Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

How it works

You can apply for ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) to help you when you’re looking for work.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You cannot apply for contribution-based or income-based JSA anymore. If you’re currently getting contribution-based or income-based JSA, you’ll keep getting payments while you’re eligible until your claim ends.

What you need to do

Check you’re eligible.

Make a claim for ‘new style’ JSA and attend a phone interview with your local Jobcentre Plus office.

Keep to your agreement to look for work. This agreement is called a ‘Claimant Commitment’ and you will create it at your phone interview.

Your JSA payments will be stopped if you do not keep to your agreement to look for work and cannot give a good reason.

Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit. If you are, you could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of ‘new style’ JSA.

What you’ll get

There’s a maximum amount you can get - but how much you’re entitled to depends on your age.

Use a benefits calculator to check how much JSA you can get, and how your other benefits will be affected.

Age | JSA weekly amount

Up to 24 | up to £59.20

25 or over | up to £74.70

How you’re paid

Your first payment will usually be within 7 days of your phone interview. It may not be the usual full amount.

After that, payments are usually made every 2 weeks and they will be the full amount.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are usually paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you’re moving to Universal Credit from income-based JSA

If your income-based JSA claim is ending because you’re making a new claim for Universal Credit, you’ll automatically continue to get the amount of JSA you currently receive, as long as you’re still eligible. You’ll normally get this for 2 weeks, starting from the date of your new claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you telling you how this works.

You do not need to pay this money back, and it will not affect the amount of Universal Credit you get.

Eligibility

To be eligible for ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) you’ll need to have both:

worked as an employee

paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years (National Insurance credits can also count)

You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions, unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker.

You’ll also need to:

be 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 or 17 - contact Jobcentre Plus for advice)

be under the State Pension age

not be in full-time education

be available for work

not be working at the moment, or be working less than 16 hours per week on average

not have an illness or disability which stops you from working

live in England, Scotland or Wales

have the right to work in the UK

While you receive JSA, you’ll need to take reasonable steps to look for work as agreed with your work coach. You must still follow the guidance on working safely during coronavirus.

Your savings and your partner’s income and savings will not affect your claim.

You can get ‘new style’ JSA for up to 182 days (about 6 months). After this you can talk to your work coach about your options.

If you cannot work because of coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can claim JSA if you cannot work but you’re still getting paid by your employer (‘on furlough’) or through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Both of the following must also apply:

you usually work less than 16 hours a week

you meet the other eligibility requirements for JSA

Apply for 'new style' JSA

Before you apply for ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), check if you’re eligible.

There is a different process in Northern Ireland.

To apply, you’ll need your:

National Insurance number

bank or building society account details (or those of a family member or trusted friend)

employment details for the past 6 months, including employer contact details and dates you worked with them

private pension statement letter

To reclaim you need to apply again, even if your details have not changed.

Backdating your claim

When you apply, you can ask for your claim to be backdated by up to 3 months if you were not able to claim sooner.

If you want to backdate your claim, you’ll need:

the date you want your claim to start from

the reason your claim was delayed

Your claim may not be backdated if you do not have a good reason for the delay in making your claim. Reasons for backdating your claim could include:

you had a family bereavement - a partner, parent, child, brother or sister died

you were given the wrong advice that you could not get JSA

Apply online

You cannot apply online if you’re under 18.

Apply for new style JSA

If you cannot apply online

If you need help applying or you’re aged 16 to 17, contact Jobcentre Plus.

After you make your claim

If you applied online, you’ll get a text to confirm that your application has been submitted.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will then contact you within 10 days of applying.

You do not need to contact DWP unless it has been more than 10 days since you applied and you haven’t heard anything.

If you’re eligible

DWP will contact you within 10 days to schedule a phone interview that you must attend. It will normally be with a work coach from your local Jobcentre Plus office.

At the interview, you’ll be asked some questions to confirm your identity and then you’ll make an agreement about what steps you’ll take to look for work. This agreement is called a ‘Claimant Commitment’.

If you need support during the appointment, you can have another person with you.

