About Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a monthly payment to help with living costs. It is for people who are on a low income, out of work, or unable to work.
Universal Credit replaces several older benefits like Income Support, Housing Benefit & Tax Credits and rolls them into one single payment.
If you have children Universal Credit can also help with childcare costs, housing and extra support if your child has a disability.
Disabled Child and Care Elements
If your child gets middle or high rate DLA or PIP , you may also get the Disabled Child element in Universal Credit. This is an extra monthly payment at a lower or higher rate.
You may get the Care element in Universal Credit if you care for your child 35 hours or more each week and your child gets:
- DLA (middle or high rate care component)
- PIP (daily living component)
This is an extra monthly payment. The Care element is not the same as Carer’s Allowance.
Making a claim
You normally have to be aged at least 18 to claim Universal Credit, but special rules allow 16 and 17-year-olds to claim if they have established that they have a limited capability for work.
Universal Credit is a digital service, claims are processed online. For more information, or to make a claim, please visit the GOV.UK website.
The helpful podcast for families with disabled children (by the charity Contact) explains how to claim Universal Credit.
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Work requirements for carers
Many full-time carers – but not all – on Universal Credit are exempt from having to meet any work-related requirements. This includes most carers providing 35 hours or more care per week to someone on a “qualifying disability benefit”:
- The daily living component of PIP .
- The care component of DLA at the middle or highest rate.
You’ll still need to sign a claimant commitment. But this document shouldn’t include any requirement that you look for work or training. Instead, it will only cover things like your responsibilities to notify any changes in your circumstances.
If you’re caring for someone who doesn’t get a qualifying disability benefit, you are likely to have to look for work. This includes where you are looking after someone awaiting a decision on a disability benefit claim.