Are you ready for Universal Credit?

It's vitally important that, if you haven't already, you immediately start thinking about how Universal Credit (UC) will affect you and your family.

That's because the DWP are now increasing the volume of people moving from their existing benefits and tax credits. When you claim UC, your existing benefits and tax credits, including Hosing Benefit, will stop.

So how ready are you?

Are you either of working age and claiming one of the below; or part of a 'mixed age couple' where one of you is of working age and the other is of pension age, and claiming one of the following?

• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

If your answer is 'yes', then you will soon be required to claim UC in place of any of the above.

For an idea of when this could be, we've included this helpful timeline:

There are three ways in which you will move to UC:

• If your circumstances change, you will be directed to apply for UC
• If you receive a Managed Migration Notice (see the previous page)
• If you decide to move to UC ahead of receiving your Managed Migration Notice

If you haven’t had a change of circumstances and/or haven’t received your Managed Migration Notice then we recommend that you do not apply for UC until you have taken advice.

You should know that, if you are of pension age or are part of a couple who are both of pension age, and you currently claim Housing Benefit, then you will remain on Housing Benefit and will not move to UC.

However, if you are of pension age and claim Tax Credits, you may be asked to move to UC and will need to take advice on this.