Contact Jobcentre Plus before your appointment if you:

need a foreign language interpreter, and do not have someone who can help with interpretation

have a disability or health condition, for example a hearing impairment which means you cannot attend a phone interview

If you’re not eligible

DWP will send you a letter within 10 days to explain why you are not eligible for JSA.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Make a complaint

You can complain about Jobcentre Plus if you’re unhappy with the service you’ve received.

Your JSA claim

When you apply to claim JSA, your work coach will make an agreement with you to look for work. This agreement is called a ‘Claimant Commitment’.

Your Claimant Commitment could include:

what you need to do to look for work - for example registering with recruitment agencies or writing a CV

how many hours you need to spend looking for work each week

You should continue to do all the things you have agreed to do if you can do them safely. You must still follow the guidance on working safely during coronavirus.

You can search and apply for work using the ‘Find a job’ service.

Attending regular appointments

Your work coach will arrange appointments with you every 1 to 2 weeks.

At these appointments, you must show your work coach what you’ve been doing to look for work, for example proof of job applications and interviews.

If you’re a victim of domestic abuse you might be able to get a break of up to 13 weeks from job seeking - speak to your work coach if you need this support.

When payment can be stopped

Your JSA payments can be stopped for a period if you do not do something your work coach asks you to do. This is called being ‘sanctioned’. For example, if you:

do not take part in an appointment with your work coach

do not accept or keep to your agreement to look for work

turn down a job or training course

do not apply for any jobs you’re told about

do not take part in any interviews you’re invited to

do not go to any training booked for you or take part in employment schemes

leave your last job or training without good reason or because of your behaviour

Contact Jobcentre Plus as soon as possible if any of these apply to you. You may be able to keep your payment if you have good reason.

You’ll be told how long your payment will be stopped for. It could be between 4 weeks and 26 weeks (about 6 months).

If you want to know how long your JSA payment could be stopped for, read part 3 of the guidance on JSA sanctions.

If your JSA payment is stopped

If your payment is stopped, you should keep looking for work. Your benefit payment could be stopped for longer if you do not.

If you disagree with the decision to stop payment, you can ask for the decision to be looked at again - this is called ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If you disagree with the outcome of the mandatory reconsideration, you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal.

You should continue with any JSA claim until the dispute is settled.

If you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction

You should contact your local council immediately. They’ll tell you what to do to continue getting support.

If your claim is ended

Your JSA claim may be ended if you’re not available for or actively seeking work. You can apply again straight away, but your payments will be stopped for a period of either:

4 weeks if it’s the first time your claim has been ended

13 weeks if a previous claim has been ended within the past year

Hardship payments

You may be able to get a hardship payment if your JSA payments have been stopped. You do not have to pay it back.

A hardship payment is a reduced amount (usually 60%) of your JSA.

Eligibility

You can get a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or other basic needs for you or your child.

You must be 18 or over.

You’ll have to show that you’ve tried to find the money from somewhere else, such as borrowing from a friend or working extra hours.

How to claim

Speak to your Jobcentre Plus adviser or work coach to find out how to claim a hardship payment.

If you’re getting contribution-based or income-based JSA

As long as you’re still eligible, you’ll keep getting contribution-based or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) until either:

your circumstances change

your claim for contribution-based JSA ends (you can get it for up to 182 days)

Jobcentre Plus will talk to you about your options. If you’re eligible you might be able to claim Universal Credit.

You need to take reasonable steps to look for work while getting JSA. You must still follow the guidance on working safely during coronavirus.

Working hours and income

If you start working more than 16 hours a week, you might stop being eligible for JSA.

You might stop being eligible for income-based JSA if:

your partner starts working 24 hours or more a week, or increases their hours to 16 hours or more a week

your savings increase to £16,000 or more (including your partner’s savings)

You cannot apply for contribution-based or income-based JSA anymore. Instead, check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit and ‘new style’ JSA. You could get both at the same time.

Report a change of circumstances

You must tell Jobcentre Plus if your circumstances change, for example you start working or your income changes. This might affect how much you get.

Volunteering will not normally affect your JSA but you should report it before you start.

Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away.

