BENEFITS FEBRUARY 2023 1.What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of working age which replaces so called ‘legacy benefits’
HELP WITH (except Child Benefit and Council Tax Benefit). Payments are made monthly..
UNIVERSAL CREDIT People with more than £16,000 in savings are not eligible. If you have between £6,000 and £16,000, £1 for
every £250 above £6,000 is deducted weekly. There are no limits to the number of hours worked.

FURTHER INFORMATION 2. What do I need to make a claim?

Most people will have to claim online. If do not have access to a computer, you can use one in some local
Universal Credit free helpline: : libraries e.g. Wimborne (01202 882770) or Colehill (01202 886676). But you can also telephone Citizens Advice
0800 328 5644 ‘Help to Claim’ service: 0800 1448 444.
www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-universal-credit You will need an email address and a mobile phone with you (a basic one will do). If you do not have an
email address, you can set one up at https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?hl=en.
www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/
Have the following information with you: National Insurance number, address and postcode, how much rent or
…………………………………………… mortgage paid monthly, landlord’s address and phone number, bank, building society account details, gross
Citizens Advice ‘Help to Claim’ earnings e.g. pay slips, any income that’s not from work e.g. pension, any savings or other capital, how much is
citizensadvice.org.uk/helptoclaim paid for childcare, child benefit ref. numbers and details of any other benefits.
This is a free service providing support online for
anyone who needs help in the early stages of 3. How do I make a claim?
their Universal Credit claim, over the phone. To start a claim, go to https://www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit and follow the instructions. The online
Free telephone 0800 1448 444 claiming process is in three parts which will take at least an hour: 1. Opening a U.C. account. 2. Making your
(Monday to Friday 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.) claim 3. Verifying your identity. If you find the ‘Verify your identity’ section too difficult, you can click ‘I can’t do this
……………………………………………………. on line’ and then get help with this at the job centre. See gov.uk-verify for more details.
Dorset Council
www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ 4. What happens after I have made a claim?
Select from ‘Benefits’ section You should be given a phone number (usually 0800 328 5644) so you can arrange an interview at your local
……………………………………………………. jobcentre within 7 days. Have your national insurance number ready. Make a note of the date and time of the
interview and who your Work Coach will be, as well as the documents you must take. You must attend this
interview on time. If you cannot, you must telephone the helpline 0800 328 5644 to explain why.
At the interview you will be asked to check and sign your claim and present relevant documents, such as
proof of identity, tenancy agreements etc. There will also be a personalised work search interview, when you must
OTHER GREENHILL QUICK GUIDES sign a Claimant Commitment, will be reminded of your responsibilities and what sanctions might apply. You will be
How to Claim E.S.A. or U.C. if you are too Ill or advised about available support such as Find a Job service and will be offered budgeting support if you need it.
Disabled to Work Later, a decision letter will be posted to you.

How to Claim Personal Independence 5. How does the Claimant Commitment affect me?
Payment
Unless you are working at least 35 hours a week and earning at least minimum wage, or the DWP agrees that
How to Claim Attendance Allowance & DLA. you are so ill or disabled that you are unable to work indefinitely, or are receiving the carers’ element of U.C.; or
Welfare Benefits have a child under one; or are pregnant etc., you must sign a Claimant Commitment to one of the following work-
related activities.
1. Have work-focused interviews about potential work if you are responsible for a one-year-old child.
Note: We cannot accept legal responsibility for 2. Attend work preparation group, if presently you are too ill or disabled to work, or have a two-year-old child.
any errors, omissions or changes to the :
3. For all others, actively search for work, apply for jobs etc. for up to 35 hours a week which should fit around
information in this leaflet. school or nursery hours if there are children under 13.

