Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Benefits
This page provides information if you are claiming benefits or considering claiming benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This information is for Northern Ireland only, if you live in England, Scotland or Wales visit the GOV.UK website.
COVID-19
Depending on your situation, you might be able to get additional financial support from the Department for Communities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Financial support may also be available for short-term living expenses if you have a positive Covid-19 diagnosis or you are in self-isolation.
This non-repayable Discretionary Support self-isolation grant may be available to you if you are on a low income and are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of being told to self isolate. The grant will include a specific amount for any children in your household and may be made for periods of more than 14 days.
Check if you are eligible for the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant and apply as soon as possible once you have started to self-isolate. You may be asked to supply evidence of your circumstances in support of your application.
Support for heating
You may be able to get other help to heat your home. For further information see:
If you find that you are not eligible for any of the payments above, you may wish to apply for Discretionary Support.
Access to Work
Face to face appointments for Access to Work (NI) have been temporarily suspended.
Payments to participants on the programme will continue to be processed by a limited number of available staff and contingencies have been put in place to make sure this continues.
The programme works with a number of key stakeholders who provide support to Access to Work (NI) participants and this may change the level of support available to all participants due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Appointments at Jobs and Benefits offices
Jobs and Benefits offices are closed for normal face to face services. Business is being done by phone or through your Universal Credit journal. A small number of face to face appointments are taking place for customers who need extra support or if the Department for Communities needs to see you about your claim.
If you are unable to use our telephone or digital services we can arrange an urgent appointment in your local Jobs and Benefits office. To arrange an appointment contact the Universal Credit Service Centre.
From 15 July 2020 claimant commitments were introduced for all Universal Credit claims. Your work coach will contact you by telephone to discuss what activities you can do to help you move into employment and to offer support.
You will be given notice of your telephone appointment on your journal. It is important that we have this conversation with you as part of your Universal Credit application process.
Benefit payments
If you're already receiving benefits, you will continue to receive payments. Payments will still be processed as usual.
You will not be penalised as a result of a postponed appointment.
Carer’s Allowance
Carers will continue to be paid Carer’s Allowance when they have temporarily ceased to care for a severely disabled person due to either of them self-isolating or being infected with coronavirus.
During the COVID-19 pandemic emotional support can also count towards the 35 hours a week you spend caring for someone who is ill or has a disability.
Cross-border workers and COVID-19
Cross-border workers who are temporarily laid off (furloughed workers) during the Covid-19 pandemic should stay on their employer’s payroll and be paid during this period of time.
The employer can then claim the appropriate rate from the government department.
If you have been made wholly unemployed then ‘normal rules’ apply: you must claim benefit from the country where you are resident.
If you're a cross-border worker from Northern Ireland who had been working in the Republic of Ireland, you must make a claim to Universal Credit - www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk
If you're a cross-border worker from the Republic of Ireland who had been working in Northern Ireland, you must make a claim via your local Intreo Centre. Applications can be made online at www.mywelfare.ie
Employment and Support Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) offers support and financial help so you can do suitable work if you are able to. Find out more about how to apply.
There is temporary removal of the seven waiting days if you are making a New Style ESA claim. If you need to self isolate you will be treated as being ill and do not need to go to a GP.
All Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) appointments at assessment centres have been postponed.
You can apply for ESA online, by telephone, textphone or posting a claim form.
Extra financial support
Financial support may be available if you are in a financial crisis or need support including:
- Discretionary Support
- Discretionary Support self-isolation grant
- Universal Credit Contingency Fund payment
- Short-term Benefit Advances
- Sure Start Maternity Grants
- Budgeting Loans
To help support people during the COVID-19 pandemic the Department for Communities has put in place a non-repayable Discretionary Support self-isolation grant payment to help with short-term living expenses where a person, or a member of their immediate family, has been infected by COVID-19 or told to self-isolate.
If you're eligible to receive an award, it will be calculated based on your circumstances.
