Move to Universal Credit if you get a Migration Notice letter

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How Universal Credit is worked out

Your Universal Credit award is calculated based on your circumstances each month. These are called your ‘assessment periods’. This is different to tax credits which are calculated yearly.

Deductions

Money can be taken from your Universal Credit payments to pay for things like:

• court fines

• rent arrears

• overpayments or arrears from tax credits, Council Tax, Housing Benefit, ESA and JSA

• utility debts, like electricity, gas, water

Money cannot be deducted from things like your child allowance, childcare, and housing costs.

Find out more about money taken off your Universal Credit payment.

Earnings

If you are working, how much Universal Credit you get will depend on your earnings. This includes income from working full time, part time, employed or self-employed.

Your circumstances are assessed every month. Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you’re paid for the whole assessment period – not just from the date you report them.

The way Universal Credit is worked out is different to tax credits.

Find out how your wages affect your payments.

What you’ll get if you live with your partner

How much you can get will depend on your partner’s income and savings, as well as your own.

Claiming after your deadline 

If you choose not to claim Universal Credit now, your existing benefits will still end. You can claim Universal Credit later, however normal Universal Credit eligibility rules will apply, for example you will not be entitled to transitional protection.

How to claim Universal Credit

You can apply for Universal Credit online.

You need to create an account to make a claim. You must complete your claim within 28 days of creating your account or you’ll have to start again.

When you or your partner make a claim to Universal Credit your existing benefits that are being replaced by Universal Credit will stop. You cannot go back to those benefits, because they are ending.

If you cannot claim online, call the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline.

How to claim if you live with a partner

You’ll both need to claim Universal Credit if you live with your partner in the same household and are:

• married to each other

• civil partners of each other

• living together as if you are married

You must make a joint claim for your household, even if your partner is not eligible for Universal Credit. You cannot claim by yourself.

To begin, both of you need to create your own Universal Credit online accounts. The first person to create their account will receive a partner code, which will be displayed on screen.

Your partner will then need to use this code when they create their Universal Credit online account. This ensures the accounts are joined together and you are correctly claiming as a couple.

Once you’ve created your account you can make a claim for Universal Credit.

What you’ll need to apply

To apply online you’ll need:

• your bank, building society or credit union account details

• an email address

• access to a phone

To prove your identity, you’ll need some documents such as your:

• driving licence

• passport

• debit or credit card

• payslip or P60

To complete your claim you’ll need to provide information about:

• your housing, for example how much rent you pay

• your earnings, for example payslips

• any disability or health condition that affects your work

• how much you pay for childcare if you want help with childcare costs

• your savings and any investments, like shares or a property that you rent out

You might need an appointment with the Universal Credit team if:

• they need more information

• you cannot verify your identity online

You’ll be told if this appointment will be in a jobcentre or on the phone.

Apply for Universal Credit online

Steps to getting Universal Credit

1. Set up an Online Universal Credit account.

2. Complete and submit online claim.

3. Prove your identity.

4. Provide documents and evidence to support your claim.

5. Agree the activities in your claimant commitment.

When you prove your identity we will know you have received a Migration Notice letter and your information will be linked up automatically.

If you need help to make your claim you can get free support from the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service.

Start now

How you’re paid

Universal Credit is paid once a month, usually into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you’re not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, call the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline for advice about how to arrange a different way of getting paid.

Your payment can include an amount for housing costs, which you’ll usually need to pay to your landlord. If your landlord was being paid your housing costs directly, you’ll need to discuss the change of payment arrangements with them.

Final payments for existing benefits

The date of your final payments from your existing benefits depends on whichever is first:

• the deadline date on your letter

• when you make a claim to Universal Credit

If any further payments are due, they will be made shortly after your entitlement ends.

Moving from tax credits

If you claim tax credits, your entitlement will end as soon as you make a claim to Universal Credit.

If you do not make a claim by the deadline, your tax credit entitlement will end on the day before the deadline.

Moving from other benefits

If you’ve applied for Universal Credit, you’ll keep getting your current benefit paid for 2 more weeks. You must still be eligible for your current benefit. You will not need to pay back these extra payments and they will not affect the Universal Credit you might get.

This only applies if you’re getting:

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Income Support

• Housing Benefit

If you do not make a claim to Universal Credit by the deadline, your last day of entitlement to your existing benefits will be 2 weeks after the deadline.

If you receive both tax credits and any of these benefits, your tax credits will end as soon as you make a claim, or the day before your deadline date (whichever is first). Your other benefits will continue for 2 weeks.

Help while waiting for your first payment

Your claim starts on the day you submit it in your account, however it usually takes around 5 weeks to get your first payment.

If you need help with your living costs while you wait for your first payment, you can apply for an advance within your Universal Credit online account.

You’ll need to pay back your advance in instalments from your future Universal Credit payments.

Find out more about how you’re paid including payment dates, if you live with a partner, and alternative payment arrangements.

Your responsibilities

Your responsibilities will depend on your circumstances.

When you have made your claim to Universal Credit you’ll need to manage your own finances and maintain your claim online. This includes:

• updating your account

• attending jobcentre appointments, if appropriate

• managing your own rent and other housing costs, unless you have another payment arrangement in place

• reporting changes in circumstances

To get Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to accept an agreement called a ‘claimant commitment’. Find out more about claimant commitments.

Changes in circumstances you must tell us about

You need to tell us about changes:  

• to your personal details, including change of contact details or bank account  

• to work and money, including earnings, rent, jobs and savings   

• to your health   

• in your household, including children, care, partner and immigration status

Support

Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline  

Phone: 0800 169 0328   

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0328 

Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users. Watch the video to find out how to use the Video relay service on mobile or tablet

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm  

0800 phone numbers are free to call from mobiles and landlines.

Other financial help and support 

If you get Universal Credit, you could be eligible for other benefits or financial support. You should check what you can get. 

You might be able to get different support in Scotland.

If you’re in financial difficulties, you can get help and advice from the government, local councils, and other organisations, such as advicelocal.uk.