Universal Credit if you're claiming other benefits or tax credits
If you receive an existing benefit or tax credits, you should not do anything until you receive a letter telling you it is time to make a claim to Universal Credit. When you claim Universal Credit, any benefits or tax credits it replaces will stop.
If you are considering a move to Universal Credit from another benefit, check your eligibility and seek independent advice before making your claim.
Universal Credit is replacing the following:
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit – excluding payments for rates
If you currently get one of these benefits or Tax Credits and your circumstances change, you must report the change as soon as possible.
Changes in your circumstances may mean that you need to move to Universal Credit and your existing benefits or Tax Credits will stop.
If your circumstances do not change, you do not need to do anything, you will be told what to do when it is time for you to move to Universal Credit.
If you're considering moving to Universal Credit from another benefit
When you claim Universal Credit, any benefits or tax credits it replaces will stop. If you are considering a move to Universal Credit from another benefit, you can check your eligibility. You should also seek independent advice before making a claim for Universal Credit.
You can also use a benefit calculator to check how much you may get.
Financial support until you get your Universal Credit payments
There are a few ways to get financial help while you are waiting on your first Universal Credit payment.
Universal Credit Contingency Fund short term living expenses grant
A Universal Credit Contingency Fund grant is extra Financial Support which may be available if you do not have enough money to live on until you get full payment of your first Universal Credit award and need additional financial support. You will not have to pay this back.
Universal Credit Advance
If you have applied for Universal Credit and do not have enough money to live on, you can apply for an advance payment. You will have to pay this back from your Universal Credit payments. You should speak to your work coach or apply through your Universal Credit online account.
Budgeting Advance
If you already get Universal Credit, you may be able to get a budgeting advance to help pay emergency household costs, or to help you to get a job or stay in work. You will have to pay this back from your Universal Credit payments. You should speak to your work coach or apply through your Universal Credit online account.
Discretionary Support
Discretionary support is short term financial support paid into your bank account as either an interest free loan, which you will need to repay, or a grant which you do not have to pay back.
How Universal Credit affects your Jobseeker’s Allowance
If a change in your circumstances means you are no longer entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance you may make a claim for Universal Credit. You will continue to receive Jobseeker's Allowance for an extra two weeks after you make your claim for Universal Credit. Your Jobseeker's Allowance will then stop.
New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (previously known as contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance) can be paid on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.
Your Jobseeker’s Allowance may stop being paid before you get your first Universal Credit payment. If this happens, you may be able to get Financial Support until you get your Universal Credit payments.
How Universal Credit affects your Employment and Support Allowance
If a change in your circumstances means you are no longer entitled to Employment and Support Allowance you may make a claim for Universal Credit. You will continue to receive Employment and Support Allowance for an extra two weeks after you make your claim for Universal Credit.
New Style Employment and Support Allowance (previously known as contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance) can be paid on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.
Your Employment and Support Allowance may stop being paid before you get your first Universal Credit payment. If this happens, you may be able to get Financial Support until you get your Universal Credit payments.
How Universal Credit affects your Income Support
If a change in your circumstances means you are no longer entitled to Income Support you may make a claim for Universal Credit. You will continue to receive Income Support for an extra two weeks after you make your claim for Universal Credit.
Your Income Support may stop being paid before you get your first Universal Credit payment. If this happens, you may be able to get Financial Support until you get your Universal Credit payments.
How Universal Credit affects your Tax Credits
When you claim Universal Credit, your claim for Tax Credits will end if:
- you or your partner make a claim for Universal Credit (even if your claim is not approved)
- you move in with a partner who has made a claim for Universal Credit
After you’ve applied for Universal Credit, you’ll get a letter from HMRC (called your ‘award review’). This will tell you when your tax credits claim ended.
After your tax credits stop, you cannot claim tax credits again.
Your Tax Credits may stop being paid before you get your first Universal Credit payment. If this happens, you may be able to get Financial Support until you get your Universal Credit payments.
How Universal Credit affects your Housing Benefit
If you are getting Housing Benefit when you claim Universal Credit, you will continue to receive Housing Benefit for an extra two weeks after you make your claim for Universal Credit. Your Housing Benefit will normally then stop.
If your Housing Benefit includes money for your rates, this will stop when you claim Universal Credit. You can find out more information including how to claim a Rate Rebate at Universal Credit payments for housing.
Housing Benefit may stop being paid before you get your first Universal Credit payment. If this happens, you may be able to get Financial Support until you get your Universal Credit payments.
Welfare Supplementary Payments if you are on Universal Credit
Welfare Supplementary Payments are payments to help people in Northern Ireland cope with welfare changes, including if you move to Universal Credit.
If you think you may be entitled to a Welfare Supplementary Payment, contact the Welfare Supplementary Payments Team to check if you are eligible.
If you get a Welfare Supplementary Payment and move to Universal Credit, your Welfare Supplementary Payment will normally stop. Instead, most people will get an ‘administrative payment’.
You can find out more information on support if you are affected by Welfare Changes
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: