Universal Credit

You might be able to claim Universal Credit if you’re not in work or your income is low.

Universal Credit replaces these 6 benefits called ‘legacy’ benefits:

Housing Benefit
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
Income Support

If you still get one of these benefits you’ll get a letter in late 2024 or early 2025 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about moving across to Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is one payment, usually paid monthly and based on all your household’s circumstances.

How much could I get with Universal Credit?

How much you get for Universal Credit depends on your household’s circumstances. The single payment is made up of a 'standard allowance' and extra amounts if they apply to your situation.

For example, you might get more depending on how your MS affects you, if you get help with housing costs, or if you look after children.

The Work Capability Assessment and Universal Credit

Depending on how your MS affects you, you might be asked to complete the 'Work Capability Assessment' as part of your claim.

This is so the DWP can assess how any health conditions affect the work you could do. They use it to decide:

how much you can get
if you need to prepare for future work

To complete the assessment, you need to explain how well you can do different activities. It can be stressful, involving a questionnaire as well as a face-to-face or telephone assessment.

We hope our step-by-step guide to the Work Capability Assessment makes the task a little easier, but the MS Helpline is also here if you need information or support. They talk to people every week about benefits issues.

Find out more about Universal Credit before you claim

It’s important to be sure you want to go ahead before making a claim - to make sure it's the best benefit for you.

A benefits calculator could help you check what to expect, but you might also want to speak with a benefits adviser.

Find out more from:

Make a claim for Universal Credit

There are several steps to claim Universal Credit, often including the Work Capability Assessment.

The DWP uses that assessment for ‘new style’ ESA as well as Universal Credit. If you’re claiming both at the same time, one assessment should cover both benefits.

Our free booklet has more details to help you complete the Work Capability Assessment. Read or order The Work Capability Assessment for ESA and Universal Credit booklet

Step-by-step process to apply for Universal Credit

Start your claim online (by phone if you can’t get online)
Attend an appointment with your Jobcentre work coach (this is usually over the phone)
Get your first payment (at the ‘assessment rate’)
Give details about how your MS or other condition affects how you could work (the ESA50 form)
Attend a Work Capability Assessment (this could be by video, phone or in person)
Get a decision on whether you can still get ‘new style’ ESA and whether you’re in the work-related activity’ group or the ‘support’ group
If you disagree with the decision, you can ask them to consider it again

Find out if you might be eligible and start a claim for Universal Credit online at gov.uk

Can I challenge a decision on my Universal Credit claim?

If you disagree with a decision made about your Universal Credit claim, you might want to challenge it. For example, if you're declared 'fit for work' in the Work Capability Assessment but you don't think that's correct.

The first step is called a 'mandatory reconsideration'. If that doesn't resolve things, you can appeal.

Before you start a challenge, get support from Citizens Advice or a benefits adviser. A lot of appeals are successful, particularly when people get help.

And if you haven’t already got them, ask the DWP office dealing with your claim for a copy of the assessors’ report and a ‘written statement of reasons’ for their decision.

That way, you’ve got all the details they have.

You won’t be alone if you feel frustrated or disappointed by the decision you want to challenge.

You can call the MS Helpline on 0808 800 8000 if you want to let off steam, get support or discuss your next steps.

Our free booklet on the Work Capability Assessment has step-by-step information about challenging a decision. Read or order The Work Capability Assessment for ESA and Universal Credit booklet

Moving to Universal Credit from ‘legacy benefits’

Anyone who still gets a legacy benefit will move across to Universal Credit. The DWP will write to you to let you know what to do and when. The letter will be called a ‘Migration Notice’.

Wait until you get the letter to apply for Universal Credit. Unless you’ve been advised you’d be better off doing this earlier – for example by a benefits adviser.

Do I need to apply to move across to Universal Credit?

To keep getting the benefit payments you’ll have to apply for Universal Credit. The move won’t happen automatically.

How long will I be given to apply?

There’ll be a deadline date in the letter, probably at least 3 months after the letter was sent. If you apply by this date, you’ll be moved over to Universal Credit and your old legacy benefits will stop.

If you can’t make the deadline, contact the DWP's Universal Credit Migration Notice Helpline as soon as possible. You might be able to get more time to make a claim if you have a good reason. But you must request this before your deadline date.

Will I have to go through the full Universal Credit application process?

The application process to move to Universal Credit will vary depending on the legacy benefit you get and your circumstances.

Medical evidence

Some people will need to provide medical evidence for the Universal Credit claim. For example, providing ‘fit notes’ from your doctor or having a Work Capability Assessment (WCA).

But you won’t usually need to provide medical evidence if your legacy benefit is income-related ESA and all of the following apply:

you move across without a break, after you got your ‘Migration Notice’ letter
you’ve already completed a WCA in the past
you were in the ‘support group’ or ‘work-related activity’ group in ESA when you made your claim to Universal Credit

You might need to do the WCA if it’s due for a review or your condition has changed.

And if you were part way through a WCA process for ESA you’ll still need to complete that for the Universal Credit application.

Jobcentre visit

The DWP might ask you to visit a Jobcentre when you move to Universal Credit. If that’s difficult because of your MS or another health condition or disability, you can ask for a phone call instead.

What happens to my payments when I move to Universal Credit?

If you apply for Universal Credit by the deadline in your Migration Notice letter, you’ll be moved over and keep getting financial support.

The amount you get will depend on your circumstances. You might get more, the same or less than from your old legacy benefits.

If you’re entitled to less money on Universal Credit, the DWP will pay you a top-up called ‘transitional protection’ so you’re not immediately left a lot worse off. This will gradually reduce until you get the amount you’re entitled to on Universal Credit.

If you don’t claim by your deadline date, payments from your legacy benefit will end once the deadline passes. You can claim Universal Credit in future in the usual way, but there won’t be transitional protection payments.

Help and support to move to Universal Credit

You can find out about help and support in your Migration Notice letter from the DWP. The DWP website also has support details for moving to Universal Credit.

Citizens Advice also have a ‘Help to Claim’ service.

And you can get in touch with our MS Society Benefits Service.

Last full review: 8 August 2022

We also update when we know about important changes.

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