A change of circumstance can include:

starting or stopping work, education, training or an apprenticeship

changes to your or your partner’s income or working hours

moving house

changing your name

people moving into or out of the place you live (for example your partner or a child)

changes to the benefits you or anyone else in your house gets

changes to your pension, savings, investments or property

changes to other money you get (for example student loans or grants, sick pay or money you get from a charity)

changing your doctor

any changes to your medical condition or disability

going into hospital or a care home or sheltered accommodation

going abroad for any length of time

changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

You must tell Jobcentre Plus if you cannot work but you’re still getting paid by your employer (‘on furlough’) or you’ve been given a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Call the JSA helpline if you’re not sure whether you need to report a change.

You may be prosecuted or have to pay a £50 penalty if you give wrong or incomplete information, or do not report changes straight away.

How to report

You can report a change of circumstances by:

calling the JSA helpline

writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your JSA - the address is on the letters you get about your JSA

If you’re claiming Universal Credit as well as new style JSA, you must report changes to both services.

If you’ve been paid too much

If you do not report a change straight away or give wrong or incomplete information, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to pay some of the money back.


Universal Credit

What Universal Credit is

Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid monthly - or twice a month for some people in Scotland.

You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

If you live in Northern Ireland, go to Universal Credit in Northern Ireland.

Sign in

Sign in to your Universal Credit account if you already have one.

If you already get other benefits

Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits:

Child Tax Credit

Housing Benefit

Income Support

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Working Tax Credit

If you currently get any of these benefits, you do not need to do anything unless:

you have a change of circumstances you need to report

the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) contacts you about moving to Universal Credit

Eligibility

You may be able to get Universal Credit if:

you’re on a low income or out of work

you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)

you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)

you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you

you live in the UK

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get Universal Credit. The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme is 30 June 2021.

The number of children you have does not affect your eligibility for Universal Credit, but it may affect how much you get.

Use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you could get if you’re not eligible for Universal Credit.

If you live with your partner

Your partner’s income and savings will be taken into account, even if they are not eligible for Universal Credit.

If you’re 18 or over and in training or studying full-time

You can make a new claim for Universal Credit if any of the following apply:

you live with your partner and they’re eligible for Universal Credit

you’re responsible for a child, either as a single person or as a couple

you’re in further education, are 21 or under and do not have parental support, for example you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care

If you’re moving from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

You can make a new claim for Universal Credit if you’re in full-time education and all of the following apply:

you’re entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

you’ve already been assessed as having limited capability for work

you make a new claim before your ESA ends or as soon as you’re notified that your ESA claim has ended

If you’re 16 or 17

you have medical evidence and are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment

you’re caring for a severely disabled person

you’re responsible for a child

you’re in a couple with responsibility for at least one child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit

you’re pregnant and it’s 11 weeks or less before your expected week of childbirth

you’ve had a child in the last 15 weeks

you do not have parental support, for example you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care

If you’re studying full-time

You can also make a claim if you’re in full-time further education and any of the following apply:

you do not have parental support and you’re not under local authority care

you have limited capability for work and you’re entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

you’re responsible for a child

you’re in a couple with responsibility for a child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit

If you’re in a couple and one of you is State Pension age

You and your partner can claim Universal Credit as a couple if one of you is under State Pension age and eligible for Universal Credit.

When you both reach State Pension age your Universal Credit claim will stop.

You may be able to apply for Pension Credit or other benefits as a couple when your Universal Credit stops. Ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach what else you could be eligible for.

What you'll get

Your Universal Credit payment is made up of a standard allowance and any extra amounts that apply to you, for example if you:

have children

have a disability or health condition which prevents you from working

need help paying your rent

Use a benefits calculator to see how much you could get.

How much Universal Credit you get will depend on your earnings.

Your circumstances are assessed every month. Changes in your circumstances can affect how much you’re paid for the whole assessment period - not just from the date you report them.

The benefit cap may limit the total amount of benefit you receive.

Standard allowance

Your circumstances | Monthly standard allowance

Single and under 25 | £344

Single and 25 or over | £411.51

In a couple and you’re both under 25 | £490.60 (for you both)

In a couple and either of you are 25 or over | £596.58 (for you both)

Extra amounts

You may get more money on top of your standard allowance if you’re eligible.

If you have children

If you have 1 or 2 children, you’ll get an extra amount for each child.

