HOUSEHOLDS on Universal Credit can track their benefit payments through an online portal.
The platform is found on the Government's website and comes with plenty of other tools.
Here's everything you need to know about it.
How do you log in to Universal Credit?
You can log in to your online journal via the www.gov.uk website.
Make sure you've got your username and password ready beforehand.
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These where issued to you when you first applied for Universal Credit.
If you've forgotten your details you can request to reset them by entering your email address.
Or you can call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
You can also get in contact via NGT text relay on 18001 then 0800 328 5644.
There's a Welsh language helpline available on 0800 328 1744 too.
What are the benefits of having an online account?
The Universal Credit account is called an online journal and can help you apply for an advance on your first payment.
An advance helps you plug the five-week wait between applying and receiving your first benefit payment.
You can also use your journal to see your statement, report a change in circumstances, add a note to your to-do list and find out when your next payment will be.
Plus, you can send messages to your work coach and read their responses and can even keep a record of the things you’ve done to prepare or look for work.
The page will also contain your Claimant Commitment - this is what you agree to in order to access the benefit, and you can check this whenever you need.
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You may be able to use the Universal Credit online service to make a claim or join your partner's claim.
As of last February, parents can also claim Child Benefit online for the first time since it was launched 47 years ago.
Since the 1970's, families claiming Child Benefit had to fill out a paper form, post it, and up to 16 weeks for their first payment. Now, the claims process on www.gov.uk allows for the payments to be made in around three days.
How to know if you need Universal Credit?
Universal Credit combines several benefits into one monthly payment.
It replaces Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Working Tax Credit.
People who are already receiving these benefits will be transferred to Universal Credit between now and March 2025 in a move known as managed migration.
The payment is made up of a standard allowance and any extra amounts that apply to you, for example, if you:
- Have children
- Have a disability or health condition which prevents you from working
- Need help paying your rent
You can use a benefits calculator to see how much you could get.
Find out more about what Universal Credit is and whether you might be eligible for a claim.
The more you earn the less you'll get, because of the taper system - check our guide on how it works.
