BENEFITS FEBRUARY 2023
Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of working age which replaces so called ‘legacy benefits’
HELP WITH
UNIVERSAL CREDIT
FURTHER INFORMATION
Universal Credit free helpline:
0800 328 5644
www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-universal-credit
www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/
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Citizens Advice ‘Help to Claim’
citizensadvice.org.uk/helptoclaim
This is a free service providing support online for
anyone who needs help in the early stages of
their Universal Credit claim, over the phone.
Free telephone 0800 1448 444
(Monday to Friday 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.)
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Dorset Council
www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/
Select from ‘Benefits’ section
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OTHER GREENHILL QUICK GUIDES
How to Claim E.S.A. or U.C. if you are too Ill or
Disabled to Work
How to Claim Personal Independence
Payment
How to Claim Attendance Allowance & DLA.
Welfare Benefits
Note: We cannot accept legal responsibility for
any errors, omissions or changes to the
information in this leaflet.
GREENHILL
QUICK GUIDES
john.moore1717@gmail.com
1.What is Universal Credit?
(except Child Benefit and Council Tax Benefit). Payments are made monthly..
People with more than £16,000 in savings are not eligible. If you have between £6,000 and £16,000, £1 for
every £250 above £6,000 is deducted weekly. There are no limits to the number of hours worked.
2. What do I need to make a claim?
Most people will have to claim online. If do not have access to a computer, you can use one in some local
: libraries e.g. Wimborne (01202 882770) or Colehill (01202 886676). But you can also telephone Citizens Advice
‘Help to Claim’ service: 0800 1448 444.
You will need an email address and a mobile phone with you (a basic one will do). If you do not have an
email address, you can set one up at https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?hl=en.
Have the following information with you: National Insurance number, address and postcode, how much rent or
mortgage paid monthly, landlord’s address and phone number, bank, building society account details, gross
earnings e.g. pay slips, any income that’s not from work e.g. pension, any savings or other capital, how much is
paid for childcare, child benefit ref. numbers and details of any other benefits.
3. How do I make a claim?
To start a claim, go to https://www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit and follow the instructions. The online
claiming process is in three parts which will take at least an hour: 1. Opening a U.C. account. 2. Making your
claim 3. Verifying your identity. If you find the ‘Verify your identity’ section too difficult, you can click ‘I can’t do this
on line’ and then get help with this at the job centre. See gov.uk-verify for more details.
4. What happens after I have made a claim?
You should be given a phone number (usually 0800 328 5644) so you can arrange an interview at your local
jobcentre within 7 days. Have your national insurance number ready. Make a note of the date and time of the
interview and who your Work Coach will be, as well as the documents you must take. You must attend this
interview on time. If you cannot, you must telephone the helpline 0800 328 5644 to explain why.
At the interview you will be asked to check and sign your claim and present relevant documents, such as
proof of identity, tenancy agreements etc. There will also be a personalised work search interview, when you must
sign a Claimant Commitment, will be reminded of your responsibilities and what sanctions might apply. You will be
advised about available support such as Find a Job service and will be offered budgeting support if you need it.
Later, a decision letter will be posted to you.
5. How does the Claimant Commitment affect me?
Unless you are working at least 35 hours a week and earning at least minimum wage, or the DWP agrees that
you are so ill or disabled that you are unable to work indefinitely, or are receiving the carers’ element of U.C.; or
have a child under one; or are pregnant etc., you must sign a Claimant Commitment to one of the following work-
related activities.
1. Have work-focused interviews about potential work if you are responsible for a one-year-old child.
2. Attend work preparation group, if presently you are too ill or disabled to work, or have a two-year-old child.
:
3. For all others, actively search for work, apply for jobs etc. for up to 35 hours a week which should fit around
school or nursery hours if there are children under 13.
You can log in to your U.C. account at https://www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/sign-in with your U.C.
username and password to see a list of everything you have done so far in the ‘Journal’ section and what
you still must do in the ‘To Do’ section. Use the ‘Journal’ section to communicate with your Work Coach.
 HOW U.C. IS CALCULATED
The following are approximate monthly figures
1. Maximum Universal Credit is calculated by
adding relevant elements for:
Claimants: Under 25 single £265; couple £416
Over 25 single £335; couple £525
Children (max. 2 if born after 06.04.17): £245
Disabilities: low £129, ch. £133; high £344 ch. £415
Carers: £169
Childcare: 85% up to £647 (1 child) £1108 (2+ ch.).
