Benefits
and money advice
Changes to Universal Credit due to COVID-19
The government has recently updated the Universal Credit process so that now you can claim it more easily.
Universal Credit
You can claim Universal Credit if you:
- Are working age
- Have a low income or are not in work
- Are not in full-time education or training
- Have less than £16,000 savings
How to claim Universal Credit
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1.
Make sure you have a bank account that the Universal Credit payment can go into.
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2.
Make sure there is money in your rent account, as Universal Credit is paid in arrears at the end of every month and you may have to wait up to five weeks for your first payment.
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3.
Ensure that you have internet access. If you need help getting online, contact us or your local Jobcentre Plus.
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4.
Verify your identity by clicking here. This will make the application process run more smoothly. Don't worry if you don't have the documents required to do this, as there are other ways to verify yourself, listed below.
Universal Credit verification
To increase your chances of passing verification, you will need:
- A personal email address (not a shared or business email address)
- A valid passport and/or driving licence (having both may increase your chances of being verified)
- A UK bank account
- Details of the last three years of your address history
If you are unable to verify your identity through GOV.UK, don’t worry. You will still be able to access government services in other ways.
You will need to take all the above documents to your interview at the Job Centre, where they will help you through the process.
Money advice
We offer a free benefits advice service for our tenants and leaseholders, to help them understand which benefits they are eligible for and how to claim them.
All information is treated in strict confidence.
Contact Jean
Contact our rent team
We offer a free benefits advice service for our tenants and leaseholders, to help them understand which benefits they are eligible for and how to claim them. While we are not currently able to provide home visits or meetings in our office, you can arrange a phone appointment with Jean. All information is treated in strict confidence.