Joint Universal Credit claims for couples

There are no limits to the hours you can work if you’re on Universal Credit.

If either or both of you are working and you have:

• dependent children, and/or
• are sick or disabled (have limited capability for work).

You can earn a certain amount before your Universal Credit is reduced by 55p for every £1 you earn. This is called the work allowance.

For the 2023/24 tax year the work allowance is:

• £379 a month if housing costs are included in your payment
• £631 a month if there are no housing costs included in your payment.

If neither of these situations apply, you won’t qualify for the work allowance.

If one of you is already getting any of the benefits being replaced by Universal Credit? Then these benefits will stop as you’ll have to make a new claim as a couple.

If you’re claiming Universal Credit and start living with a partner who claims tax credits, they’ll no longer be able to get them.

This is because Universal Credit is based on household income. And you can’t claim Universal Credit and tax credits at the same time.

From April 2023, DWP will be writing to people claiming tax credits only asking them to claim Universal Credit. These letters are called Migration Notices.

If you or your partner receive a Migration Notice, you’ll have to do this even if you have recently renewed your tax credit claim.  

You will both need to claim Universal Credit within three months of the date on the letter. Any benefits being replaced by Universal Credit that you’re getting separately will stop. 

If you’re asked to move to Universal Credit and have questions, call the helpline number given in your Migration Notice.

If you live in England, Wales or Scotland you can also contact the Citizens Advice Help to Claim Service for free, confidential and impartial advice. 

It takes five weeks to get your first joint Universal Credit payment, so you might have to think about how you’ll manage for money until you get your first joint Universal Credit payment paid.

While your Universal Credit claim is being worked out, HMRC will tell DWP if there has been an underpayment or overpayment of tax credits when it closes your tax credit claim. 

If there is an overpayment,  you have these options:

To get Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to have a bank, building society or credit union account that can make and receive payments.

You’ll be asked to say which account your money should be paid into. This can be either:

• a single account in either your name or your partner’s name, or
• a joint account in both of your names.

If you have children, your work coach will tell you that your Universal Credit payment should go into the bank account of the main carer.

Whether you decide to go for a joint account or to keep your money separate, make sure that the account you choose is right for you and your Universal Credit payments.

A joint account can make budgeting a lot easier.

It gives you both equal control over the money, but there are a few things you need to think about before you open one.

• You’re both quite like-minded when it comes to money and have similar spending patterns, habits and behaviours.
• You can agree on a budget or spending plan.
• You can talk about money with your partner without arguing.
• You can agree ground rules for spending, such as when it’s OK to go ahead and buy something and when you have to discuss it with your partner first.

• One of you has a problem with over-spending and finds it difficult to stick to a budget.
• Your partner has a poor credit history.

Just living with someone, or being married to them, won’t affect your credit score. But if you open a joint bank account together, you’ll be ‘co-scored’.

This could affect your own credit rating.

You’re also jointly liable for any debts taken out in both your names. So if your partner runs up an overdraft on a joint bank account, you’ll also be responsible for paying it off.

There might be some things you’ll need to do differently when you’re on Universal Credit, and you might need to make some changes.

Perhaps you get paid weekly or do your budget weekly. Under the new system, you might have to get used to getting a monthly payment instead if you live in England or Wales.

If you live in Scotland, you can choose to be paid twice monthly.

In Northern Ireland, you’re automatically paid twice monthly.

In England and Wales, if you get help with your rent, you’ll get an amount for housing costs in your single monthly payment.

You’ll be responsible for paying your landlord yourselves.

In Scotland, you can choose whether to pay rent to your landlord yourselves or have it paid directly.

In Northern Ireland, your rent is automatically paid to your landlord. But you can choose to pay it yourselves.

If you’re now going to be responsible for paying rent yourselves, it’s worth thinking about setting up automatic payments for all your regular bills after you get your first Universal Credit payment. For example, standing orders or Direct Debits.

Make a household budget together if you haven’t got one already.

This will help you work out:

• how much you need to take care of essential payments
• who’ll be responsible for paying the bills, rent or mortgage
• how much will be left over to divide between you for personal spending.

Talking about money with our partners can be difficult.

And for some of us it can be a source of argument and frustration.

But if you approach it in the right way, you’ll feel so much better when you’ve got your family finances in order and any issues are out in the open.

Relying on a single joint payment might cause problems for some couples.

If your partner takes control of the money and leaves you without access to cash, this is financial abuse.

You don’t have to put up with it or suffer in silence. There are domestic abuse support officers in every Jobcentre Plus in the UK. They’re trained to help you deal with these situations and offer practical support if you need it.

If your partner has mental health problems or misuses drugs or alcohol, this could also lead to them taking money you’ve set aside for essentials or to overspend erratically.

If you’re worried about any of these issues, talk to your work coach or the Universal Credit helpline and ask for an Alternative Payment Arrangement.

This could be a:

• separate payment – where all your Universal Credit payment goes into your account
• split payment – your Universal Credit payment is split between you and paid into separate bank accounts.

If you need help with your claim, call the Universal Credit helpline free on:

Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344

8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (closed on bank and public holidays). Calls are free. The helpline is very busy because of the current crisis. It’s best to use your online account if you can. Find out more on the GOV.UK website