Universal credit: How to claim

This page has been updated following the coronavirus outbreak

You can usually claim universal credit if you're aged 18 or over and on a low income.

You can be in or out of work and you must:

Your partner’s savings also count if you claim as a couple.

Most full time students can't claim universal credit but there are exceptions.

You can sometimes claim universal credit if you:

are pregnant or responsible for a child
have caring responsibilities for a disabled person
are not expected to seek work due to illness or disability
don't live with your parents because you're estranged from them or they can't support you financially

Universal credit or housing benefit?

Most people must apply for universal credit when making a new benefits claim to help with rent and other living costs.

You can still make a new claim for housing benefit if any of the following apply:

you - and your partner if you live with them - are pension age
you get other benefits which include a severe disability premium
you're staying in a refuge, hostel or some types of supported or temporary housing

If you already get housing benefit you can continue to do so unless a change in your situation means you have to claim universal credit instead.

You're a mixed age couple if one of you is pension age and the other is working age.

From 15 May 2019, most mixed age couples must claim universal credit if they need to make a new claim for help with housing or living costs.

If you need to talk to someone, we’ll do our best to help