If you have 3 or more children, you’ll get an extra amount for at least 2 children. You can only get an extra amount for more children if any of the following are true:

your children were born before 6 April 2017

you were already claiming for 3 or more children before 6 April 2017

other exceptions apply

You’ll get an extra amount for any disabled or severely disabled child - no matter how many children you have or when they were born.

How much you’ll get | Extra monthly amount

For your first child | £282.50 (born before 6 April 2017)  £237.08 (born on or after 6 April 2017)

For your second child and any other eligible children | £237.08 per child

If you have a disabled or severely disabled child | £128.89 or £402.41

If you need help with childcare costs | up to 85% of your costs (up to £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for 2 or more children)

You might get the extra amount if you start caring for another child, depending on when they were born and how many children you have.

If you have a disability or health condition

If you have limited capability for work and work-related activity | £343.63

If you have limited capability for work and you started your health-related Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claim before 3 April 2017 | £128.89

If you get the severe disability premium you may also be entitled to an extra ‘transitional protection’ payment if you’re moving to Universal Credit.

If you care for a severely disabled person

If you provide care for at least 35 hours a week for a severely disabled person who receives a disability-related benefit | £163.73

This is on top of any extra amount you get if you have a disabled child.

Housing costs

You could get money to help pay your housing costs. How much you get depends on your age and circumstances.

The payment can cover rent and some service charges.

If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get a loan to help with interest payments on your mortgage or other loans you’ve taken out for your home.

Other support you could get

If you receive Universal Credit you may also be able to get other financial support depending on your circumstances.

How your earnings affect your payments

If you’re employed, how much Universal Credit you get will depend on your earnings. Your Universal Credit payment will reduce gradually as you earn more - for every £1 you earn your payment reduces by 63p.

There’s no limit to how many hours you can work.

Use a benefits calculator to see how increasing your hours or starting a new job could affect what you get.

The work allowance

You can earn a certain amount before your Universal Credit is reduced if you or your partner are either:

responsible for a child or young person

living with a disability or health condition that affects your ability to work

This is called a ‘work allowance’. Your work allowance is lower if you get help with housing costs.

Your circumstances | Monthly work allowance

You get help with housing costs | £293

You do not get help with housing costs | £515

If your employer has put you on temporary leave (‘furlough’)

If you’re on furlough because your employer has no work for you, you can get up to 80% of your wages paid through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, up to a monthly limit of £2,500. Your employer takes care of this.

You can check if your employer can use the scheme.

If your payment stops because your earnings increased

As your income increases, your payment will reduce until you’re earning enough to no longer claim Universal Credit. Your payment will then be stopped. You’ll be told when this happens.

If your earnings decrease after this, you can claim Universal Credit again.

If you received your last payment 6 months ago or less, you can restart your old claim by signing in to your Universal Credit account. You’ll need to report any changes in your circumstances. If you’re eligible for Universal Credit, your payments will restart with the same monthly assessment period you had previously.

If you received your last payment more than 6 months ago, you’ll need to make a new claim for Universal Credit. You can make a new claim by signing in to your Universal Credit account. You will not be paid on the same date as your previous claim. It usually takes around 5 weeks to get your first payment.

Surplus earnings

If your monthly earnings are more than £2,500 over the amount where your payment stopped, this becomes ‘surplus earnings’.

Your surplus earnings will be carried forward to the following month, where they count towards your earnings. If your earnings (including your surplus earnings) are then still over the amount where your payment stops, you will not get a Universal Credit payment.

If your earnings fall below the amount where your payment stopped, your surplus will decrease. Once your surplus has gone, you’ll be able to get a Universal Credit payment again.

You’ll need to reclaim Universal Credit every month until your earnings have reduced enough to get another payment.

You can talk to your work coach for more information about surplus earnings.

The statement in your online journal will show your work allowance and when the surplus reduces.

If you separate from your partner

If you’re part of a couple that claims Universal Credit together, any surplus earnings will be divided equally between you if you separate.

You’ll then need to re-apply individually, with your part of the surplus earnings counting towards your earnings.

If you’re a victim of domestic abuse you do not take on any surplus earnings from your partner. Talk to your work coach to make sure your partner’s surplus earnings are not divided between you.

