If you are receiving Universal Credit, you may be entitled to extra cash from the DWP
Five groups who could be eligible for additional Universal Credit funds from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been identified. The DWP calculates all the components you are entitled to, known as your maximum amount of Universal Credit. Your income is then deducted from this maximum amount to determine your Universal Credit entitlement.
No component is exempt from deductions. Universal Credit provides a standard rate for every successful claimant, known as the standard allowance. This varies from £316.98 per month for single people under 25 to £628.10 each month for couples where at least one person is 25 or older, reports Birmingham Live.
Carers
The Carer’s Element is £201.68 per month. You can receive this element if you provide care for at least 35 hours per week for someone who gets:
- Attendance Allowance, or
- Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland), or
- The highest or middle rate care component of Disability Living Allowance, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, or Child Disability Payment, or
- Daily living component of Personal Independence Payment, or
- Armed Forces Independences Payment, or
- Constant Attendance Allowance of £90.20 per week paid with Industrial Injuries Benefit or War Disablement Pension.
Child element
Your Universal Credit will include a child element if you are responsible for a child or qualifying young person who normally lives with you. A child element of £292.81 per child per month is typically received. If your first or only child was born before 6 April 2017, you will receive a higher amount for that child of £339.00 per month.
The Two-Child Limit stipulates that you will not receive a child element for a third or subsequent child born on or after 6 April 2017, unless an exception applies. If you have three or more children, it’s worth checking if you qualify for an exception to the Two-Child Limit. Regardless, all children living with you should be reported when you claim Universal Credit.
Childcare costs
If you pay for registered childcare whilst working, you can receive a childcare costs element. There is no set number of hours you need to work. If you’re part of a couple, both partners must be in work (or treated as being in work while on statutory sick leave or statutory maternity, paternity or shared parental leave) unless the non-working partner:
- Has limited capability for work or limited capability for work-related activity, or
- Gets Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or the Carer’s Element of Universal Credit, or
- Is temporarily absent from your household (for example, they are in prison, hospital, or residential care).
You can get 85% of your childcare costs covered, up to a maximum of £1,031.88 per month for one child and £1,768.94 per month for two or more children.
Housing
The housing component can cover rent or service charges for your home if you’re renting from a private landlord, local authority or housing association, or if you live in a property you own.
Limited Capability for Work Element
If you satisfy the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), you will receive one of these. You might get either the:
- Limited capability for work element (LCW) £158.76 per month. (From 3 April 2017, the limited capability for work element is not available to claimants who claim Universal Credit (UC) on or after this date, unless they were in receipt of a work-related activity component in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) immediately before they claimed UC) or
- Limited capability for work and work-related activity element (LCWRA) £423.27 per month.
If you are making a joint claim and you both have LCW or LCWRA, your award will only include one element:
- If one or both of you have LCWRA, you will receive that element
- If you both have LCW, you will receive that element.