Universal Credit

Universal Credit is a new benefit being introduced to replace 6 benefits, including:

  • Housing Benefit
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income Support (IS)
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit

The aim of Universal Credit is to simplify the system and to make work pay.

Some major differences from the existing (legacy) benefits are:

  • You receive one lump-sum payment
  • You are paid once a month
  • You are expected to use part of your Universal Credit award to pay your rent yourself*

*except in exceptional circumstances

You will also need to sign a claimant commitment, and will be assigned a work coach to help you get into appropriate work.

You will also need to claim Council Tax Support separately.

To find out more, watch this short video:

Universal Credit rolls out for everyone** in Teignbridge in Sept 2018.

If you already claim one of the legacy benefits and have a change of circumstance after May 2018, you will need to claim Universal Credit.

**families who already have 3 or more children as of Sept 2018 will stay on the legacy system.

  • “Waiting for the first payment of Universal Credit was really hard. I wish I’d known to save up some money before I had to claim.”

    – A Teign Housing resident
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