Glossary »
Work availability
Part of your claimant commitment that requires you to look for work and be available for any work (unless you are permitted to place restrictions on availability based upon your circumstances).
factchecking myths and misconceptions about universal credit
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How to claim
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“I must have photo ID to start a claim”
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“Claims can only be made online”
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“My claim will be closed if I miss my first interview after claiming online”
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“You have to claim universal credit in order to claim new style ESA or new style JSA”Needs busting
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Getting paid
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“There’s no way a claim will be backdated”
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“I will have to wait at least 5 weeks after I claim universal credit before I am paid anything”
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Migration - moving from old style benefits
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“Mixed-age couples can no longer choose to claim pension age benefits instead of universal credit”
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“My benefit payment rate, including disability premiums, will be protected if I have to claim universal credit”
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“No new claims for tax credits are allowed, you have to claim universal credit”
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Getting information
“The journal will keep records of my claim in case I need them”
“I can use a screen shot of my online universal credit account as a proof of benefits”
“If I put a note in my journal I should get a reply within 48 hours”
“If I don’t have an online account I can’t find out what’s happening on my claim”Needs busting
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Payment amounts
“You have to be in receipt of carer’s allowance to get the carer element”
“Universal credit only pays 50 per cent of housing costs for joint tenancies even after one tenant leaves”
“If my regular earnings stay the same my monthly universal credit payment will also stay the same”
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Responsibilities - the claimant commitment
“I must spend 35 hours per week looking for work”
“Work-related requirements can’t be switched off”
“If I get work I won’t have to do any more work search”
“I won’t have work-related requirements placed on me if I’m a student”
“I have to accept my claimant commitment”
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Sanctions
“The DWP can sanction me if I don’t do something on my claimant commitment”
“They can’t take away my rent money if I’m sanctioned”
“Foodbanks are the only option after getting a sanction”
“I will be sanctioned unless I say I will travel for 90 minutes to get work”
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Payment restrictions
“I can’t change the deductions being taken from my universal credit”
“My rent can be paid direct to my landlord each month”
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Challenging decisions
“Someone else can’t ring on my behalf to help with my claim”
“If I want to challenge a decision I can just ask in my journal”Needs busting