Universal Credit

• Universal Credit is paid in one monthly lump sum.
• Unlike Housing Benefit, Universal Credit does not pay for your rent separately.
• Universal Credit is paid directly to you; you are responsible for paying your rent out of this money.

• Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance [JSA]
• Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance [ESA]
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit

Universal Credit does not include help with your council tax. You must make a separate claim for Council Tax Support via Manchester City Council.

You won't need to claim until you are told to. However, it's good to be prepared. To ensure you're ready to claim when you need to, make sure you have:

Access to the internet, an email address and mobile phone

A bank account

Proof of ID and National Insurance

Your tenancy agreement and proof of service charges

Proof of address and who lives with you

Details of your income, savings and/or other benefits

If you need assistance, Southway can help with any of these steps.

• To find out more click here
• Or contact our Advice Team here.

The Department of Work and Pensions personal planner is available here. Or see the Government's own website which will always have the latest information.

We're here to help

We can help make your claim as stress-free as possible by explaining how Universal Credit works and what additional support there is. For help with:

• Getting your claim right to prevent delays
• Managing until your first payment
• Managing in a crisis

Email connect@southwayhousing.co.uk or call 0161 448 4200 and ask to speak to the Advice Team or the Income Team if you're applying for help with your rent.

 Universal Credit & You

A Department of Work and Pensions guide which covers everything from your responsibilities to support available and sanctions explained.

Applying for Universal Credit - Checklist

A detailed list of everything you will need to apply for Universal Credit.

How your earnings affect what you get

A break down of how your Universal Credit entitlement is affected by your earnings.

Mixed Age couples affected by Pension Credit changes this May

From the 15th May 2019, a couple's eligibility for Pension Credit will depend on the age of the youngest in the relationship. Find out more here.

Universal Credit: the transition

We know Universal Credit can be hard to get your head around. We've been putting various solutions in place to help you understand this change, which you can read here.

Have you applied for Council Tax Support?

If you claim Universal Credit and have to pay council tax, did you know you will have to make a separate claim for Council Tax Support? Here we walk you through how to do this.

Universal Credit - are you prepared?

Universal Credit is replacing six working age benefits and tax credits for individuals and families by combining them into a single monthly payment. Here's how to prepare.

Are you prepared? A personalised planner on what to do

Understanding Universal Credit: a useful guide

How to work out if you can claim: an online course 

Universal Credit in Action: A Youtube channel dedicated to Universal Credit advice 

Universal Credit details can change. The most up to date information will always be found on the Government’s website