From the end of October, if you live in Hillingdon and start work, you are likely to be moved on to Universal Credit. This is a single monthly payment for people in or out of work. It replaces some of the benefits and tax credits you might be getting now:
- Housing Benefit.
- Child Tax Credit.
- Income Support.
- Working Tax Credit.
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
5 IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
- If you get help with your rent, this will be included in your monthly payment – you’ll then pay your landlord directly.
- UC is paid monthly in arrears so it can take up to five weeks after you make your claim to get your first payment.
- There are no limits on how many hours a week you can work if you’re claiming UC. Instead, the amount you get will gradually reduce as you earn more, so you won’t lose all your benefits at once.
- You have to make your claim online.
- If you live with someone as a couple and you’re both entitled to claim UC, one monthly joint payment will be paid into a single bank account.
When to Apply
As soon as you are entitled to do so as it can take up to five weeks for your first payment to reach your account. The date you submit your claim is the date of the month your Universal Credit payment will be paid. This is called your assessment date.Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears, so you’ll have to wait one calendar month from the date you submitted your application before your first UC payment is made. This is called your assessment period. You then have to wait up to seven days for the payment to reach your bank account.This means it can take up to five weeks before you get your first payment.