If you're in financial need, help with short term living expenses may be available through Discretionary Support or the Universal Credit Contingency Fund grant or the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant.
If you require assistance with short term living expenses from any one of these three provisions you should complete the Discretionary Support form.
If you use this form you do not need to ring the Discretionary Support Freephone line, someone will contact you.
Due to Coronavirus the Department for Communities (DfC) paused recovery of overpayments and loans for three months.
From July 2020 DfC restarted the recovery of overpayments and over a period of months will reinstate repayment arrangements that were previously agreed.
You do not need to take any action. DfC will contact you to let you know when your repayments are due to start again.
More information is available on the Department for Communities website.
Housing support
Measures have been put in place to support social and private renters as well as those experiencing homelessness.
The Department for Communities has produced a guidance document setting out general advice and information for tenants and landlords in the private rented sector.
The guidance covers issues which may arise during the Covid-19 outbreak including what to do if you/ your tenant is struggling with paying rent, advice around carrying out emergency repairs, information on minimising moves within rented accommodation, and eviction proceedings.
The guidance is available on the Department for Communities website.
An agreement is in place with all social housing landlords (Housing Executive and Housing Associations) that any social housing tenant facing difficulties paying rent during the Covid-19 pandemic will not be evicted.
If you're living in the private rented sector and are receiving Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit, and the amount you're receiving is not enough to cover your housing costs, you may be able to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment
If you're a student and suffering financial hardship due to rental payments you can now apply for Discretionary Support. You are also encouraged to contact your landlord or letting agent to discuss flexibility in terms of payments.
More information can be found on the Department for Communities website.
How the Department for Communities will get in touch
If you're claiming benefits a Work Coach will communicate with you via your online journal, by phone and will reschedule appointments for a later date.
If you're self-employed
If you’re self-employed and can't work due to coronavirus (COVID-19), you can apply online for Universal Credit or for New Style Employment and Support Allowance .
You do not need to go into a Jobs and Benefits office to apply or get a payment.
You do not need to get an isolation note from NHS 111.
The rules for self-employed people claiming Universal Credit were temporarily different because of the coronavirus pandemic.
These rules changed on 1 August 2021 and the pre-pandemic rules are being applied again.
This means that a check will be undertaken to see if you are gainfully self-employed. If so, your payment will be calculated using the Minimum Income Floor.
Discretion will be used when applying the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed people who continue to be impacted by the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic.
You may be eligible for a start-up period. If you were in a start-up period on 13 March 2020, your start up period will be extended.
If you already have a claim, you will be contacted about these changes before they happen.
You will not need to attend the Jobs & Benefits office to demonstrate gainful self-employment.
In work
If you have to stay at home because of coronavirus and you need a note for your employer, contact NHS 111 Online
If you have to stay at home but feel well enough to work, ask your employer if you can work from home. If you can work from home, you will not need an isolation note. You can also use this service for someone else.
If you're in work and not claiming benefits, work on a short term contract or a zero hours contract, you may be entitled to sick pay.
If you’ve been ill from coronavirus (COVID-19) since 13 March 2020 and you’re eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, you will get a backdated payment.
If you are not eligible to receive sick pay you can apply for Universal Credit and/ or New Style Employment & Support Allowance.
Anyone self-isolating who is self-employed can apply for Universal Credit or new-style Employment and Support Allowance.
You do not need to go into a Jobs and Benefits office to apply or get a payment, you can apply online and/ or by telephone.
You can also apply for these if you're prevented from working because of a risk to public health.
Jobseekers' Allowance
If you are due to sign-on you are excused from signing.
Since 30 March 2020 until further notice, attendance at Jobs and Benefits offices for the purposes of signing for benefits has been excused.
Staff in the Jobs and Benefits offices will be making calls to Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients to assist and advise on available employment services and make sure that claimants have the support they need.
