Universal credit

Resources and information for advisers on universal credit (UC).
Relevant to
all of the UK

On this page

For resources and information on natural and managed migration to universal credit, see our topic page: Migration to universal credit

Online handbooks

Welfare Benefits Handbook (for subscribers):

Mental Health and Benefits Handbook:

Articles

The most recent articles relating to universal credit (UC) from our Welfare Rights Bulletin (WRB):

Earlier articles on universal credit can be found by searching on our articles page.

Tools and templates

Our universal credit tools include a tool to generate step-by-step instructions for your client explaining how to find and download information from their online universal credit account:

and a tool to help you work out when a universal credit limited capability for work-related activity element should start:

We also have tools which help you draft mandatory reconsideration requests and help you check your UC work-related requirements (for subscribers):

Check our other universal credit tools and appeal submission and letter templates:

Legal test cases

Some of our recent test cases:

  • Permission to apply for Judicial Review has been granted in our test case challenging the requirement,  if an exception to the two-child limit is to apply on the basis of non-consensual conception, that it is the third or subsequent child within the family that is conceived non-consensually: Two-child limit non-consensual conception exception ordering rule: R (LMN and EFG) v SSWP [2024] EWHC 2577 (Admin).
  • A Norwegian national with pre-settled status has been held to have a qualifying right to reside for the purposes of a joint claim for UC both as a self-employed person (on account of her having taken steps to set herself up as self employed at the date of her claim for UC) and as a self-sufficient person: SSWP v VB and AD [2024] UKUT 212 (AAC), 13 August 2024.
  • Destitute EU nationals with pre-settled status can rely on EU Charter of Fundamental Rights to obtain UC: SSWP v AT (AIRE Centre and IMA Intervening) [2023] EWCA Civ 1307, 8 November 2023. The Supreme Court refused the SSWP's application for permission to appeal this decision on 7 February 2024.
  • Following our successful test case regarding universal credit advances for those awaiting a national insurance number, amending regulations came into force on 1 April 2024 which reverse its effect, see: R (Bui) v SSWP [2023] EWCA Civ 566, 25 May 2023.
  • There is no requirement to request backdating before a claim to universal credit is determined: AM v SSWP (UC) [2022] UKUT 242 (AAC), 1 September 2022.

Our other test cases:

Further information

Our UK-wide pages on UC

Our Scottish factsheets and pages on UC:

eLearning

Our free eLearning courses for advisers with existing benefit knowledge:

Our free introductory level eLearning: 

Training courses

Find out about our training courses relating to universal credit:

Early Warning System

Our Early Warning System (EWS) bulletins for England and Wales cover:

The EWS gathers information and evidence on the impact of changes to the benefit system. Send us details of cases: