How much is Universal Credit going up by in April and how to claim?
Millions of people are set to receive a 10.1% rise in their benefits in April, in line with the September 2022 inflation rate.
The raise will give a boost to people on a range of payments including Carer’s Allowance, Income Support, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Housing Benefit, among others.
Those who claim Universal Credit will also see an uplift in the amount they are paid every month – a move which will affect around 5.9m people who receive the benefit.
But how much is the benefit going up by, who is eligible to receive it, and how do you claim it if you are?
Here’s what you need to know…
How much is Universal Credit going up by in April?
Universal Credit varies according to the age of the claimant and their marital status.
Here’s how the standard allowances will look when the changes come into place from April 10.
- Single person, under 25 – from £265.51 to £292.11
- Single person, 25 or over – from £334.91 to £368.74
- Couple, joint claimants under 25 – from £416.45 to £458.51
- Couple, joint claimants where one or both is 25 or over – from £525.72 to £578.82
There are also different amounts if you have children, a disabled child limited capacity to work and other factors.
You can view how these amounts are changing from April at the Government’s website.
Who is eligible for Universal Credit?
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You may be eligible for Universal Credit if you are on a low income or you need additional help with living costs.
This could be for a number of factors – for example if you are out of work, working part-time or unable to work for health reasons.
In order to claim Universal Credit, the gov.UK website states that you must:
- Live in the UK
- Be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
- Be under the State Pension age
- Have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments
There are currently 5.9 million Universal Credit claimants in Great Britain, according to government figures, with 2 million of these people actively seeking work.
However the Chancellor announced in the Spring budget that there will be more sanctions introduced for people on the benefit who ‘do not look for or actively take up employment’ and the Goverment ‘will increase work search requirements’ for those on the benefit.
It will also ‘strengthen job support for claimants that are lead carers of young children who currently have no or limited requirements to search for and prepare for work’.
How to claim Universal Credit
You can apply for Universal Credit online at the Goverment website.
You will need to create an account and use it to make a claim – if you are living with a partner who is also claiming they will need to do this separately.
If you are unable to claim online you can claim by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
To apply online you will need your bank, building society or credit union account details, an email address and access to a phone.
If you do not have these, you can call the helpline, go to a job centre or get support from the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service.
You’ll need to provide some ID – such as driving licence, passport, debit or credit card, and your payslip or P60.
You’ll also need information on the following to complete your claim:
- Your housing situation, 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 may need an appointment with a member of the Universal Credit team if they need more information or your identity cannot be verified online.
Before you can claim you will also need to attend a meeting to agree to the claimant commitment, a record of what you will agree to do to look for employment, or increase your earnings if you are already working.
MORE : DWP benefit payment dates over Easter 2023 – from Universal Credit to PIP
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