New style Job Seekers' Allowance
Universal Credit replaced Jobseeker’s Allowance. However if you have been credited with enough National Insurance contributions, you may be entitled to 'New Style' Jobseeker’s Allowance. You can apply online.
Make the Call
Post Office Card Accounts
Support is in place to assist Post Office card account customers who are unable to access their benefit or pension payments during the Coronavirus pandemic.
You should contact Make the Call by phoning 0800 232 1271 or email makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk.
All routine appointments for the Make the Call Service, compliance and benefit review interviews have stopped.
Medical assessments
Work Capability Assessments for people making new claims to UC and ESA had been paused due to the COVID-19 crisis. These assessments will take place by paper based review or by telephone assessment until face-to-face assessments can be resumed.
Personal Independence Payment
All Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appointments at assessment centres have been postponed. To claim PIP, contact the PIP Centre.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
If you cannot work while you’re self-isolating because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you could get SSP for every day you’re in isolation, from day one.
You must self-isolate for at least four days to be eligible.
Check you’re eligible for SSP.
Tax Credits
If you currently receive Working Tax Credits, read the information on Gov.uk before making a claim to Universal Credit
If you already receive Tax Credits and have a drop in your income or are ill because of COVID19 you may be able to continue to claim Tax Credits for a period of time.
For further information refer to Working Tax Credit or call the helpline below.
If you lose your job, your Tax Credit payments will stop and you will need to make a claim for Universal Credit. You can’t receive Universal Credit and Tax Credits at the same time.
Universal Credit
New claims to Universal Credit can still be made online with additional telephone support available via the Universal Credit Service Centre if you need help with a new claim.
You can now use your Government Gateway account to confirm your identity, helping to speed up your claim. You can do this if you’ve used the Government Gateway within the past 12 months to access your Personal Tax Accounts, check your tax credits or to send a personal tax return.
If you don’t have a Government Gateway account you can confirm your identity using Gov.uk/verify.
If the Department needs information to progress your claim we will contact you.
If you're already claiming Universal Credit tell your work coach in your online journal if you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). If you do not have an online account, you can call the Universal Credit Service Centre
You’ll continue to receive your Universal Credit payments as normal.
If you’re working while claiming Universal Credit, your payment will be adjusted if you can no longer work due to coronavirus (COVID-19). Tell us about the hours you’re working in the usual way in your online account.
Self-employed people can claim Universal Credit.
The rules for self-employed people claiming Universal Credit were temporarily different because of the coronavirus pandemic.
These rules changed on 1 August 2021 and the pre-pandemic rules are being applied again.
This means that a check will be undertaken to see if you are gainfully self-employed. If so, your payment will be calculated using the Minimum Income Floor.
Discretion will be used when applying the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed people who continue to be impacted by the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic.
You may be eligible for a start-up period. If you were in a start-up period on 13 March 2020, your start up period will be extended.
If you already have a claim, you will be contacted about these changes before they happen.
The Self-employment Income Support Scheme will be treated as earnings in Universal Credit and your Universal Credit payment will be adjusted in response to changes in your earnings.
This means payments will be taken into account in the Assessment Period (AP) in which they are received. In this way Universal Credit provides support whilst the claimant has no earnings.
From 6 April 2021, the standard allowance for a single Universal Credit claimant (aged 25 and over) is £411.51 per month.
The temporary increase to the monthly standard allowance for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will end on 6 October 2021.
If your assessment period ends on or after the 6 October 2021 the standard allowance for a single Universal Credit claimant (aged 25 and over) will be £324.84 per month.
Claimant commitments must be accepted for all Universal Credit claims.
Your work coach will schedule telephone appointments to discuss your work search activity and to identify any relevant support you might need. You will only be expected to complete work search activity that is reasonable given the current restrictions.
It is important that you make yourself available for your work coach calls. Repeated failure to take these calls may impact on your payments.
You must still tell us about changes to your circumstances by signing in to your Universal Credit online account .