Universal credit claims process

Universal credit is the main means-tested benefit for working age people. It includes:

• a standard element

• additional elements, for example the housing costs element or child element

Claimants must meet the basic conditions of entitlement to claim universal credit.

People who are living together as a couple must make a joint claim for universal credit.[1]

People who are not in receipt of any means-tested benefits should apply for universal credit as soon as they think they are entitled to it. The first payment is not made for at least five weeks.

A new claimant's first assessment period will start from the date the claim is submitted.

Wages count as income for the assessment period they have been paid in. Claimants who have recently become unemployed might be better off waiting until their last wages have been paid before making a claim for universal credit.

Legacy benefit claimants

A new claim for universal credit stops entitlement to any legacy benefits (housing benefit, tax credits, income support, income-related ESA and income-based JSA). It is not normally possible to claim them again in future.

The exception is when housing benefit is being paid for specified or temporary accommodation. These types of accommodation are excluded from universal credit awards. People who claim housing benefit in these circumstances might also be able to claim universal credit for their other living costs.

People who have been receiving legacy benefits are sometimes entitled to less money when they transfer to universal credit. They should get advice before making a new claim.

Legacy benefit claimants who have been sent a migration notice by the DWP should claim universal credit by the deadline given. They might be entitled to transitional protection.

Most people are expected to apply for universal credit online at gov.uk

Claimants can do this on a computer, smartphone or tablet.

Setting up a universal credit account

People need to set up a universal credit account before they can make a claim. They must choose a username, password and answers to two security questions.

Claimants must provide:

• an email address

• a phone number

• a postal address

Email address

Claimants must supply an email address that they can access. The DWP sends a code to the email address to confirm that it is correct. The claimant must then enter the code to complete setting up the account.

Claimants who have previously set up a universal credit account need to log into this account to make a new claim for universal credit. The system does not allow them to use the same email address to create a new account.

Claimants can ask for a reminder of their username or password to be sent to their email address if they have forgotten them.

Phone number

Claimants can either:

• provide a mobile number and have a code sent to this number to confirm it is correct

• click on a link which says 'I do not have my own mobile phone'

Claimants without a mobile phone are given an option to supply an alternative contact phone number. If this belongs to someone else, the claimant should add a note to their journal to explain that they do not have continuous access to this phone number.

The form asks the claimant whether they would prefer to be contacted by email or text message.

Postal address

Claimants must supply a postal address. If they have moved within the last six months, the form asks for their previous address.

Claimants who do not have a fixed address can provide a 'care of' address. They can use their local jobcentre or a hostel as a care of address.

Homeless applicants receiving local authority assistance might be able to use a ProxyAddress for their claim.

Making a claim

Once an online account has been set up, claimants can apply for universal credit. They must make a claim within 28 days, or they will have to set up their account again.

Claimants are given a 'to-do list' to complete with information to support their claim. The full list must be completed for the claim to be submitted. Claimants do not have to do this all at once. Any information that is added to the claim is saved and can be returned to at a later time.

Once the list is completed, claimants must confirm that all the details supplied are correct before they can click a 'submit claim' button.

Claimants should try to submit the claim as soon as they can. The 'date of claim' is the date when the claim is submitted, not when the claim was started.

Claimants can provide further information to support their claim once it has been submitted by posting messages on their online journal.

Joint claims

Joint claimants must each set up a universal credit account before they can apply.

The claim form asks claimants if they have a partner. The first member of the couple to start the claim should request a 'linking code'. When the second member of the couple starts their claim, they should enter this linking code when asked. The two accounts will then be linked. Each member of the couple must complete their to-do list before the claim can be submitted.

The DWP allows claimants to apply for universal credit by phoning the universal credit helpline in limited circumstances.[2] This is often called making a 'non-digital' claim. The DWP communicates with non-digital claimants by letter or telephone.

The DWP expects claimants who do not have internet access to make a claim online if they can access public computers at places such as libraries or at the jobcentre and they can otherwise manage a digital claim.

The DWP might allow a non-digital claim to be made when the person:

• has no internet access

• cannot use a smartphone or computer

• has physical or mental ill-health or disability

• lacks basic English literacy

• has no one to support them to make or manage a claim

In addition to the main helpline number, there are other accessible options, including:

• textphone

• Relay UK

• British Sign Language video relay service

• Welsh language

People who speak limited English can phone the main helpline number and ask for an interpreter.

Contact details

Claimants must supply a postal address and telephone number.

Claimants who do not have a fixed address can provide a 'care of' address. They can use their local jobcentre or a hostel as a care of address.

Homeless applicants who are receiving local authority assistance might be able to use a ProxyAddress for their claim.

Joint claims

Couples making a non-digital joint claim must both be available to make the claim. The helpline adviser needs to ask each member of the couple a series of questions before the claim can be completed.

To apply for universal credit, claimants need to provide information about:

• who lives with them

• nationality

• rent or mortgage payments

• income and savings

• work

• education or training

• health

• caring responsibilities

• childcare costs

• bank details

Claiming for housing costs

Claimants who are living in specified or temporary accommodation cannot claim the housing costs element to pay for the rent or licence fee. The online form instructs people to claim housing benefit for these types of accommodation.

