How to claim universal credit
How much is universal credit?
Your universal credit (UC) payment is made up of:
a standard allowance for a single adult or couple
extra amounts for rent, children, caring responsibilities or a disability
Your UC usually goes into your bank account as 1 payment each month.
It is paid in arrears. This means the amount you get is based on your income in the previous month.
Standard allowance
This is the amount that a single adult or couple gets as part of their UC payment.
Table: Standard allowance from April 2024
This table shows the maximum UC standard allowance you could get.
| Claim type | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Single person - under 25 | £311.68 |
| Single person - 25 or over | £393.45 |
| Couples - both under 25 | £489.23 |
| Couples - either person 25 or over | £617.60 |
You do not usually get the full amount if you're working or have other income.
GOV.UK explain how earnings affect UC.
Extra universal credit elements
You can get extra amounts for rent, children, caring responsibilities or a disability. These extra amounts are called elements.
GOV.UK explain who can get UC elements.
Table: Universal credit elements from April 2024
This table shows what you could get on top of your standard allowance.
| Element | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Child element | £287.92 each for your first 2 children. You may get more if your children were born before 6 April 2017 or you have a disabled child. |
| Carer element | £198.31 - if you care for a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week unpaid. |
| Disability element | £416.19 - if the DWP decide you have 'limited capability for work and work related activity'. |
| Childcare element | Up to a maximum of £1014.63 (1 child) or £1739.37 (2 or more children). |
| Housing element | Your local housing allowance (LHA) rate if you rent privately. Up to your full rent for housing association or council tenants. |
Child element for children of separated parents
Only the main carer for your children can get the child element.
You can agree who is the main carer if your children live with someone else some of the time.
If you cannot agree, the DWP decides based on your situation. For example, where the children spend the most time.
Housing element
You can get a housing element if you have to pay:
rent and some service charges
other occupation charges where you live
How much you get depends on where you live and who lives with you.
It might not cover your full rent.
Find out more about:
Benefit cap
Many families with children or high housing costs are affected by the benefit cap.
The benefit cap limits how much many people can get in benefits.
Some disabled people, working people and pension age people are not affected but some are.
Find out if the benefit cap affects your UC.
Your first payment
You have to wait at least 5 weeks for your first payment.
If you need money before then, you could get a universal credit advance.
You have to pay this back out of your future benefit payments.
Your first payment will not show on your UC account until about 4 days before you get it.
You can use a free online benefits calculator for an estimate of how much you should get:
More about universal credit payments.
Last updated: 19 December 2024
