Luton Borough Council

Universal Credit

Universal Credit has been available to all residents who live in the Luton Job Centre area since November 2018.

Please make sure you follow these guidelines carefully to avoid your application being rejected.

If you're a couple, please make sure your partner completes their part of the application form
Once you've submitted your application, you must attend the follow up appointment
Make sure you claim Council Tax Reduction from us through our online service account if you need help with your Council Tax payments

Further information about Universal Credit

Universal Credit will replace the following benefits:

Jobseeker's Allowance (income based)
income related employment and support allowance
Income Support Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
Housing Benefit (for those of working age)

Universal Credit will be administered by the Department for Works and Pensions.

You'll still need to claim Housing Benefit from us for help with your rent if you:

live in temporary or supported accommodation
are old enough to get State Pension Credit

Check your eligibility for UC here

If you have difficulty applying online please contact the Universal Credit Services Centre on 0800 328 9344.

If you want help to pay your Council Tax, you'll still have to apply for Council Tax Reduction from us through our online services.

More information on Universal Credit can be found on the Universal Credit and benefits webpage on Luton Access.

How to get ready for Universal Credit

Be prepared:

have a bank or building society account that can receive payments
if you have a partner and you're both eligible to claim Universal Credit, the payment will be made as a single monthly payment so you'll need to decide which one of you receives it
make sure that you have an email address
you'll need access to the internet: if you don't have internet access at home, you'll need to visit your local Job Centre Plus office, library, advice agency such as Citizens Advice or here at the council offices

When Universal Credit is awarded:

set up direct debits from your bank account to help manage your ren and other billst
draw up a budget

Getting into credit on your rent account now could help you avoid rent arrears in the future. Paying a little bit extra each week can help safeguard against unwanted future arrears.

For more information about Universal Credit please visit the Universal Credit website.

Universal Credit and landlords

Information for landlords can be found on the Universal Credit and landlords.page on GOV.UK.

Enquiry form

Complete our enquiry form