Universal Credit Change of Address
If you're moving home and claiming Universal Credit, you need to update your address as part of your claim. This guide covers how to report the change, what it might mean for your payments, and how to update everything else you need to when you move.
Table of Contents
How to report a Universal Credit change of address
There are two ways to report your change of address.
Report it online: Sign in to your Universal Credit online account and use the ‘Report a change’ section in your journal. This is the quickest method and the one most claimants already use.
Call the helpline: If you don’t have an online account, call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Once your change is recorded, you’ll be told through your account or by letter if it affects your payments. For the full official guidance, see GOV.UK: report a change of circumstances.
Why you need to update your address with Universal Credit
Your address affects more than just where letters go. The housing costs element of your Universal Credit is calculated against your current home, so an out-of-date address can mean the wrong amount is paid, or a delay while it’s corrected. Reporting it promptly keeps your claim accurate and avoids the risk of an overpayment you’d later need to repay.
Does moving house affect your Universal Credit?
It can, depending on where you’re moving to and who you’re moving with.
- If your rent or service charges change, your housing costs element is recalculated for the new address.
- If you move to a different local authority area, you may need to start a new Universal Credit claim rather than simply updating the old one, though you should still be eligible.
- If you move in with a partner, or anyone else joins your household, this can change your eligibility or the amount you receive.
In each case, reporting the change as soon as you know your moving date gives Universal Credit time to process it and adjust your payments before you move in.
Moving from a legacy benefit such as ESA?
Universal Credit has replaced several older benefits, including Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If you’re already on one of these and haven’t been asked to move across, a house move on its own won’t force the switch. If you are moving from ESA to Universal Credit around the same time as a house move, it’s worth reading our ESA change of address guide alongside this one, since you may need to update both.
Updating everything else when you move
Alongside Universal Credit, most people moving home also need to update HMRC, the DVLA, the NHS, their council and their bank. SlothMove is a home address updating service that lets you update your address across dozens of organisations at once, using a single signed Letter of Authority, including State Pension if that applies to anyone in your household.
See the full list on our change of address hub and change of address checklist.
Related Guides
What our customers say
FAQs
How do I update my address with Universal Credit?
Sign in to your Universal Credit online account and use the ‘Report a change’ section in your journal. If you don’t have an online account, call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Does moving house affect my Universal Credit payments?
It can. Your housing costs element is based on your new address, and if you move to a different local authority area you may need to start a new claim.
How much is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance plus extra elements for things like housing, children and disability, so the total varies by household. You can check your likely amount using a benefits calculator.
How long does it take to get Universal Credit?
A first payment is usually made around 5 weeks after you claim, since Universal Credit is paid in arrears. If you’re short on money in the meantime, you can apply for an advance.
About SlothMove
SlothMove has helped over 75,000 UK residents update their address across government and private organisations since 2019. We are an ICO-registered data controller, GDPR compliant, and backed by Taylor Rose MW, one of the UK’s
leading conveyancing firms.