Universal Credit most common questions answered, including how much you’re entitled to and what happens if you split with your partner
FROM being unsure how much money you'll get to working out when you'll actually receive it, claiming Universal Credit can be confusing - and infuriating.
As part of our Make Universal Credit Work campaign, The Sun wants to make things clearer.
How much am I entitled to?
Many things impact how much Universal Credit you are entitled to - dependant children, jobs, health conditions and housing costs are all taken into account.
It makes pinpointing exactly what you’ll get hard, with many people saying it makes it very difficult to budget and some, including single mum Lauren Anderson, say it's pushed them into debt.
But Turn2Us has put together a guide that explains how the calculation is made. Read the boxes below to find out which elements might apply to you.
How your entitlement is calculated (as of 11 June 2019)
In working out your Universal Credit award, firstly your household’s maximum Universal Credit award is calculated. This will be made up of one basic allowance and any additional elements that apply. Here's what the basic allowance pays...
Universal Credit Basic Allowance
Your basic allowance will depend on whether you are single or claiming as a couple, and your age. There is one basic allowance for your household:
- Single claimant aged under 25: £251.77 per month
- Single claimant aged 25 or over: £317.82 per month
- Joint claimants both aged under 25: £395.20 per month
- Joint claimants either aged 25 or over: £498.89 per month
Universal Credit additional elements (monthly amounts)
There are additional elements that can be added to your basic allowance. Your household may qualify for more than one of these:
- Child element £277.08 for 1st child or qualifying young person (if born before 6 April 2017), £231.67 per child for 2nd & subsequent child or qualifying young person (and for first child if born on or after 6 April 2017). If your children were born after 6 April 2017 you might be affected by the two child limit.
- Childcare costs element, £646.35 (max for 1 child), £1,108.04 (max amount for 2 or more children)**
- Limited capability for work element, for people with illnesses or disabilities £126.11 (abolished for most new claimants from 3 April 2017)
- Limited capability for work-related activity element for people with illnesses or disabilities (LCWRA element)* £336.20
- Carer element for people providing care for someone who is ill or disabled £160.20
- Housing costs element - these depend on whether you rent privately, are a social tenant or home owner
*The same person cannot get a LCWRA element as well as a Carer element even if they are eligible for both.
** UC pays up to 85 per cent of a claimant's childcare costs or the maximum amounts given above - whichever is lower.
The DWP recommends using online tools to get a better idea of exactly what you'll get.
“Benefits calculators are available online to help give an idea of what you might receive,” a spokesperson for the DWP said.
Citizen’s Advice has a , or you could use the or on the one on the .
Are you on Universal Credit. Tell us your story! Email us: universalcredit@mcb777.site
What do I do if two paydays fall in the same Universal Credit assessment period?
This is a hot topic in our Make Universal Credit Work Facebook group, with claimants often detailing how their entitlement has plummeted because of this.
Universal Credit works out how much money you’ll get based on your earnings in the previous month.
That means if you’re paid every four weeks and two pay days fall into one assessment month, your benefit entitlement will decrease.
“The system assumes your salary has suddenly doubled,” a spokesperson for Turn2Us says. “This leaves a lot of people worse off.
“If you are in this situation, you could speak to a local adviser to see if they can help you to write what’s called a ‘judicial review pre-action protocol letter’ - but don’t expect to see any dramatic results from this.
“The DWP’s advice to people in this situation is to save up and budget very carefully, and at the moment that is the best advice that can be given.”
Can I get an loan ahead of my payment?
At the moment, new claimants need to wait five weeks for their first Universal Credit payment, while families also have to front childcare costs before being reimbursed up to 85 percent of their bills.
Both can leave families desperately struggling, with mum Samantha Evans telling of her humiliation when she had to use a foodbank as she was so skint.
This is why The Sun has put changing both - reducing the five-week wait to a fortnight and getting childcare paid upfront - at the heart of our campaign.
Loans could be a help, but it’s important people understand how they work.
I’ve split up with my partner, what do I need to do? How will it affect my claim?
Universal Credit is based on the circumstances of your whole household, so when income changes you need to report it.
Why aren’t my payment details showing up on my journal?
Many claimants expect to find out exactly how much money they will be paid as soon as they put in a claim.
But it doesn’t work like this.
Turn2Us explains: “Your payment details won’t show on your Journal until the DWP determine how much they are going to pay you.
“This is calculated each month.
“Let’s say someone claims on 8 April. Their first pay date will be 15 May (five weeks later). “They won’t be able to see their calculation until after 8 May.”