Universal Credit

You will need to phone the DWP Universal Credit Service Centre to arrange an interview at your local jobcentre to review your evidence and verify and approve your application.

Your application will be sent to a DWP Universal Credit Service Centre for processing and the DWP will then send you a Universal Credit decision letter.

How will Universal Credit be paid?

Universal Credit will be paid one month in arrears into a valid bank, building society, post office or credit union account.

Universal Credit housing element: how to pay your rent

If you are a Council, Housing Association, or Private Tenant and qualify for Universal Credit, the amount of money you receive monthly from the DWP will include a housing element, which must be used to pay your rent to your landlord.

This means, if you had your rent paid by Housing Benefit you will now need to pay your rent from the Universal Credit you receive.

You can ask the Universal Credit Service Centre to pay your rent direct to your rent account.  You can either contact the Universal Credit Service Centre on 0800 3285 644 or make a request on your online account.

If you are a Council Tenant and you require assistance with paying your rent, you should contact us on 01827 715341.

Housing Association and Private Tenants should contact their landlord.

Universal Credit Advances

A claimant can ask for an advance of their Universal Credit payment if they will face financial hardship while waiting for their claim to be processed. This includes if they can’t afford to pay rent or buy food.

A claimant will need to pay back an advance a bit at a time from future Universal Credit payments.

Find out more about advances