Moving to Universal Credit from other benefits

8. What else you need to know

As well the amount of Universal Credit you will get, there are other things you should think about, particularly when claiming this benefit for the first time.

You should know:

• Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears. You could have to wait up to 5-6 weeks for your first regular payment
• You can apply for an advance payment as soon as your claim has been submitted, but this then has to be paid back out of future payments.
• You normally have to manage your claim digitally via an online account. You can ask for your claim to be managed by telephone if you are unable to operate an online account.
• If you are claiming as a couple, both of you might be subject to “conditionality” in other words having to look for work or engage in work-related activities via the jobcentre.
• Even if you are working, you might be expected to look for more hours or for a better paid job.
• If you are self employed, you have to report your earnings to the DWP every single month.
• If there is a problem with your claim, all your money may be stopped. This is less likely to happen if you have separate benefit claims for adults, children and housing costs.
• Once you have claimed or been migrated to Universal Credit, you cannot return to your legacy benefits, even if your Universal Credit claim is refused.
• The rules about recovery by the DWP of overpaid benefit are much stricter for Universal Credit than most other benefits.