Universal Credit Change of Address

How to Update Your Address with Universal Credit UK

Update Your Universal Credit Address When Moving Home

If you’ve had your offer accepted on your dream home then it’s time to start notifying people of your change of address. If you receive Universal Credit, then this is just one of the many services you will need to update your address with.

In this guide, we will take you through how to complete your Universal Credit change of address.

To change your Universal Credit address, you will need to contact the Job Centre, but you can use SlothMove’s online change of address service to take all the hassle out of updating your address with all your other accounts and services.

In fact, this award-winning service even allows you to change your address with all your providers in one go. So, in addition to updating your Universal Credit address, you can easily notify Guide Dogs, Superdrug, your banks all your utilities and many more.

Go take a look at our change of address checklist to make sure you don’t miss any.

So, let’s not hang around any longer – here’s how to efficiently change your address with Universal Credit and all your other accounts and providers in a matter of minutes. Enjoy!

You can complete your Universal Credit change of address by contacting the DWP directly.

Using SlothMove’s online change of address service, you can update your address across all your other providers in a fraction of the time. Whether you need to update your address with Citibank, Rescue My Car, PureGym or your council tax, you can do so in record time with SlothMove.

Get started with changing your address across all your accounts by clicking the button below 👇

To complete your Universal Credit change of address you simply need to contact them directly. Here are the Universal Credit contact details you will need:

You can contact Universal Credit through your online account
Or, by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644

Once they receive your request to change your Universal Credit address, they will update it for you and inform you if any changes need to be made to your payments as a result of your house move.

What is Universal Credit?

In simple terms, Universal Credit is a payment to help with living costs. It is paid each month and aims to support people who are on a low income or out of work.

Universal Credit replaces some of the benefits and tax credits that people might be getting now, including:

Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-Related Employment & Support Allowance

Now, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) calls these legacy benefits and you can no longer make a claim for them. Instead, if you require extra support, you will have to claim Universal Credit.

If you’re already claiming legacy benefits and you do not change address or experience any other major changes in your life, you will continue to receive these benefits until the DWP asks you to swap to Universal Credit.

Who Qualifies for Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is designed to support those who are on a low income, so not everyone is eligible.

To be eligible for Universal Credit, you must:

Be on a low income or out of work
Be aged 18 or over
Be under State Pension age
Have £16,000 or less in savings
Live in the UK

In order to qualify for Universal Credit you must meet all of the above criteria. However, there are some additional factors that influence how much you get, such as:

The number of children you have
If you live with your partner
If you’re in training or studying full-time
If you’re in further education, are 21 or under and do not have parental support
If you’re moving from Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
If you have medical evidence and are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment
If you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care
If you’re caring for a severely disabled person
If you’re responsible for a child

Why Do I Need to Change My Universal Credit Address?

It is important that you complete your Universal Credit change of address so that they know where to contact you.

Changing your Universal Credit address could also result in changes to your payment amount. Therefore, it is vital that you inform them that you’re moving house.

Does Changing Address Affect Universal Credit?

So, will moving house affect your benefits?

Moving to a new area could influence your eligibility to claim benefits. In some cases, you may no longer be eligible, but in most cases you will simply need to reapply or inform them of your Universal Credit change of address.

If your new house is in a different local authority than your previous home, you may need to put in a new claim for Universal Credit. However, you should still be eligible.

Additionally, if you are moving into your new home with someone else, this could alter your eligibility for Universal Credit or how much you can receive.

When Should I Complete My Universal Credit Change of Address?

It is important that you complete your Universal Credit change of address as soon as possible. Preferably, you should notify Universal credit of your address change at least 2 weeks before you move house.

Updating your Universal Credit details this early on will allow your request to be processed and any changes to your payments to be set up ready for when you move into your new home.

How Long Does it Take to Get Universal Credit?

You should apply for Universal Credit as soon as you’re entitled to do so, even if you’re not sure if you qualify.

This is because you could have to wait up to 5 weeks after claiming before your first payment is made, as it is paid in arrears.

If you find a new job, or your circumstances change before you have completed your Universal Credit application, you can cancel it straight away.

If you don’t have enough funds to live on while you wait for your first payment, you can apply for an advance payment.

How Much is Universal Credit?

Universal credit is made up of a basic allowance, along with different elements for things like housing costs, bringing up children, sickness and disability.

The amount you can claim in Universal Credit can increase or decrease depending on the level of income you receive from:

Working
A pension
Other benefits
Savings and capital above £6,000

There are no limits on how many hours per week you can work if you’re claiming Universal Credit, but the amount you get will gradually decline as you earn more.

How to Cancel Universal Credit

If your situation changes and you need to cancel your Universal Credit, you can do so online or via phone.

Once you’ve cancelled your Universal Credit, you are able to reclaim within six assessment periods of your claim closing without having to make another full claim.

However, if your change of circumstances involves a change of address or someone else moving into your household, you will need to declare this and verify your information.

In this article, we have talked you through how to complete your Universal Credit change of address. You can either update your Universal Credit address through SlothMove or by contacting them directly.

Update your address

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Holly Morris

“Light at the end of the tunnel with house move! Moving in London is hectic enough, trying to sort all the address changes too was just the cherry on top. Using SlothMove completely simplified the process, also helped me save a bit of money with my broadband. Life saver, thanks!”