How to Apply for Universal Credit — Step-by-Step Guide

Before you apply, check that you meet the basic eligibility criteria. You can apply for UC if you:

• ✓Are aged 18 or over (some 16–17 year olds qualify in specific circumstances)
• ✓Are under State Pension age — or your partner is
• ✓Live in England, Scotland or Wales (Northern Ireland has a separate UC system)
• ✓Have savings and capital under £16,000
• ✓Have the right to reside in the UK (immigration status matters)
• ✓Are not in full-time education (with some exceptions for disabled students, lone parents, and carers)

For a full breakdown of eligibility rules, see our UC eligibility guide.

Gather these before you start your online application. Having them to hand will make the process much faster — you cannot save and return to a partially completed UC claim.

• ✓Email address — you will use this to set up your GOV.UK One Login and UC journal
• ✓Phone number — for identity verification and DWP to contact you
• ✓National Insurance number — on your payslip, P60, or National Insurance card
• ✓Bank, building society, or credit union account details — UC is paid directly to your account
• ✓Tenancy agreement or landlord details — if you want to claim housing cost element
• ✓Details of any savings, investments, or property you own
• ✓Employment details — employer name, address, how much you earn
• ✓Details of any existing benefits you receive
• ✓Childcare provider details — if you want to claim the childcare element
• ✓Photo ID — for identity verification (passport, driving licence, or biometric residence permit)

The five-week wait for the first UC payment catches many people off guard. Here is exactly how it breaks down:

• ✓Your payment date is set permanently at the end of your first assessment period
• ✓After the first payment, you are paid on the same date every month
• ✓If your payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, payment usually arrives on the last working day before
• ✓You can check your next payment date and amount in your UC online journal

If you cannot afford to wait five weeks for your first UC payment, you can request a UC advance payment on the day you apply or at any point during your first assessment period. This is a loan — not a grant — repaid from your future UC payments.

• ✓You can borrow up to 100% of your estimated first UC payment
• ✓The advance is repaid in monthly deductions from your UC over up to 24 months
• ✓Request through your UC journal or by calling 0800 328 5644
• ✓Advances are usually paid within 3 working days (often faster)
• ✓Repayments of the advance reduce each subsequent UC payment — plan your budget accordingly
• ✓If you are struggling to repay, contact DWP — they may be able to extend the repayment period

The Claimant Commitment is a legal agreement between you and DWP. It sets out what you must do in exchange for UC. What is in your commitment depends entirely on your circumstances:

• ✓Searching for work: if you are fully fit and have no children under 3, you are typically expected to do 35 hours of job-searching per week
• ✓Preparing for work: if you have a young child (3–4) or a health condition, you may have lighter requirements
• ✓No work-related requirements: if you have LCWRA, are a lone parent of a child under 1, or are a carer for a severely disabled person
• ✓Attending appointments: you must attend all scheduled Jobcentre appointments
• ✓Reporting changes: you must report income, savings, household composition, and address changes promptly

Tell DWP about any health condition or disability when you apply. This is important because:

• ✓You will be referred for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) — usually by completing a UC50 questionnaire and potentially a face-to-face or telephone assessment
• ✓If found to have Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity (LCWRA), you receive an additional disability element
• ✓LCWRA (£416.19/month) exempts you from the benefit cap and from most work-related requirements
• ✓Ask your GP for a fit note ('sick note') as soon as you apply — this starts the WCA process and protects your claim
• ✓During the WCA process, you are not expected to actively job search
• ✓Also tell UC if you receive PIP, DLA, or Attendance Allowance — this can trigger the disability elements without a separate WCA

If you have a partner (spouse, civil partner, or someone you live with as a couple), you must make a joint UC claim. Both of you will need to:

• ✓Both verify your identities separately
• ✓Both have your own GOV.UK One Login, but the UC claim will be linked
• ✓Both sign the joint Claimant Commitment (each partner may have different requirements)
• ✓Combine your income — earnings and savings are assessed jointly
• ✓Both report changes through the shared UC journal

The UC payment goes into one bank account — you choose which partner's account. If you are in a relationship that is unsafe and you need separate payments, contact DWP — split payments are available in some circumstances.