The Universal Credit telephone number is 0800 328 5644, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. It's a freephone number, so calls are free. Use it to claim by phone if you cannot claim online, to report a change of circumstances, or to get help with your claim. Northern Ireland has a separate line, the Universal Credit Service Centre.
Key points
✓Universal Credit helpline: 0800 328 5644, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
✓Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
✓Northern Ireland: Universal Credit Service Centre, 0800 012 1331, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
✓Calls to the Universal Credit helpline are free
✓You can also contact Universal Credit through your online account
Universal Credit phone numbers at a glance
Where you live
Number
Hours
England, Wales and Scotland
Universal Credit helpline: 0800 328 5644
Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm
Welsh language
0800 328 1744
Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm
Northern Ireland (Universal Credit Service Centre)
0800 012 1331
Mon to Fri, 9am to 4pm
Calls to the Universal Credit helpline are free. To apply online you 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 or go to a jobcentre.
Relay UK and British Sign Language
If you cannot hear or speak on the phone, GOV.UK lists Relay UK:
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): dial 18001 then 0800 328 5644
A British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service is available if you're on a computer, and GOV.UK explains how to use it on a mobile or tablet
In Northern Ireland, if you cannot speak or hear on the phone, you can use the Relay UK service to make a text supported call
In Northern Ireland, a video relay service is available for users of British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL), provided by Interpreters Live
Can you contact Universal Credit online instead?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can contact Universal Credit through your online account as well as by phone:
Sign in to your online account to check your journal and to-do list, where Universal Credit sends you messages
You'll usually get a text or email if you get a new message
You'll never be asked to share personal information, such as bank details, in your journal, by phone, text or email
You can also get help with your claim from the Citizens Advice Help to claim service
If you cannot claim online, you can claim by phone through the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644. See our full Universal Credit guide for how to start a claim. For the other benefit helplines see our Benefits Contact Numbers guide, and for when you are paid see our Universal Credit payment dates guide.
Sending documents to Universal Credit
In Northern Ireland, you can post documents or evidence to the Universal Credit Service Centre at a Freepost address, or take them to your local Jobs & Benefits office:
Freepost, Universal Credit Northern Ireland: print this on a single line, because if you add any other details it may not be delivered
Keep a copy or photo of anything you post, and get proof of posting from the Post Office, so you can show when you sent it if something goes missing.
What is the Universal Credit phone number for Northern Ireland?
In Northern Ireland, contact the Universal Credit Service Centre on 0800 012 1331, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm (excluding public holidays). GOV.UK says that if you live in Northern Ireland and want to use a helpline, you should contact the Universal Credit Service Centre instead of the helpline for the rest of the UK.
How do I contact Universal Credit?
Call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644, or contact Universal Credit through your online account, where messages from Universal Credit appear in your journal. In Northern Ireland, call the Universal Credit Service Centre on 0800 012 1331.
Is the Universal Credit helpline free?
Yes. GOV.UK says calls to the Universal Credit helpline are free, and its call charges guide lists 0800 numbers as freephone, free from landlines and mobiles. The Northern Ireland number, 0800 012 1331, is also a freephone number.
What is the Universal Credit helpline number for an existing claim?
The same number as for a new claim: 0800 328 5644, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. GOV.UK lists it as a way to report a change of circumstances, and as the line to use to claim by phone if you cannot claim online.
Know Your Rights UK. "Universal Credit Contact Number: Helpline, Hours and NI." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/benefits/universal-credit/contact-numbers