Apply for Universal Credit and other benefits: Homes for Ukraine
Benefits that are available to you and how to apply for them.
Applies to England
This information applies to England only. There is more information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the end of the page.
Get benefits (money), including child benefits
The UK has a welfare system to help people in financial hardship, or who have specific needs. This system helps people to claim regular payments, called benefits or allowances.
Look at the different types of benefits you could receive and how to apply.
If you need more help to find out which benefits you can apply for, contact or go to your local Job Centre Plus. The benefits you can apply for include:
- Universal Credit: a payment for people who are old enough to work, to help with your living costs if you’re on a low income. You could be working (including self-employed or part-time) or be unemployed
- Pension Credit: a payment to help with your living costs if you are over the age of 66 and on a low income. You can apply for this online or by phone
- Disability benefits: a payment to help with other costs if you have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability
- Child benefit: a benefit for parents or legal guardians, paid every 4 weeks at a rate of £21.80 per week for your oldest child and £14.45 per week for each additional child. You can usually claim child benefit if you are the parent or guardian of a child or children under the age of 16 (or under the age of 20 if they stay in approved education or training).
Universal credit
Apply for Universal Credit
You can apply for Universal Credit online.
You will need to create an account to make a claim.
To apply online you’ll need:
- your bank or building society account details
- an email address
- access to a phone
If you do not have these, you can call the Universal Credit helpline or go to a Jobcentre. You can also get support from the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service.
You’ll also have to prove your identity. You’ll need identity documents for this, for example:
- a full or provisional Ukraine driving licence (it must have a photo of you on it)
- any national identity card, except those issued under the UK ID Card Scheme
- a residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indicating permanent residence issued by the Home Office or the UK Border Agency to a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland
- a Biometric Residence Permit issued by the UK Border Agency
You can find out more about your eligibility for Universal Credit.
If you study in the UK, read the guidance about Universal Credit and students - GOV.UK
Help with your claim
There are two ways to get help with your Universal Credit claim:
- call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
- use the Help to Claim service
Calls to the Universal Credit helpline and Help to Claim service are free.
The Help to Claim service is provided by Citizens Advice and is confidential.
When making a Universal Credit claim you will need to enter your bank account details. You should use your own bank account details and make sure that you are the only person with access to your account.
When your Universal Credit claim has been made you will be asked to come to a meeting with a Work Coach at your local Jobcentre Plus.
How long it takes to get your first payment
Your first payment will take 5 weeks from the date you submit your application.
Every payment after that will be on the same date each month. If that day is on a weekend you will get it on the working day before.
Get your first Universal Credit payment earlier
If you need help to pay your bills or cover other costs while you wait for your first Universal Credit payment, you can ask for an advance payment.
You may be able to get up to 100% of your estimated Universal Credit payment.
You can apply for this advance payment using your online account or by speaking to your Jobcentre Plus work coach.
You’ll need to:
- explain why you need an advance
- verify your identity (you’ll do this when you apply online or on the phone with a work coach)
- give details of your bank account for the advance (talk to your work coach if you cannot open an account)
You’ll usually find out on the same day if you can get an advance.
If you are refused an advance
You might be refused an advance if you:
- have not had your identity checked at the Jobcentre
- have enough money to last until your payment of Universal Credit
- live with parents, relatives or friends
- have any final earnings or redundancy payments
- have any accessible savings
You can ask for the decision to be reconsidered but you do not have a right to appeal.
Paying back your advance
You start paying back the advance when you receive your first full Universal Credit payment. This is a smaller amount taken from your first Universal credit payment, and future payments until it is all paid back.
You can choose how many months you pay the advance back over, but there is a limit to how long you take to pay it back.
The total amount you pay back is the same as the amount you received.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. The best way to claim Pension Credit if you are from Ukraine is to call the phone service on 0800 99 1234.
For more information on what Pension Credit is and how you apply for it, please read this guide.
Claim Child Benefit
You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:
- under 16
- under 20 if they stay in approved education or training
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.
There are 2 Child Benefit rates.
| Who the allowance is for | Rate (weekly) |
|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | £21.80 |
| Additional children | £14.45 per child |
How long it takes
It can take up to 16 weeks to process a new Child Benefit claim (or longer if you’re new to the UK). Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months.
Make a claim for the first time
Fill in Child Benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit Office. The address is on the form.
If you do not have the adoption certificate you need, send your claim form now and send the certificate once you’ve got it.
If your child’s birth was registered outside the UK
When you send your claim form, include your child’s:
- original birth certificate
- passport or travel document used to enter the UK
If you’ve lost the original you can order a new birth certificate.
Your child’s documents will usually be returned within 4 weeks.
Read more information about claiming Child Benefit, and what you need to include with your claim.
You can also get help with your claim.
When you get paid
Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Monday or Tuesday.
There are different payment dates if it’s due on a bank holiday.
You can get Child Benefit paid weekly if you’re a single parent or if you or your partner are getting certain benefits, such as Income Support.
Check what benefits you can get
You may be eligible for other benefits, use this checker to find out.
Benefits in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
See more information on benefits in Scotland
See more information on benefits in Northern Ireland
See more information on benefits in Wales
Last updated 13 September 2023 + show all updates
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New link added to DWP’s Pension Credit guidance and online service.
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Added translation