Universal credit (UC) is a benefit for working age people who have a low income.

You could get UC to top up your income if you work.

UC could help with your:

• rent

• living costs

You might get some UC if your wages are low or your rent is high even if you work full time.

You have to meet immigration conditions to get universal credit.

Check if you could get UC

You can use a free online benefits calculator to check what you could get:

• entitledto benefits calculator

• better off calculator (Policy in Practice)

Check even if you do not think you could get benefits help.

If you need money right now

You have to wait at least 5 weeks before you get any money.

You can get a UC advance if you need money sooner.

You have to pay an advance back from your UC payments when they start. You can pay it back over 2 years but this means you have less money to live on each month.

Find out about:

• universal credit advances

• other help that you do not have to pay back

Help with rent

UC has a housing element to help with rent.

If you already get housing benefit, this usually stops if you claim UC.

More about moving from housing benefit to universal credit.

If you live in a hostel, refuge or supported housing

UC can help with your living costs. But you might have to claim housing benefit at the same time to help with rent.

This is the same for some temporary housing after a homeless application.

Ask the council or support staff if you're not sure which benefits you need to claim.

More about housing benefit in a hostel, refuge, temporary or supported housing.

Moving from ESA to universal credit

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is moving people on working age benefits onto UC. This is called managed migration.

You might still be waiting to move on to UC if you get income related ESA.

When should you claim UC?

You will get a letter from the DWP called a migration notice.

It has the date that you need to claim UC by.

You have 3 months to claim from when you get the letter. The DWP also sends a reminder.

You could get the letter between now and December 2025.

Do not apply for UC before you get this letter because you might get less money.

There are things you could do now to get ready to move from ESA to universal credit.