Joint Universal Credit claims for couples

If you’re claiming Universal Credit for the first time, Citizens Advice Help to Claim service is free and confidential. They can help you:

• check if you’re entitled to Universal Credit
• get your important paperwork and documents together to speed up your application
• fill out your application online.

For more details, and to find your nearest branch, go to the Citizens Advice website

Or, in England, call 0800 144 8444. In Wales, call 0800 024 1220.

Visit Citizens Advice Scotland or call 0800 023 2581.

Universal Credit works differently. Find out more on the nidirect website

If either or both of you are working, you might be able to claim Universal Credit if you take home less than £515 a month (for 2021-22) between you.

Is one of you already getting any of the benefits being replaced by Universal Credit? Then these benefits will stop as you’ll have to make a new claim as a couple.

If you’re claiming Universal Credit and start living with a partner who claims tax credits, they’ll no longer be able to get them.

This is because Universal Credit is based on household income. And you can’t claim Universal Credit and tax credits at the same time.

Instead, you will both need to make a joint claim for Universal Credit.

As soon as you make the claim, the tax credits will stop and you might have to think about how you’ll manage for money until you get your first joint Universal Credit payment.

To get Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to have a bank, building society or credit union account that can make and receive payments.

You’ll be asked to say which account your money should be paid into. This can be either:

• a single account in either your name or your partner’s name, or
• a joint account in both of your names.

If you have children, your work coach will tell you that your Universal Credit payment should go into the bank account of the main carer.

Whether you decide to go for a joint account or to keep your money separate, make sure that the account you choose is right for you and your Universal Credit payments.

A joint account can make budgeting a lot easier.

It gives you both equal control over the money, but there are a few things you need to think about before you open one.

• You’re both quite like-minded when it comes to money and have similar spending patterns, habits and behaviours.
• You can agree on a budget or spending plan.
• You can talk about money with your partner without arguing.
• You can agree ground rules for spending, such as when it’s OK to go ahead and buy something and when you have to discuss it with your partner first.

• One of you has a problem with over-spending and finds it difficult to stick to a budget.
• Your partner has a poor credit history.

Just living with someone, or being married to them, won’t affect your credit score. But if you open a joint bank account together, you’ll be ‘co-scored’.

This could affect your own credit rating.

You’re also jointly liable for any debts taken out in both your names. So if your partner runs up an overdraft on a joint bank account, you’ll also be responsible for paying it off.

There might be some things you’ll need to do differently when you’re on Universal Credit, and you might need to make some changes.

Perhaps you get paid weekly or do your budget weekly. Under the new system, you might have to get used to getting a monthly payment instead if you live in England or Wales.

If you live in Scotland, you can choose to be paid twice monthly.

In Northern Ireland, you’re automatically paid twice monthly.

In England and Wales, if you get help with your rent, you’ll get an amount for housing costs in your single monthly payment.

You’ll be responsible for paying your landlord yourselves.

In Scotland, you can choose whether to pay rent to your landlord yourselves or have it paid directly.

In Northern Ireland, your rent is automatically paid to your landlord. But you can choose to pay it yourselves.

If you’re now going to be responsible for paying rent yourselves, it’s worth thinking about setting up automatic payments for all your regular bills after you get your first Universal Credit payment. For example, standing orders or Direct Debits.

Make a household budget together if you haven’t got one already.

This will help you work out:

• how much you need to take care of essential payments
• who’ll be responsible for paying the bills, rent or mortgage
• how much will be left over to divide between you for personal spending.

Talking about money with our partners can be difficult.

And for some of us it can be a source of argument and frustration.

But if you approach it in the right way, you’ll feel so much better when you’ve got your family finances in order and any issues are out in the open.

Relying on a single joint payment might cause problems for some couples.

If your partner takes control of the money and leaves you without access to cash, this is financial abuse.

You don’t have to put up with it or suffer in silence. There are domestic abuse support officers in every Jobcentre Plus in the UK. They’re trained to help you deal with these situations and offer practical support if you need it.

If your partner has mental health problems or misuses drugs or alcohol, this could also lead to them taking money you’ve set aside for essentials or to overspend erratically.

If you’re worried about any of these issues, talk to your work coach or the Universal Credit helpline and ask for an Alternative Payment Arrangement.

This could be a:

• separate payment – where all your Universal Credit payment goes into your account
• split payment – your Universal Credit payment is split between you and paid into separate bank accounts.

If you need help with your claim, call the Universal Credit helpline free on:

Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344

8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (closed on bank and public holidays). Calls are free. The helpline is very busy because of the current crisis. It’s best to use your online account if you can. Find out more on the GOV.UK website