Universal Credit (UC) - When can I get Universal Credit (UC)?

When can I get Universal Credit?

The Universal Credit full digital service has now been rolled out to all areas of the country.

If you have more than two children, you won't yet be able to claim Universal Credit.  Claims will be accepted for families with three or more children from 1 February 2019. 

If you 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 can claim Universal Credit and to check your options you can:

• Complete a benefits check using our Benefits Calculator which tells you on the Results page;
• Look for a local advisor using our Find an Adviser tool.

See our Universal Credit Timetable for the latest details on the roll-out of Universal Credit.

If you don’t want to make a new claim you won’t currently have to go on to Universal Credit. It is only from July 2019 onwards that the DWP will start transferring people from the existing benefit system to Universal Credit.  This will be known as 'Managed Migration'.
 

Updated December 2018