Changes you need to report to Universal Credit
You need to keep your claim up-to-date and tell Universal Credit about any actions you have taken or changes in your circumstances. If you don’t do this, your Universal Credit payments may stop or be incorrect.
If you don’t report changes to Universal Credit
If you do not report a change you may:
- not get all the money you are entitled to
- get more money than you are entitled to, and you would have to pay this back
- need to change what you need to do to look for or prepare for work
If you are not sure if a change will affect your claim, contact Universal Credit Service Centre to find out.
Examples of changes you need to report include:
- getting a job
- stopping work
- having or caring for a child
- starting to care for a child or person with disabilities
- paying for childcare when you are working
- your child stopping or restarting education or training if they’re aged 16 to 19
- moving home
- changing your bank account
- changing your mobile number or email address
- changes to your savings, investments and how much money you have
- your rent going up or down
- becoming too ill to work or meet your work coach
- if you and a partner move in together, or stop living together
- any other changes in who lives with you
- reaching State Pension age
- if you live in the UK and you leave the UK for any length of time
- changes to your immigration status
This is not a full list of changes.
How to report a change
You must tell Universal Credit about any changes straight away, or your payments may be stopped or reduced.
You can report changes:
- through your Universal Credit online account - messages to your online account will be answered as soon as possible during business hours
- by phoning the Universal Credit Service Centre
- by speaking to your work coach at your local Jobs & Benefits office
You must tell Universal Credit the date the change happened and give as much information as you can.
Going to a Jobs & Benefits office
For information on going to your local Jobs & Benefits office see: Contact Universal Credit for help with your claim
Changes to your income
You must report changes to your income if:
- your employer does not take tax from your wage through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) (ask your employer if you’re not sure)
- you receive income from a private or occupational pension or an annuity (a policy that pays an income)
- you receive income from self-employed work
You do not need to report changes to your:
- income if your employer takes tax from your wage through PAYE (details of your earnings will be provided directly to Universal Credit)
- other benefits
Changes to your unearned income, assets, savings and investments may also affect your Universal Credit payments. You can find out What will affect your Universal Credit payments
If you and your partner move in together
If you live with your partner and both of you are eligible to claim Universal Credit, you will get one payment for you both. It will include a basic standard allowance payment based on both of your ages. It will also include any other amounts you're entitled to, such as childcare or housing costs.
If your partner is not eligible for Universal Credit, you will get the single rate of the standard allowance. It will also include any other amounts you’re entitled to, such as childcare or housing costs.
When claiming Universal Credit as a couple, both of you will need to accept a commitment. You will each have your own commitment and yours may be affected if your partner starts work or their circumstances change.
If you or your partner are claiming a benefit that's being replaced by Universal Credit and one of you is getting Universal Credit, moving in together will affect your benefits.
In that situation, when you move in together the person not currently claiming Universal Credit will need to tell their existing benefit. It will then end and they will have to claim Universal Credit too.
When you move in together if you or your partner are receiving one of the following, you will keep getting this benefit for two weeks from the date you claimed Universal Credit:
- Job Seekers Allowance (income-based)
- Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
You will not have to pay this back.
If your partner is under State Pension age
If you get Pension Credit and your partner is under State Pension Age, you will no longer be eligible to get Pension Credit. Your Pension Credit payments will stop and you should make a claim to Universal Credit.
You will be entitled to claim Universal Credit until your partner reaches State Pension age. Any payment of State Pension will be taken into account when your entitlement to Universal Credit is assessed.
However if one of the following applies, you’ll continue to be entitled to Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit:
- you are State Pension age
- you were living with your current partner
- you got Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit before 15 May 2019
If your partner is State Pension age
If you have a Universal Credit claim, you and your partner move in together and they are State Pension age:
- your Universal Credit claim will become a joint claim
- your partner’s Pension Credit and/ or Housing Benefit will end from the date they join your claim
- your partner’s State Pension claim will continue
If your partner no longer lives with you
You must tell Universal Credit about this change of circumstances. Neither you nor your partner will need to make a new claim, and both of you will keep your existing assessment period and payment dates.
You need to log into your Universal Credit account and record details of when your relationship with your partner ended.
Universal Credit will then ask you to fill in a new declaration stating:
- where you live
- what costs you incur, including housing costs, childcare and other expenses
- who lives with you
- your bank account details
When you have given this information your payment will be adjusted and continue uninterrupted. Your former partner also needs to fill in a declaration or their payment may be interrupted.
If your former partner doesn't log into their account and give the information needed to make the change to their Universal Credit award, a reminder is sent to your Case Manager.
Your Case Manager will then contact your former partner to tell them they need to log on to their Universal Credit account and fill in a new declaration to continue with their claim.
You've reached State Pension age but your ex-partner has not
If you have reached State Pension Age, and your ex-partner has not, you will no longer be entitled to Universal Credit and your claim will be closed. You will then need to apply for Pension Credit and/ or pension age Housing Benefit.
You've not reached State Pension age but your ex-partner has
You will still be eligible for Universal Credit, but your claim will be treated as a single person claim from the date you stop living together.
Reaching State Pension Age
When you reach State pension age, you will no longer be entitled to Universal Credit. That's unless you live with a partner who is under State Pension age.
Universal Credit may contact you three months before you reach State Pension age, telling you that your Universal Credit will end. They will also tell you that you may be entitled to claim Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
If you are within four months of reaching State Pension age you can make an advanced claim for State Pension.
Payments will only start after you reach State Pension age.
If you are going abroad
You must let your work coach or case manager know straight away as this may affect your Universal Credit.
This includes if you:
- are going outside Northern Ireland within the next 30 days
- have gone outside Northern Ireland since your claim started
- are currently outside Northern Ireland
More information at Going abroad
Reporting a death
To report a death, call the Universal Credit Service Centre or log into your online account and leave a message in your journal. If you have already contacted the Bereavement Service, you do not need to contact Universal Credit.
To find out who to tell about a death and for more support contact the Bereavement Service.
Keeping in contact with your work coach
Your work coach will give you information and support to help you to take the actions agreed in your Commitment.
You need to keep in touch with your work coach and update them about changes in your circumstances to make sure the actions agreed in your Commitment are still right for you.
You can contact your work coach through your online account, or arrange an interview by phoning your local Jobs & Benefits office.
Any information you send to your work coach through your online account will be stored. This means you can both see what you have agreed.
When and how to close your claim
For information about closing your claim, see managing your Universal Credit account
Help and support
If you would like independent help and advice on Universal Credit, or any of the other welfare changes, you can visit any independent advice office or contact: