Universal Universal CreditCredit

Tracey NicolaTracey NicolaTraining and Development Officer Training and Development Officer

Southend CouncilSouthend Council

Universal CreditUniversal Credit

Means tested benefit for Working Age people replacing:

•Working Tax Credit / Child Tax Credit

•Housing Benefit

•Income Support

•Income Based Jobseekers Allowance

•Income Related Employment and Support Allowance

Universal CreditUniversal CreditMaximum UC is the sum of all

relevant elements they qualify for. The elements are:

•Standard Element

•Child Element

•Childcare Element

•Carer Element

•Limited Capability for Work Element

•Housing Costs Element

Moving Onto UCMoving Onto UC• Jobcentres started to trial new claims from

2013

• Initially only for single people who:- are actively seeking work- have no children- no mortgage and- savings under £6000

• From June 2014 this extended to couples

• From November 2014 this extended to new claims for families

• National rollout continues with expansion into the South from February 2015. Southend went live with new claims for single people as above 13th April 2015

Universal CreditUniversal CreditAn existing HB claim will be affected if:

•A HB claimant leaves the accommodation for which HB is paid, to move in with a Universal Credit claimant as their partner, or

•A Universal Credit claimant moves into accommodation with an existing HB claimant as their partner

•A single person gets HB and is in a position where they would have had to make a new claim for Jobseekers Allowance, for example have become unemployed or had a break in their Jobseekers Allowance claim

Once on Universal Credit they will stay on it even if their circumstances change

Claiming UCClaiming UC

• UC is claimed online at www.gov.uk/universalcredit

•Any issues should use the help/claim line 0345 600 0723 or 0845 600 0723

•Claim starts with a determination of eligibility, then gathers full details to allow assessment. Submitted at the end

• ‘Date of Claim’ is when the claim is submitted

•Maximum backdate 1 month

Assessment PeriodsAssessment Periods•An ‘assessment period’ is 1 month

•The first monthly assessment period starts on the first day of entitlement to UC

•Each subsequent assessment period will begin on the same day

•Each assessment period is calculated on the personal circumstances and income/capital held or received in that period

Payment of UCPayment of UC•One payment per household, paid

monthly in arrears into a relevant account

•Paid 7 days after the end of the monthly assessment period

•Money Advice offered to all who claim. Jobcentre, in partnership with external organisations, will offer support with budgeting, setting up bank accounts etc for those who need it

Payment of UCPayment of UC•Alternative payment arrangements include

splitting the payment between a couple, increasing the frequency and paying the Housing Cost direct to a relevant third party

•Can be flagged by the claimant to their work coach at any time in the claim, or in some cases the landlord using the ‘Landlord Request for a Managed Payment’ form

•All APA’s are reviewed and with the claimants consent

Questions?Questions?