Universal Credit
What is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is a benefit for people under State Pension age who are either:
- out of work – for example, because of an illness or caring responsibilities
- on a low income.
It can include money for:
Claiming UC with other benefits
Benefits replaced by UC
UC has replaced these benefits:
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
If you currently get any of these benefits and your circumstances change, you may have to claim Universal Credit instead.
For more information, call our money advisers on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Or visit macmillan.org.uk/inyourarea to find out if you can visit a Macmillan welfare rights adviser in person.
Related pages
Who can claim Universal Credit?
You may be able to get Universal Credit if:
- you are on a low income or out of work
- you are aged 18 or over (or aged 16 or over in certain cases)
- you are not in full-time education or training – unless exceptions apply, such as you get Personal Independence Payment and cannot work because of ill health
- you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you
- you live in the UK.
You can find more information about who can claim at GOV.UK.
Claiming as a couple
If you live with a partner, you must make a joint claim as a couple. Both of your incomes and savings will be considered, and you will get a single monthly payment for your household. Your claims will be linked.
A 'couple' means 2 people living in the same household who are:
- married to each other
- civil partners
- living together as if they are married.
A mixed age couple means one person is over State Pension age and the other person is under. If you are a mixed age couple, you can claim Universal Credit until you have both reached State Pension age.
How much UC will I get?
The amount of Universal Credit you get depends on your income, savings and circumstances. It may also depend on the income, savings and circumstances of people living with you.
Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears. You usually need to wait about 5 weeks for your first payment.
You can apply for an advance payment to help you budget. This advance payment is a loan that you have to pay back within 24 months. This is done by reducing your future Universal Credit payments. These repayments can be delayed for up to 3 months, depending on your circumstances.
To learn how much money you may be able to get, visit GOV.UK.
Extra payments (elements)
You may also get extra Universal Credit payments in certain situations. These extra payments are called elements:
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Child element
You may get the child element if you are responsible for a child who lives with you. This means a child aged under 16. But in some cases, it could mean a young person aged under 20 who is in full-time education or doing certain training.
If you have children who were born on or after 6 April 2017, you can usually only get this element for up to 2 children. There are some exceptions so check with an adviser if you have 3 or more children. Extra money is added if the child or young person has a disability, no matter how many children you have.
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Childcare element
You may get the childcare element if you pay for childcare while working. You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs.
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Limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) element
You may get the LCWRA element if you have a limited ability to work and cannot do work-related activities because of a disability or health condition.
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Carer element
You may get the carer element if you provide at least 35 hours of care a week for someone who is severely Disabled. You can either get the carer element or the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) element, but not both. You get whichever is more. If you are part of a couple, one of you can get LCWRA and the other can get the carer element.
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Housing element
You may get the housing element if you meet certain criteria. This helps with rent or service charges.
You can find out more about extra payments at GOV.UK.
Getting Universal Credit may make you eligible for other help, such as:
When will I get my first payment?
It usually takes around 5 weeks for your claim to be processed and to get your first Universal Credit payment.
After your first payment, you will be paid on the same date every month. If your payment date falls on a weekend, you will be paid on the working day before. You can view your monthly payment statements on your online account. You will be able to see how much you will be paid.
If you need to be paid sooner, you can apply for an advance on your first payment. The most you will receive is the same amount as your first estimated payment.
How long does LCWRA payment take?
In most cases, the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) element will not be added to your Universal Credit payment straight away. If your ability to work is being assessed for the first time, it usually takes 3 months from when you made your claim or gave medical evidence to get the LCWRA element added to your payment.
The LCWRA element may be added straight away if you are terminally ill and applying under special rules. Or if you were already entitled to 1 of the ESA components before you applied for Universal Credit.
If you would like more information about your situation and when you will receive your LCWRA payment, you can call our Support Line on 0808 808 00 00.
How do I apply for UC?
How you apply for Universal Credit depends on the area of the UK you are in. Find out more in our guide to claiming Universal Credit.
Related pages
What do I do if my circumstances change?
Changes you need to report
- Being awarded any other benefits.
- Finding or finishing a job.
- Having a child.
- Changes to who is in your household – for example, this may be if you move in with a partner or someone moves in with you.
- Starting to care for a child or Disabled person.
- Changing your mobile number or email address.
- Moving to a new address.
- Changing your bank details.
- Your rent going up or down.
- Becoming too ill to work or meet your work coach.
- Changes to your earnings (only if you are self-employed).
- Getting a job or increasing your hours at work.
- Changes to your savings, investments and how much money you have.
- Changes to your immigration status, if you are not a British citizen.
- Long hospital stays.
Not every change will affect your benefits. But if you are not sure, you should contact:
- the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in England, Scotland and Wales
- the Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland.
Not telling them could mean you are missing out on extra money. Or you could be paid money that you have to pay back.
Use our benefits calculator to find out how changes may affect your Universal Credit. You can also speak with your work coach.
What other financial support is available?
Depending on your situation, you may be able to get other financial support to help with the extra costs of cancer. These may include:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – a benefit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for people aged 16 to State Pension age. It is for people who have problems with daily living or moving around.
- Adult Disability Payment (ADP) – a benefit in Scotland for people under State Pension age who have problems with everyday tasks, getting around or both due to long term health conditions or disability.
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit for people under State Pension age who have an illness or disability that affects how much they can work.
- Carer's Allowance is the main benefit for carers. You may be able to get financial help if you are caring for someone with cancer.
You can use our benefits calculator to check whether you are eligible for any other benefits and how these might affect your Universal Credit payments.
We are here to help if you have questions about these or other benefits. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00 to talk to a Macmillan money adviser, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our benefits information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
GOV.UK www.gov.uk [accessed May 2025].
NI Direct www.nidirect.gov.uk [accessed May 2025].
Social Security Scotland www.socialsecurity.gov.scot [accessed May 2025].
Macmillan Welfare Rights Team
Reviewer
Date reviewed
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