Universal Credit is a single monthly payment which is gradually replacing these six income related benefits and tax credits for new claimaints:
- Housing benefit
- Income Support
- Income based job seekers allowance
- Income related employment and support allowance
- Working tax credit
- Child tax credit
What’s different about Universal Credit?
- You need to be online – you must make your claim online and check payments and updates online
- You will get one single monthly payment
- You need to have a bank, building society, post office or credit union account to receive your money.
- You will be responsible for paying your rent to North Star directly. Your universal credit payment will include help towards housing costs.
If you want to talk to us about universal credit or have any concerns, please contact your Housing Officer or our Customer Services team on 03000 11 00 11.
Universal Credit Helper
With the help of the Hyde Foundation, we have access to a Universal Credit Helper for our customers. The helper provides guidance to those looking to see whether they are eligible for Universal Credit through a Universal Credit benefits calculator. It also provides advice on the application process for Universal Credit.
Making a new claim for Universal Credit
Before you apply for Universal Credit, you’ll need to gather some information together. This will help make sure you only have to do the application once, and help you to get Universal Credit as quickly as possible if you’re eligible.
Don’t start your application until you have all of the following details for you and your partner with you:
- Your email address – you cannot make a claim without an email address
- Your postcode
- Your NI number – you can find this on a payslip or letter from HMRC – call the helpline on 0300 200 3500 (textphone 0300 200 3519) if you can’t find it
- Details of your bank, building society or credit union account (if you don’t have a bank account, you’ll need to open one or use the Payment Exemption Service
- How much rent you pay – this can be found on your rent agreement, ask us for a copy if you don’t have one
- Your landlord’s address – this can be found on your rent agreement, ask us for a copy if you don’t have one
- Your landlord’s phone number
- Details of any savings you have and any other ‘capital’ investments, e.g. shares or property that you don’t live in
- Details of any income that’s not from work, e.g. from a pension or insurance plan
- Details of how much you earn from work, e.g. recent payslips
- How much you pay for childcare (if you want to claim for childcare costs)
- Details of any other benefits you’re getting, i.e. what benefit and how much you get
- Child benefit reference numbers for any children you have if you get child benefit – this can be found on letters to you about child benefit. It will start with ‘CHB’ and is made up of 8 numbers and 2 letters, e.g. CHB12345678 AB. If you need assistance, call the Child Benefit Office on 0300 200 3100 (textphone 0300 200 3103) if you need help
You’ll need to provide evidence for all of the above when you go to your interview.
Updating your rent amount in your Universal Credit online account
In April, you will receive a to-do in your Universal Credit online account called 'Confirm your housing costs'.
Use the information in your rent letter, which you will receive in February, to complete the to-do before the due date to avoid any problems with your payments.
You'll be asked: 'Did your housing costs change on 6 April 2026?' to which you can answer 'Yes'
You'll then be asked to confirm your rent changes.
And, finally, you'll be asked to confirm changes to service charges. These can be found in a letter sent to you in January, if applicable.
