.
Use one of the following calculators:
- Turn2us – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours
- Policy in Practice – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit, how these are calculated and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours
- entitledto – for information on income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work
What you’ll need
You’ll need accurate information about your:
- savings
- income, including your partner’s (from payslips, for example)
- existing benefits and pensions (including anyone living with you)
- outgoings (such as rent, mortgage, childcare payments)
- council tax bill
If you want to go straight to making a claim for Universal Credit visit gov.uk/universal-credit
What Universal Credit replaces
Universal Credit replaces:
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Working Tax Credit
If you are already claiming these benefits or tax credits you don’t need to do anything now. The Department for Work and Pensions will get in touch with you before there are any changes to your benefits or tax credits.
If you receive these benefits or tax credits and your circumstances change in a way that would have meant you would make a new claim to one of these benefits, you will now need to claim Universal Credit instead.
If you are receiving any of these benefits or tax credits they will stop if you make a Universal Credit claim.
If you are getting tax credits you can still choose to apply for Universal Credit, depending on your circumstances, but if you do all your benefits that Universal Credit replaces will stop.
If you receive Universal Credit you may have to pay less in Council Tax, but you will need to apply for that separately. You can start the process to apply for Council Tax Reduction on GOV.UK. You can apply for a Council Tax Reduction straight away – you do not need to wait until your claim for Universal Credit has been approved or paid.
If you or your partner are above State Pension age
You can apply for Universal Credit if you or your partner are below State Pension age
If you’re in a couple where one of you is above State Pension age and the other is below it (this is known as a mixed age couple), you will make a Universal Credit claim as a couple. When both of you reach State Pension age your Universal Credit claim will stop and you may wish to apply for Pension Credit and/or Housing Benefit
If you’re in a mixed age couple and are already receiving Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, you will stay on those benefits as long as your circumstances remain the same and there is no break in your claim. If you have a break in your claim or your circumstances change, you may need to make a claim for Universal Credit instead.