The online claim form does not ask claimants who are under 35 whether they qualify for an exemption to the shared accommodation LHA rate. Claimants should add a note to their online journal to explain why they are exempt after they submit their claim.

The DWP asks claimants to supply the account number and sort code of a bank account to pay universal credit into.

Claimants can provide details of someone else's bank account. The online claim form asks the claimant to explain why they are using someone else's bank account. Using another person's account means it might take longer to process the claim.

Claimants should only provide details for a bank account that belongs to someone they trust. When universal credit is paid into an account that has been nominated by the claimant, it is unlikely that the DWP will be able to help if the account holder does not let the claimant access it.

Claimants who do not have a bank account

Claimants who do not have access to any bank account might need support to make a basic bank account application.

Claimants can ask to be paid universal credit using the Payment Exception Service in limited circumstances. This allows claimants to collect their money from a PayPoint Outlet or a Post Office.

The online claim form instructs claimants to call the universal credit helpline if they do not have a bank account. It is not possible to submit an online claim without completing this section in the to-do list.

To avoid delays in submitting the claim, claimants can try filling all the boxes on the form with dummy information, for example a series of zeros. They should add a note to their journal once they have submitted their claim explaining that they would like to be paid using the Payment Exception Service.

Joint claims

Couples making a joint claim are only asked to supply the details of one bank account.

Either member of a couple can ask for their universal credit payments to be divided and paid into two separate accounts. This is called a 'Split Payment' which is a type of Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA).

APAs can be requested by:

• adding a note to the claimant's online journal

• asking at an appointment at the jobcentre

• contacting the universal credit helpline

Claimants must verify their identity to claim universal credit. For joint claims, each member of the couple must verify their identity.

Claimants can do this online using the Government Gateway service if they have two of these types of information:

• valid UK passport

• payslips dated within the last three months

• most recent P60

• recent Self Assessment returns

• tax credits claim

• credit references or records, for example credit card information

Claimants who cannot verify their identity using this service might be asked to attend a:

• face-to-face jobcentre appointment

• phone interview

These are sometimes called 'biographical' interviews. Examples of documents that can be provided include a:

• birth certificate

• driving licence

• rent card or tenancy agreement

• council tax bill

• utility bill

• letter from a support worker, lawyer or GP

• a non-UK passport

• biometric residence card

• permanent residence card

• ID card issued by a EEA state

• letter from the Home Office

The DWP can use a range of information sources to confirm a person's identity, including government and credit records. Claimants who are having difficulties proving their identity can ask for a written explanation of what documents are required and why.

Claimants can complain if they think that requests for evidence are unreasonable by:

• using the DWP's online form

• speaking to a jobcentre work-coach

• writing a letter

• contacting the universal credit helpline

Claimants who believe they are being discriminated against should seek specialist advice, for example from the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Once a universal credit claim has been submitted online or via the helpline, claimants are usually required to arrange an appointment with the jobcentre. Claimants might be asked to provide documentation to support their claim during this appointment, such as a tenancy agreement.

Claimants must accept a claimant commitment, which sets out their work-related requirements.

Backdating the claim

The DWP can backdate a claim for universal credit for a maximum of one month in certain circumstances.[3]

The online universal credit form does not ask claimants if they would like to backdate their claim. Claimants can add a note to their journal asking for the claim to be backdated as soon as they have submitted their claim.

Claimants can also request backdating by:

• speaking to a jobcentre work-coach

• contacting the universal credit helpline

An Upper Tribunal case held that claimants can request backdating even after a decision has been made about their claim.[4]

Getting paid

Universal credit is paid monthly. The first payment is made within seven days of the end of the first assessment period. This usually takes five weeks. Claimants should receive a statement at the end of each assessment period which tells them what they will be paid.

Read more about how universal credit is calculated on Shelter Legal.

Advance payments

Claimants can request an advance payment to help with their living expenses during the wait for the first universal credit payment. Advance payments are recovered by taking deductions from future universal credit payments.

Claimants can call the DWP's universal credit helpline to get help with their universal credit claim.

Benefits advice agencies can help people to work out whether universal credit is right for them, get help to claim universal credit, and challenge DWP decisions.

Help to claim

People can get help from Citizens Advice to: 

• set up an online universal credit claim 

• gather evidence for the application 

• prepare for a work coach appointment 

• check the first payment is correct 

Help to claim is available by phone and online. 

Representatives

Claimants can ask another person or organisation to deal with their claim. Claimants must give explicit consent to allow a representative to:

• act for them

• have access to relevant information about them

Claimants can withdraw explicit consent at any time.

Appointees

Another person or organisation can apply for the legal right to deal with the claim of someone who cannot manage their own affairs.[5] For example, because a claimant has a mental illness or a learning disability.

An appointee is legally empowered to act on behalf of the claimant. They are responsible for maintaining the claim on the claimant's behalf.

Read more about representatives and appointees on gov.uk.

Home visits

In exceptional circumstances, the DWP can arrange a home visit to support a claimant to make a universal credit claim.

Read more about support visits on gov.uk.