Universal Credit is a new single payment for working age people who are looking for work or on a low income. It replaces Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance and Income related Employment and Support Allowance.
Working with students at Lowestoft College, we have produced a series of videos to promote and explain how Universal Credit works and how it can #makeyourmoneygofurther!
By completing the Universal Credit preparation questions, you'll know if there are important changes you need to make and get advice on what you need to do to prepare for Universal Credit. This should take about 5 minutes.
We teamed up with our colleagues at North East Suffolk and Felixstowe Citizens Advice to create a handy ‘Understanding Universal Credit’ video to help you get ready for Universal Credit.
If you need to claim Universal Credit, and need help making or managing an online claim, Citizens Advice can help. Visit the Citizens Advice website for further information, or contact the Citizens Advice helpline on 0800 144 8 444 to access ‘Help to Claim’. You can also visit your local Citizens Advice, there are three branches that cover the East Suffolk area:
Information about Universal Credit and finding work is now available by pressing the red button on the TV remote control. Sky and Virgin customers who have interactive TV can scroll through the menu to the relevant page to view a raft of information, including checking their eligibility for Universal Credit and learning how they can make a claim.
Looking Local has also launched an interface for the Wii games console, Wii users can now use this to view information regarding Universal Credit. And those who use their smartphone to connect to the web, can access the information via the new app, My Council. Further information can also be accessed via Facebook.
To access information on Universal Credit using these new services:
Jobhelp is a good place to start. Jobhelp is a useful hints and tips website that has been launched by the Minister for Employment.