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16-206
Find out what you need to do to use the service.
16
Universal Credit
206
16,671
16,719
16-207
The service is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
16
Universal Credit
207
16,720
16,774
16-208
Help to Claim
16
Universal Credit
208
16,775
16,788
16-209
Help to Claim can support you in the early stages of your Universal Credit claim, from the online application, through to support with your application before your first full payment.
16
Universal Credit
209
16,789
16,972
16-210
It’s a free, independent, confidential and impartial service provided by trained advisers from Citizens Advice. They can help with things like how to gather evidence for your application or how to prepare for your first Jobcentre appointment.
16
Universal Credit
210
16,973
17,215
16-211
Get Help to Claim:
16
Universal Credit
211
17,216
17,234
16-212
if you live in England or Wales
16
Universal Credit
212
17,235
17,266
16-213
if you live in Scotland
16
Universal Credit
213
17,267
17,290
16-214
After you apply
16
Universal Credit
214
17,291
17,306
16-215
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will make an appointment to talk to you, either over the phone or face-to-face.
16
Universal Credit
215
17,307
17,429
16-216
If you have a disability or illness that affects your work
16
Universal Credit
216
17,430
17,488
16-217
You may need a Work Capability Assessment to see how your disability or health condition affects your ability to work.
16
Universal Credit
217
17,489
17,607
16-218
Depending on the outcome of your assessment you may be eligible for an extra amount on top of your standard allowance.
16
Universal Credit
218
17,608
17,726
16-219
Terminal illness
16
Universal Credit
219
17,727
17,743
16-220
If you’re terminally ill, you may get extra money for Universal Credit.
16
Universal Credit
220
17,744
17,815
16-221
If you’re making a new claim, you can declare this during your application. If you’ve already made a claim, you’ll need to report this as a change of circumstances.
16
Universal Credit
221
17,816
17,980
16-222
If you’ve claimed Universal Credit before
16
Universal Credit
222
17,981
18,022
16-223
You can sign in to your account to make a new claim if you’ve claimed Universal Credit at any time during the last 6 months.
16
Universal Credit
223
18,023
18,147
16-224
If you stopped claiming more than 6 months ago, you’ll need to reapply for Universal Credit.
16
Universal Credit
224
18,148
18,240
16-225
If you disagree with a decision
16
Universal Credit
225
18,241
18,272
16-226
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.
16
Universal Credit
226
18,273
18,372
16-227
Get an advance on your first payment
16
Universal Credit
227
18,373
18,409
16-228
If you need help to pay your bills or cover other costs while you wait for your first Universal Credit payment, you can apply to get an advance.
16
Universal Credit
228
18,410
18,554
16-229
The most you can get as an advance is the amount of your first estimated payment.
16
Universal Credit
229
18,555
18,636
16-230
How to apply
16
Universal Credit
230
18,637
18,649
16-231
You can apply for an advance payment in your online account or through your Jobcentre Plus work coach.
16
Universal Credit
231
18,650
18,752
16-232
You’ll need to:
16
Universal Credit
232
18,753
18,768
16-233
explain why you need an advance
16
Universal Credit
233
18,769
18,800
16-234
verify your identity (you’ll do this when you apply online or on the phone with a work coach)
16
Universal Credit
234
18,801
18,894
16-235
provide bank account details for the advance (talk to your work coach if you cannot open an account)
16
Universal Credit
235
18,895
18,995
16-236
You’ll usually find out the same day if you can get an advance.
16
Universal Credit
236
18,996
19,059
16-237
If you need help
16
Universal Credit
237
19,060
19,076
16-238
Call the Universal Credit helpline if you need help applying for an advance payment.
16
Universal Credit
238
19,077
19,161
16-239
How you pay back your advance
16
Universal Credit
239
19,162
19,191
16-240
You start paying it back out of your first payment.
16
Universal Credit
240
19,192
19,243
16-241
You can choose how many months you pay the advance back over, within the time limit. You must usually pay back the advance within:
16
Universal Credit
241
19,244
19,374
16-242
24 months if you apply on or after 12 April 2021
16
Universal Credit
242
19,375
19,423
16-243
12 months if you applied before 12 April 2021
16
Universal Credit
243
19,424
19,469
16-244
You do not pay interest on it - the total amount you pay back is the same.
16
Universal Credit
244
19,470
19,544
16-245
Read more about getting a Universal Credit advance.
16
Universal Credit
245
19,545
19,596
16-246
Your responsibilities
16
Universal Credit
246
19,597
19,618
16-247
You’ll make an agreement called a ‘Claimant Commitment’ with your work coach.
16
Universal Credit
247
19,619
19,696
16-248
What you need to do depends on your situation. You might need to do activities such as:
16
Universal Credit
248
19,697
19,784
16-249
write a CV
16
Universal Credit
249
19,785
19,795
16-250
look and apply for jobs
16
Universal Credit
250
19,796
19,819
16-251
go on training courses
16
Universal Credit
251
19,820
19,842
16-252
You’ll also need to do things like:
16
Universal Credit
252
19,843
19,878
16-253
pay your own rent and other housing costs
16
Universal Credit
253
19,879
19,920
16-254
report any changes in your circumstances
16
Universal Credit
254
19,921
19,961
16-255
If you’re claiming with your partner, you’ll each have a Claimant Commitment and set of responsibilities.
16
Universal Credit
255
19,962
20,067
16-256
If you have children
16
Universal Credit
256
20,068
20,088
16-257
If you’re a single parent or the lead carer in a couple, your responsibilities will change as your youngest child gets older and will be tailored to your personal circumstances.