There is also free childcare as follows:
(a) 15 hours of free childcare for 2-year-olds if
combined earnings are less than £15,400 p.a.
(b) for all 3 to 4-year-olds 15 hours a week for 38
weeks a year and an extra 15 hours if claimant
(and partner) each earn at least the NMW for 16
hours a week (£152).
(c) A tax free scheme for childcare for children aged
0-11 or 16 if disabled is not available if on U.C.
See: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Housing: The rent for private tenants is limited by
Local Housing Allowance rates, e.g. locally £597
(1 bedroom), £758 (2), £947 (3). More details from
https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx where
you can find how many bedrooms you are allowed.
Rents in social housing are usually the same as
LHA rates. Deductions are made for too many
bedrooms (‘bedroom tax’) and non-dependents.
2. Income is then subtracted from the maximum U.C.
Income consists of:
Earnings: reduced by a Work Allowance (£344 if
housing costs claimed, £573 if not) and then 55p for
every £1 left after this. Then 100% of
Non-earnings income: (savings, pensions etc.)
3. Final U.C. award is Max. U.C. minus Income
but it may be reduced by the benefit cap which
limits total benefits (inc. con-based JSA & ESA,
child benefit, maternity allowance, carer’s
allowance, U.C. etc.) to £1,667 for a couple or
single parent and £1,1177 a month for a single adult
outside London This does not include A.A., D.L.A.,
E.S.A. (S.G.), P.I.P., Council Tax Support, etc.
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turn2us
Use this website for a detailed U.C. calculation
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens if I am too ill or disabled to work?
When you make your claim, you must describe the details of your disability, your medicines and any therapy as
well as your G.P.’s name, address and telephone number. At your interview, you will be asked for a medical
certificate and within the next few days, you will be sent a Capability for Work questionnaire to be returned
within four weeks. (There is a Greenhill Quick Guide, called How to Claim E.S.A. or U.C. if you are too Ill or
Disabled to Work. It will make the completion of the questionnaire much easier). See how the Claimant
Commitment affects ill or disabled people on the previous page.
Is there any help I can get during the period when I have no money?
Your first payment will be five weeks after acceptance of your claim. Ask your Work Coach about an Advance
Payment at your initial interview (up to 100% of your entitlement repaid over 12 months).
 You can also apply for a Household Support Fund via www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ and there are food
banks locally. You will need vouchers for these (limited to three). If you have specific costs e.g. repairs to
essential items, travel costs etc. you can ask for a Budgeting Advance but only after your first payment of U.C.
If you are already on Housing Benefit you will continue to receive it for the first two weeks of your Universal
Credit claim. This is an unrecoverable payment. Your U.C. housing costs will be paid to you, but you can ask for
an Alternative Payment Arrangement for them to be paid directly to your landlord, if you are in debt or rent
arrears or have a mental disability etc..
Try googling Dorset Council > Benefits for information about claiming Council Tax Support to help with your
council tax and a temporary Discretionary Housing Payment to help with rent arrears, from the same website.
How can I avoid being sanctioned?
Sanctions vary from I week to 3 years and from 40% to 100% of the standard allowance for ‘offences’ ranging
from missing a work-focused interview to failures to accept paid work. Always keep in touch with your work coach
through your U.C. account at https://www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/sign-in or tel. the free U.C. helpline
(0800 328 5644). You can challenge a sanction by asking for a Mandatory Reconsideration within a month.
Hardship payments (loans) can be made by your work coach - 60% of amount paid at daily rate up to next
payment. Go to https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ for more information.
JANE - A CASE STUDY
1. Jane (27) is single with one child, aged 3. She is looking for work. Her rent (private) is £750 a month.
Jane receives the following U.C. monthly elements:
Single 25+ (£334.92) + Child (£244.58) + Housing (£750) = £1,329.50 (£306.81 weekly).
She receives approx. £95 a month Child Benefit, and £100 Council Tax Support. She claims 15 hours free childcare.
After paying rent and C.T., she has approx. £663 (£153 a week) for food, clothing, heating and other utilities.
2. She gets a job earning £1040 net monthly for working a 24 hour week.
A Work Allowance of £344 is deducted from her monthly earnings of £1040, leaving £695.99 which is
multiplied by 55% to give adjusted earnings of £382.80. Total U.C. £1,329.50 - £382.80 = £946.69 monthly
She now receives approx. £60 Council Tax Support and an extra 15 hours of childcare. After rent & council tax, she
has about £1,280 a month (£296 a week), including earnings & child benefit, for food, heating, utilities, clothing etc.