If you’re self-employed

You can carry over a loss (as well as a surplus) to the following month. A loss will be deducted from your next month’s earnings.

How you're paid

Universal Credit is paid once a month, usually into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Your payment can include an amount for housing, which you’ll usually need to pay to your landlord.

If you’re not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, call the Universal Credit helpline to arrange a different way of getting paid.

Find out how you’ll be paid if you’re in Northern Ireland.

Your first payment

It usually takes around 5 weeks to get your first payment.

If you need help with your living costs while you wait for your first payment, you can apply for an advance.

The wait before your first payment is made up of a one month assessment period and up to 7 days for the payment to reach your account.

Payment dates

After the first payment, you’ll be paid on the same date of every month.

If your payment date is on a weekend, you’ll be paid on the working day before.

You’ll get a monthly statement that tells you how much Universal Credit you’re going to get.

Call the helpline straight away if your payment does not arrive on time.

If you live in Scotland

You can get paid once or twice a month.

If you’re making a new claim, you’ll get a notification about how often you want to be paid. You get this after your first payment.

If you’re already getting Universal Credit and have not had a notification, you can ask your work coach to be paid twice a month.

When you’re paid twice a month your first payment will be for a full month. You’ll get the first half of your second month’s payment a month after this. The second half will be paid 15 days later. This means there will be about a month and a half between your first payment and the full amount for your second month.

After this, you’ll be paid twice a month.

If you live with a partner

If you both claim Universal Credit, you’ll get one payment each month for your household.

If you live in Scotland and you’ve chosen to be paid twice monthly, you’ll receive 2 payments each month for your household.

Phone the Universal Credit helpline if you’re worried about getting access to this money.

How often you’re paid can affect your Universal Credit

If you’re paid once a month on the same date and nothing changes in your earnings, then your Universal Credit amount should stay the same.

Your Universal Credit can be affected if you receive no wages or more than one set of wages during some assessment periods. This could happen if:

you’re paid weekly, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks

your monthly payment date changes, for example you get paid on the last working day of each month

If your monthly payment date changes

You’ll need to sign into your online account to check how much your next monthly payment will be. If it looks like you’ll get paid too much or too little Universal Credit, ask your work coach to move your wages into another assessment period.

If you’re paid weekly, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks

You’ll be told if your earnings are too high and whether you’ll need to reapply to continue to get Universal Credit.

How often you’re paid by your employer | The impact

Every 4 weeks | Once a year, you’ll get 2 sets of wages in one assessment period

Every 2 weeks | Twice a year, you’ll get 3 sets of wages in one assessment period

Every week | Four times a year, you’ll get 5 sets of wages in one assessment period

How to claim

Apply for Universal Credit online.

You have to apply as a couple if you and your partner live together. You do not need to be married.

The Universal Credit team might phone you after you’ve sent your application if they need more information or if you cannot verify your identity online.

You cannot claim Universal Credit and tax credits at the same time. If you get tax credits, they will stop when you or your partner applies for Universal Credit. Check how tax credits and Universal Credit affect each other.

What you need to apply

You’ll need:

your bank, building society or credit union account details (call the Universal Credit helpline if you do not have one)

an email address

information about your housing, for example how much rent you pay

details of your income, for example payslips

details of savings and any investments, like shares or a property that you rent out

details of how much you pay for childcare if you’re applying for help with childcare costs

If you do not provide the right information when you apply it might affect when you get paid or how much you get.

You also have to verify your identity online. You’ll need some proof of identity for this, for example your:

driving licence

passport

debit or credit card

Apply for Universal Credit online

Apply now

If you cannot verify your identity online

The Universal Credit team will phone you to help you verify your identity.

Help with your application

If you need help with your application, ask straight away - the sooner you apply for Universal Credit, the sooner you get your first payment.

There are 2 ways to get help with your Universal Credit application.

Universal Credit helpline

Contact the Universal Credit helpline if:

you cannot use digital services at all - this might be because of disability or your circumstances

you have a question about your claim and cannot access your online claim

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service

You can use the BSL video relay service to make a claim.

Find out what you need to do to use the service.

