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  4. Support if you're employed or looking for work
  5. Universal Credit

Help to find work on Universal Credit

You can get help to prepare for work, look for work or increase your earnings when you receive Universal Credit.

Universal Credit and work

Universal Credit is a payment for those who are on a low income or are out of work.  It is based on your earnings and not the hours you work, offering more flexibility for you to increase your hours and helping to make sure you are better off in work.

To get Universal Credit you need to agree your commitment through your online account. Your commitment sets out the things you need to do to prepare for work, look for work or increase your earnings.

You will regularly discuss and update your commitment with your work coach, and you will need to agree to the commitment each time to keep getting Universal Credit.  

Finding work

A wide range of job opportunities is available at JobApplyNI. 

This website also gives details of Job Fairs and opportunities to improve your skills as well as links to other job sites, work support and training.

Work related support from your work coach

Your work coach will help you consider the steps you could take to prepare for and look for work. At your initial work focused interview, you will discuss your commitment which includes the requirement to take part in interviews. You must keep in contact with your work coach, through your Universal Credit journal, to keep them informed of your situation.

Your work coach will offer help and advice on how to apply for jobs including creating a CV, filling in job application forms or preparing for interviews.  You can contact your work coach through your Universal Credit journal on your online account. 

You can find more information on help from your local Jobs and Benefits office to prepare for and look for work and if you need more support you can get Extra help starting or staying in work.

There are also Universal Credit video guides on preparing for and looking for work.

Help from the Careers Service to get work

As well as the support provided by Universal Credit, the Careers Service provides a careers information, advice and guidance service to support people into, and during their work.

They have a broad range of information to help you look for work including finding and applying for jobs, returning to work, careers support and training programmes.

The Careers Service also provides detailed information on Jobs & skills, including redundancy and extra help starting, or staying in work.  They also offer advice on financial support to help you start or stay in work.

If you have been made redundant  

If you have been made redundant from your job, information on support and benefits is available at Redundancy and looking for work.  You can also find information on the Redundancy Service and your local Jobs and Benefits Office can further provide support and advice.

Help and Support

If you would like independent help and advice on Universal Credit, you can visit any independent advice office or contact:

  • AdviceNI
  • Housing Rights
  • Money Helper

More useful links

  • Benefits and help when going back to work
  • Support if you're employed or looking for work
  • Employers for Childcare
  • Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF)
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Universal Credit

  • Agree your Universal Credit Commitment
  • Changes that may affect your Universal Credit
  • Changes you need to tell Universal Credit about
  • Contact Universal Credit for help with your claim
  • Extra help to make or maintain your Universal Credit claim
  • Find out who to contact about money taken off your Universal Credit payment
  • Frontier and cross border workers claiming Universal Credit
  • Help to find work on Universal Credit
  • Help while waiting for a Universal Credit payment
  • How much can be taken from your Universal Credit payments
  • How much Universal Credit you get and how you're paid
  • How you make a claim for Universal Credit
  • Money taken from your Universal Credit payments
  • More financial help if you get Universal Credit
  • Unable to manage your Universal Credit claim by yourself
  • Universal Credit - Sharing your information with others
  • Universal Credit if you have a health condition or disability
  • Universal Credit if you're claiming other benefits or tax credits
  • Universal Credit if you're employed
  • Universal Credit if you're self-employed
  • Universal Credit if you're unemployed
  • Universal Credit payments for children and childcare
  • Universal Credit payments for housing
  • Universal Credit reclaims
  • Universal Credit: advance payments
  • Universal Credit: two child limit
  • What to do after you have claimed Universal Credit
  • What will affect your Universal Credit payments
  • Who can claim Universal Credit
  • Who to contact if you disagree with a Universal Credit decision
  • Who to talk to about deductions from your Universal Credit
  • You want to claim Universal Credit again

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If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

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Call 0800 587 2750 
Email customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

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