what do the changes in Universal Credit mean for you?

There is still lots of confusion about the recent changes in Universal Credit. Have a look at this summary of the changes and how it might affect you.

• The £20.00 uplift awarded due to the pandemic has now been removed
• The Work allowances will increase & the earnings taper will change from 63p in the pound to 55p from December 2021
• For customers who are out of work, they will see their Universal credit payments reduced by £86.00 per month.

Our Engagement & Partnership Team are here to help if you need support getting back into the workplace, you can drop them an email for more information or advice.

UC customers who are in work and have responsibility for a child or have limited capability for work will see their work allowances increase from:

• £293 to £335 if your Universal Credit Claim includes Housing support
• £515 to £557 if you don’t receive housing support.

Previously for every working UC customer, every £1 earned over their work allowance was reduced (known as the UC earnings taper) by 63p and deducted automatically from any UC entitlement. Following the budget announcements this has been reduced to 55p leaving working UC customers retaining more of their earned income than previously.

This also means that customers who may not have qualified for Universal Credit may now qualify.

Try out our Benefits Calculator to find out if you would now be eligible for UC. If you would like our Welfare Team to help you check please contact us on 0800 169 2988 or drop us an email.