GREENHILL You can log in to your U.C. account at https://www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/sign-in with your U.C.
username and password to see a list of everything you have done so far in the ‘Journal’ section and what
QUICK GUIDES you still must do in the ‘To Do’ section. Use the ‘Journal’ section to communicate with your Work Coach.
[email protected]
 HOW U.C. IS CALCULATED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The following are approximate monthly figures What happens if I am too ill or disabled to work?
1. Maximum Universal Credit is calculated by When you make your claim, you must describe the details of your disability, your medicines and any therapy as
adding relevant elements for: well as your G.P.’s name, address and telephone number. At your interview, you will be asked for a medical
Claimants: Under 25 single £265; couple £416 certificate and within the next few days, you will be sent a Capability for Work questionnaire to be returned
Over 25 single £335; couple £525 within four weeks. (There is a Greenhill Quick Guide, called How to Claim E.S.A. or U.C. if you are too Ill or
Children (max. 2 if born after 06.04.17): £245 Disabled to Work. It will make the completion of the questionnaire much easier). See how the Claimant
Disabilities: low £129, ch. £133; high £344 ch. £415 Commitment affects ill or disabled people on the previous page.
Carers: £169 Is there any help I can get during the period when I have no money?
Childcare: 85% up to £647 (1 child) £1108 (2+ ch.).
There is also free childcare as follows: Your first payment will be five weeks after acceptance of your claim. Ask your Work Coach about an Advance
(a) 15 hours of free childcare for 2-year-olds if Payment at your initial interview (up to 100% of your entitlement repaid over 12 months).
combined earnings are less than £15,400 p.a.  You can also apply for a Household Support Fund via www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ and there are food
(b) for all 3 to 4-year-olds 15 hours a week for 38 banks locally. You will need vouchers for these (limited to three). If you have specific costs e.g. repairs to
weeks a year and an extra 15 hours if claimant essential items, travel costs etc. you can ask for a Budgeting Advance but only after your first payment of U.C.
(and partner) each earn at least the NMW for 16 If you are already on Housing Benefit you will continue to receive it for the first two weeks of your Universal
hours a week (£152). Credit claim. This is an unrecoverable payment. Your U.C. housing costs will be paid to you, but you can ask for
(c) A tax free scheme for childcare for children aged an Alternative Payment Arrangement for them to be paid directly to your landlord, if you are in debt or rent
0-11 or 16 if disabled is not available if on U.C. arrears or have a mental disability etc..
See: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Housing: The rent for private tenants is limited by Try googling Dorset Council > Benefits for information about claiming Council Tax Support to help with your
Local Housing Allowance rates, e.g. locally £597 council tax and a temporary Discretionary Housing Payment to help with rent arrears, from the same website.
(1 bedroom), £758 (2), £947 (3). More details from How can I avoid being sanctioned?
https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx where
you can find how many bedrooms you are allowed. Sanctions vary from I week to 3 years and from 40% to 100% of the standard allowance for ‘offences’ ranging
Rents in social housing are usually the same as from missing a work-focused interview to failures to accept paid work. Always keep in touch with your work coach
LHA rates. Deductions are made for too many through your U.C. account at https://www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/sign-in or tel. the free U.C. helpline
bedrooms (‘bedroom tax’) and non-dependents. (0800 328 5644). You can challenge a sanction by asking for a Mandatory Reconsideration within a month.
Hardship payments (loans) can be made by your work coach - 60% of amount paid at daily rate up to next
2. Income is then subtracted from the maximum U.C. payment. Go to https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ for more information.
Income consists of:
Earnings: reduced by a Work Allowance (£344 if
housing costs claimed, £573 if not) and then 55p for JANE - A CASE STUDY
every £1 left after this. Then 100% of
Non-earnings income: (savings, pensions etc.) 1. Jane (27) is single with one child, aged 3. She is looking for work. Her rent (private) is £750 a month.
3. Final U.C. award is Max. U.C. minus Income Jane receives the following U.C. monthly elements:
but it may be reduced by the benefit cap which Single 25+ (£334.92) + Child (£244.58) + Housing (£750) = £1,329.50 (£306.81 weekly).
limits total benefits (inc. con-based JSA & ESA, She receives approx. £95 a month Child Benefit, and £100 Council Tax Support. She claims 15 hours free childcare.
child benefit, maternity allowance, carer’s After paying rent and C.T., she has approx. £663 (£153 a week) for food, clothing, heating and other utilities.
allowance, U.C. etc.) to £1,667 for a couple or
single parent and £1,1177 a month for a single adult 2. She gets a job earning £1040 net monthly for working a 24 hour week.
outside London This does not include A.A., D.L.A.,
A Work Allowance of £344 is deducted from her monthly earnings of £1040, leaving £695.99 which is
E.S.A. (S.G.), P.I.P., Council Tax Support, etc.
multiplied by 55% to give adjusted earnings of £382.80. Total U.C. £1,329.50 - £382.80 = £946.69 monthly
………………………………………..
turn2us She now receives approx. £60 Council Tax Support and an extra 15 hours of childcare. After rent & council tax, she
Use this website for a detailed U.C. calculation has about £1,280 a month (£296 a week), including earnings & child benefit, for food, heating, utilities, clothing etc.
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/