Universal Credit (UC) - 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:

• Complete a benefits check using our Benefits Calculator which tells you on the Results page;
• Enter your postcode on the Universal Credit Info website;
• Look for a local advisor using our Find an Adviser tool.

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