Universal credit

1. Contact us as soon as you know you’ll need to claim or are being moved across to universal credit

Unlike housing benefit, where the local authority contacts your landlord to confirm your rent details, universal credit relies on you to provide them. It’s very important that you get in touch so we can provide the correct details so you get enough money to pay your rent. We can also help with other parts of your claim, for example providing you with an up to date rent statement.

2. Make a claim for council tax reduction scheme with your local authority

If you currently claim housing benefit, you automatically get help paying your council tax. This doesn’t happen with UC, so you’ll need to make a separate claim. You can do this online or call us or your local authority for a paper form.

3. Try to build up credit on your rent account to use as a buffer against arrears

UC is paid in arrears, and you won’t receive your first payment until at least five weeks after your claim. This could leave you behind with your rent. If you currently claim housing benefit, you’ll eventually be moved over to UC, so building up even a small credit on your rent account now could help you avoid arrears under universal credit.

4. Open a bank account

UC is paid monthly, so having a bank account you can use to pay by standing order or direct debit is vital. If your current bank account can’t do either of these, consider switching to one that can.

5. Get used to budgeting monthly

As UC is paid monthly it’s important that you get used to budgeting your money this way. If you currently receive payments at different times of the month you may find this tricky, but you can start by grouping the money you receive into one pot and thinking about it as one lump sum. Use the Money Advice Service’s free budget planner to help.

UC is a means tested combination of: Income Support; Job Seekers Allowance; Employment Support Allowance; Housing Benefit; Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

Anyone of working age and mixed-age couples, where one is pensionable age and one is of working age.

It’s paid once a month and in arrears into a bank account.

One calendar month and 7 days after the claim has been submitted. Subsequent payments will be paid monthly thereafter.

Yes – an “advanced payment” can be requested at the claimants JobCentre. All advanced payments are a loan and must be repaid from ongoing UC payments within 24 months.

It’s when Soha, or the claimant, can ask for UC to be paid direct to Soha if the claimant meets certain vulnerability criteria. Soha can also request “third party deductions” for rent arrears.

Every claimant will have an individual MAP based on the date they first made their claim. For example a claim made on the 10th of the month will have a MAP running from the 10th of one month to the 9th of the next month

All changes in circumstances must be reported to DWP immediately to avoid a loss of payment. The changes must be reported through the clients online account via “report a change”.

We are here if you need help:

• making a UC claim
• to chase a missing UC payment
• to confirm housing costs
• setting up a bank account
• setting up an email account

Please contact us on 0800 014 15 45 or contact the UC Helpline direct on 0800 328 5644. (Freephone)

You need to log onto your UC account every day!

If the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) need any information from you to help them process your claim, they will add an entry on your journal asking you to visit your “to do list”. Please consider your journal to be the new Facebook or Twitter, you must look at it every day.

Your “to do list” is exactly that. A list of questions and instructions from the DWP that you need to complete so that they can assess your claim.

Your “to do list” can be accessed by clicking on the tab at the top of your “home” screen.

When you complete your UC claim, you will be asked how you want to be notified of a journal entry. You can choose either email or text.

You will need to log into your UC account. This will tell you when you will be paid. Five days before you are due to be paid you can click on the “Payments” link on your Home screen.

If possible, we’d recommend you receive the payment of Housing Element of UC (rent) and pass this payment onto Soha. The payment pattern used by the DWP can be confusing and may delay payments reaching your rent account.

No. Soha has absolutely no access to view your claim; to check if you have any tasks to complete; to see when you are getting paid or to ask any questions on your behalf. The DWP will only speak to us if you are sat with us and give your permission. Any permission is only for that single conversation, it is not permanent permission.