When can I get Universal Credit (UC)?
When can I get Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is being phased in gradually, and it will depend on where you live as to whether you can make a claim for Universal Credit..
You can only get Universal Credit now if you are making a new claim in a Universal Credit full digital service area.
To claim Universal Credit you must be living in a full digital service area and not have three or more children. If you live in a full digital service area and are not receiving any of the following benefits or you try to make a new claim for any of them you will be required to claim Universal Credit instead.
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
To find out if you are in a full digital service area, you can:
See our Universal Credit Timetable for further details and to see a list of Job centres currently taking claims for Universal Credit.
If you don’t want to make a new claim you won’t currently have to go on to Universal Credit even if you live in a full digital service area. It is only from July 2019 onwards that the DWP will start transferring people from the existing benefit system to Universal Credit.
Updated January 2018