Universal Credit

Universal Credit is a single monthly payment which is gradually replacing six income-related benefits and tax credits for new claimants.

Universal Credit will eventually replace the following benefits:

Housing Benefit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit

Will Universal Credit affect me?

Universal Credit will not affect everybody straight away.

If you live in a 'full service area', you will not be able to make a new claim for one of the benefits being replaced (unless you have three or more children in most circumstances) and will have to claim Universal Credit instead.

There are other conditions, so please contact us for advice.

The ‘full’ Universal Credit service is currently being rolled out across Yorkshire and East Riding.

More and more of us will be able to claim Universal Credit, and will not be able to claim one of the six benefits it replaces.

Universal Credit will replace the big six income related benefits across the whole of our region for new claims and relevant changes in circumstances.

What’s different about Universal Credit?

You need to be online

You make your claim and check your payments and updates online

You need a to set up an account to receive your money

This can be a bank or building society account, or an account with an alternative provider such as your local Credit Union or Post Office

You get a single monthly payment

You’ll need to manage your bills and costs for the whole month

You need to pay your rent or charges to York Housing Association directly

Your payment will include any help you get towards rent and charges. You need to arrange payments to us directly. We suggest setting up a Direct Debit payment to us for the day your Universal Credit payment arrives in your account. That way you don’t need to remember to pay or worry about how much you have left for other things. Contact us for advice about setting up a Direct Debit payment.

Your Universal Credit payment may not be enough to cover your rent and charges. You will still need to pay the full amount due to us.