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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Benefits and money
    3. Benefits and financial support
    4. Support if you're employed or looking for work

    Universal Credit reclaims

    If you need to reclaim Universal Credit within six months of your previous claim ending, you will be able to use your existing online account.

    Your Universal Credit online account remains open for 6-months after your claim ends.  
    If you claim within six months of your previous claim ending, you can log in to your Universal Credit online account to claim again. You will need to confirm that the details in your account are correct. 

    Eligibility

    If your Universal Credit ends for a short period, for example because you take up temporary work, and you then need to reclaim Universal Credit within six months of your previous claim ending, you will be able to use your existing online account.

    You will be told about the reclaim period through your online journal when your claim is closed, and that you must make a claim within seven-days of your job ending, if you return to Universal Credit.

    A reclaim will allow you to keep your previous Universal Credit assessment period and payment dates, as long as you continue to meet the basic conditions of entitlement.

    What you need to do

    You can reclaim Universal Credit within six assessment periods of your claim closing without having to make a full claim. However, if you have had a change of circumstances, where a new partner joins your household, you will be required to declare this and verify your information.

    If you qualify for a reclaim when you return to Universal Credit, you will:

    • have to actively make a reclaim through your existing Universal Credit online account
    • only need to tell Universal Credit about anything that has changed since your last claim, as the Department already holds details from your previous claim
    • have to agree a ‘Commitment’
    • not have to go to an Initial Evidence Interview

    Reclaiming means you will:

    • retain your previous Universal Credit assessment period and payment dates
    • receive a payment of Universal Credit for the whole of the assessment period in which you made the Universal Credit reclaim (for exceptions see ‘Claim made outside seven-days’ below)

    Reclaims from couples

    If you meet the reclaims criteria and then form a couple with an existing Universal Credit claimant and re-qualify for Universal Credit, you can make a reclaim. Your claim will then be linked to your new partner’s claim to form a joint claim.

    Your new partner will also need to report that their circumstances have changed.

    You can make a reclaim even if your partner doesn’t meet the basic entitlement conditions at the start of the assessment period, but both of you meet the conditions at the end of their assessment period.

    For example, if you formed a couple with a 17-year-old who turned 18 during the first assessment period, you would be able to claim as a couple for the whole assessment period.

    Previous Universal Credit claimants who have separated from their partner since they were last entitled to Universal Credit will also be able to reclaim as a single person, as long as they are entitled to Universal Credit.

    Claim made within seven-days of job ending

    When you make a reclaim for Universal Credit within seven calendar days of your job ending, you will be paid for the whole assessment period during which you made your reclaim.

    If you receive earnings within the first assessment period of your reclaim, for example final wages, these will be taken into account when calculating your Universal Credit payment. If the earnings result in a nil award of Universal Credit at the end of the assessment period, the claim will be closed and you will need to make another reclaim, if eligible.

    The seven day limit only applies to the job that you have left immediately before making the Universal Credit claim.

    Claim made outside seven days of job ending

    A reclaim to Universal Credit should be made within seven calendar days of your job ending.

    If you do not send a claim within seven calendar days of your job ending and you cannot give a good reason for the delay in claiming, you will not receive a payment of Universal Credit for the whole assessment period in which you made the new Universal Credit claim.

    You will receive a payment of Universal Credit only from the date you made the Universal Credit claim up to the end of that assessment period. This is known as apportionment.

    If the payment of Universal Credit is apportioned:

    • any sanctions (you have) are applied to the number of days in the assessment period you are paid for 
    • the Benefit Cap (if it applies to you) is applied to the whole of the assessment period
    • any earnings or unearned income received during the assessment period will also be applied to the number of days in the assessment period you are paid for

    Reclaims and advances

    When you return to Universal Credit through the reclaim process you will be able to apply for a Universal Credit (new claim) advance.

    • Universal Credit advance payments
    • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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    Support if you're employed or looking for work

    • Benefits and help when going back to work
    • Claiming Universal Credit when you're self-employed
    • Employment and Support Allowance
    • Financial support for parents and children
    • Help with health costs
    • Income Support
    • Jobseeker's Allowance
    • Leaving work to care for someone
    • Reduced Earnings Allowance
    • Special Payment if you claimed Income Support instead of ESA
    • Universal Credit
    • Universal Credit if you receive a Migration Notice letter
    • Universal Credit reclaims
    • Universal Credit: advance payments
    • Universal Credit: two child limit

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

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    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

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    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.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

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