16
Universal Credit
257
20,089
20,266
16-258
Age of your youngest child | Your responsibilities
16
Universal Credit
258
20,267
20,317
16-259
Under 1 | You do not need to look for work
16
Universal Credit
259
20,318
20,360
16-260
Aged 1 | You do not need to look for work. You need to have phone appointments with your work coach to discuss plans for moving into work in the future
16
Universal Credit
260
20,361
20,512
16-261
Aged 2 | You do not need to look for work. You need to have regular phone appointments with your work coach and do work preparation activities (for example, writing your CV)
16
Universal Credit
261
20,513
20,686
16-262
Aged 3 or 4 | Work a maximum of 16 hours a week (or spend 16 hours a week looking for work)
16
Universal Credit
262
20,687
20,778
16-263
Aged between 5 and 12 | Work a maximum of 25 hours a week (or spend 25 hours a week looking for work)
16
Universal Credit
263
20,779
20,880
16-264
13 or older | Work a maximum of 35 hours a week (or spend 35 hours a week looking for work)
16
Universal Credit
264
20,881
20,972
16-265
If you get support with childcare costs
16
Universal Credit
265
20,973
21,012
16-266
You must:
16
Universal Credit
266
21,013
21,022
16-267
report your childcare costs when you pay them
16
Universal Credit
267
21,023
21,068
16-268
prove you’ve paid your childcare provider
16
Universal Credit
268
21,069
21,110
16-269
You’ll need to show proof of:
16
Universal Credit
269
21,111
21,140
16-270
your childcare provider for each child, for example an invoice or contract that includes the provider’s registration number and full contact details
16
Universal Credit
270
21,141
21,289
16-271
the amount you paid and when you paid it, for example a receipt or bank statement
16
Universal Credit
271
21,290
21,371
16-272
You can report childcare costs and provide proof that you’ve paid by signing in to your Universal Credit account.
16
Universal Credit
272
21,372
21,485
16-273
You’ll usually get the childcare amount in your next Universal Credit payment.
16
Universal Credit
273
21,486
21,564
16-274
If you pay for childcare after it’s been provided, you can claim up to 3 months of past costs at a time. There may be a limit to how much you get back if you claim for more than one month’s fees at a time. Talk to your work coach for advice.
16
Universal Credit
274
21,565
21,806
16-275
If you pay for childcare in advance, you can claim up to 3 months of advance costs at a time. You’ll be paid back in your monthly Universal Credit payments during the months the childcare is for.
16
Universal Credit
275
21,807
22,002
16-276
If your payment is stopped or reduced
16
Universal Credit
276
22,003
22,040
16-277
If you do not meet your responsibilities or what you’ve agreed in your Claimant Commitment, your Universal Credit could be stopped or reduced. This is called a sanction.
16
Universal Credit
277
22,041
22,210
16-278
There are different levels of sanctions and they’re decided based on what you did and how often.
16
Universal Credit
278
22,211
22,307
16-279
You’ll get half a sanction if you apply with a partner and only one of you does not meet their responsibilities.
16
Universal Credit
279
22,308
22,420
16-280
You can appeal a sanction if you think it’s wrong. Citizens Advice can help with challenging a sanction.
16
Universal Credit
280
22,421
22,525
16-281
Help if your payment is stopped or reduced
16
Universal Credit
281
22,526
22,568
16-282
You can ask for a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs because you got a sanction. You’ll repay it through your Universal Credit payments - they’ll be lower until you pay it back.
16
Universal Credit
282
22,569
22,787
16-283
You must be 18 or over.
16
Universal Credit
283
22,788
22,811
16-284
You’ll have to show that you’ve tried to:
16
Universal Credit
284
22,812
22,853
16-285
find the money from somewhere else
16
Universal Credit
285
22,854
22,888
16-286
only spend money on essentials
16
Universal Credit
286
22,889
22,919
16-287
Call the Universal Credit helpline to ask for a hardship payment.
16
Universal Credit
287
22,920
22,985
16-288
Report a change of circumstances
16
Universal Credit
288
22,986
23,018
16-289
You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month.
16
Universal Credit
289
23,019
23,116
16-290
Changes can include:
16
Universal Credit
290
23,117
23,137
16-291
finding or finishing a job
16
Universal Credit
291
23,138
23,164
16-292
having a child
16
Universal Credit
292
23,165
23,179
16-293
moving in with your partner
16
Universal Credit
293
23,180
23,207
16-294
starting to care for a child or disabled person
16
Universal Credit
294
23,208
23,255
16-295
changing your mobile number or email address
16
Universal Credit
295
23,256
23,300
16-296
moving to a new address
16
Universal Credit
296
23,301
23,324
16-297
changing your bank details
16
Universal Credit
297
23,325
23,351
16-298
your rent going up or down
16
Universal Credit
298
23,352
23,378
16-299
changes to your health condition
16
Universal Credit
299
23,379
23,411
16-300
becoming too ill to work or meet your work coach
16
Universal Credit
300
23,412
23,460
16-301
changes to your earnings (only if you’re self-employed)
16
Universal Credit
301
23,461
23,516
16-302
changes to your savings, investments and how much money you have
16
Universal Credit
302
23,517
23,581
16-303
changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen
16
Universal Credit
303
23,582
23,649
16-304
You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.
16
Universal Credit
304
23,650
23,781
16-305
How to report
16
Universal Credit
305
23,782
23,795