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  2. Benefits and money
  3. Benefits and financial support
  4. Support if you're employed or looking for work
  5. Universal Credit

Universal Credit if you're unemployed

You can get Universal Credit if you are over 18, under State Pension age and unemployed or on a low income.

Universal Credit if you're unemployed

To get Universal Credit you must do everything you can to find work or increase your earnings. Universal Credit aims to make sure you are better off in work than on benefits and gives you the support you need to prepare for work, start work or increase your earnings.

There is no limit to the number of hours you can work in a week if you get Universal Credit. Your Universal Credit payments will reduce as you earn more.  This lets you take temporary or seasonal jobs without having to make a new claim.

Universal Credit includes support for the cost of housing, children and childcare, as well as support for disabled people, carers and people who are too ill to work.

The basic amount of Universal Credit is called the Standard Allowance which is an amount for you, or you and a partner.  Depending on your circumstances, you may get an additional amount of Universal Credit if you have children, if you pay for childcare or a payment to help cover housing costs. 

Additional amounts are also available for people who cannot be expected to work because of a disability or health condition, or because they provide a significant amount of care to someone with a disability.

Your Commitment

To get Universal Credit you will need to agree your Commitment through your online account.  Your Commitment sets out what 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 the Commitment each time to keep getting Universal Credit.

The actions set out in your Commitment will depend on things like your health, your responsibilities at home and how much help you need to start working or increase your income.

Looking for work

To get Universal Credit, you will need to look for and prepare for work.

Work search actions could include:

  • registering with job search websites or recruitment agencies,
  • searching for jobs on the internet and newspapers
  • attending jobs fairs
  • applying for jobs

Preparing for work

Work preparation actions could include:

  • preparing a CV
  • attending and completing a training course
  • completing a free essential skills course to improve your reading, writing, maths or IT skills

More information on looking for work and jobs and skills is available.

Your Work Coach

It is important that you keep in contact with your Work Coach through your Universal Credit journal and let them know if your situation changes to make sure you keep getting the right amount of Universal Credit.

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 to help you prepare for work and to get a job.

Your Work Coach will also provide information on other financial support and advice available. Further information is available on Financial Support and extra help with getting into work.

You can watch the Universal Credit Guide on what your Universal Credit work coach or case manager do

Click here to view the video content

Watch this video guide with British sign language

Watch this video guide with Irish sign language

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Universal Credit

  • Agree your Universal Credit Commitment
  • Changes that may affect your Universal Credit
  • Find out who to contact about money taken off your Universal Credit payment
  • Frontier and cross border workers claiming Universal Credit
  • Help while waiting for a Universal Credit payment
  • Help with your Universal Credit claim
  • How and when you get paid Universal Credit
  • How much can be taken from your Universal Credit payments
  • How much Universal Credit you will get
  • How work will affect your Universal Credit payments
  • How you make a claim for Universal Credit
  • Tell Universal Credit if your circumstances change
  • 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 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
  • When money can be taken from your Universal Credit payments
  • Who can claim Universal Credit
  • Who to contact if you disagree with a Universal Credit decision
  • Who you can talk to about your debts
  • You want to claim Universal Credit again

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Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

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 
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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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