The service is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Help to Claim

Help to Claim can support you in the early stages of your Universal Credit claim, from the online application, through to support with your application before your first full payment.

It’s a free, independent, confidential and impartial service provided by trained advisers from Citizens Advice. They can help with things like how to gather evidence for your application or how to prepare for your first Jobcentre appointment.

Get Help to Claim:

if you live in England or Wales

if you live in Scotland

After you apply

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will make an appointment to talk to you, either over the phone or face-to-face.

If you have a disability or illness that affects your work

You may need a Work Capability Assessment to see how your disability or health condition affects your ability to work.

Depending on the outcome of your assessment you may be eligible for an extra amount on top of your standard allowance.

Terminal illness

If you’re terminally ill, you may get extra money for Universal Credit.

If you’re making a new claim, you can declare this during your application. If you’ve already made a claim, you’ll need to report this as a change of circumstances.

If you’ve claimed Universal Credit before

You can sign in to your account to make a new claim if you’ve claimed Universal Credit at any time during the last 6 months.

If you stopped claiming more than 6 months ago, you’ll need to reapply for Universal Credit.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Get an advance on your first payment

If you need help to pay your bills or cover other costs while you wait for your first Universal Credit payment, you can apply to get an advance.

The most you can get as an advance is the amount of your first estimated payment.

How to apply

You can apply for an advance payment in your online account or through 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)

provide bank account details for the advance (talk to your work coach if you cannot open an account)

You’ll usually find out the same day if you can get an advance.

If you need help

Call the Universal Credit helpline if you need help applying for an advance payment.

How you pay back your advance

You start paying it back out of your first payment.

You can choose how many months you pay the advance back over, within the time limit. You must usually pay back the advance within:

24 months if you apply on or after 12 April 2021

12 months if you applied before 12 April 2021

You do not pay interest on it - the total amount you pay back is the same.

Read more about getting a Universal Credit advance.

Your responsibilities

You’ll make an agreement called a ‘Claimant Commitment’ with your work coach.

What you need to do depends on your situation. You might need to do activities such as:

write a CV

look and apply for jobs

go on training courses

You’ll also need to do things like:

pay your own rent and other housing costs

report any changes in your circumstances

If you’re claiming with your partner, you’ll each have a Claimant Commitment and set of responsibilities.

If you have children

If you’re a single parent or the lead carer in a couple, your responsibilities will change as your youngest child gets older and will be tailored to your personal circumstances.

Age of your youngest child | Your responsibilities

Under 1 | You do not need to look for work

Aged 1 | You do not need to look for work. You need to have phone appointments with your work coach to discuss plans for moving into work in the future

Aged 2 | You do not need to look for work. You need to have regular phone appointments with your work coach and do work preparation activities (for example, writing your CV)

Aged 3 or 4 | Work a maximum of 16 hours a week (or spend 16 hours a week looking for work)

Aged between 5 and 12 | Work a maximum of 25 hours a week (or spend 25 hours a week looking for work)

13 or older | Work a maximum of 35 hours a week (or spend 35 hours a week looking for work)

If you get support with childcare costs

You must:

report your childcare costs when you pay them

prove you’ve paid your childcare provider

You’ll need to show proof of:

your childcare provider for each child, for example an invoice or contract that includes the provider’s registration number and full contact details

the amount you paid and when you paid it, for example a receipt or bank statement

You can report childcare costs and provide proof that you’ve paid by signing in to your Universal Credit account.

You’ll usually get the childcare amount in your next Universal Credit payment.

If you pay for childcare after it’s been provided, you can claim up to 3 months of past costs at a time. There may be a limit to how much you get back if you claim for more than one month’s fees at a time. Talk to your work coach for advice.

If you pay for childcare in advance, you can claim up to 3 months of advance costs at a time. You’ll be paid back in your monthly Universal Credit payments during the months the childcare is for.

If your payment is stopped or reduced

If you do not meet your responsibilities or what you’ve agreed in your Claimant Commitment, your Universal Credit could be stopped or reduced. This is called a sanction.

There are different levels of sanctions and they’re decided based on what you did and how often.

You’ll get half a sanction if you apply with a partner and only one of you does not meet their responsibilities.

You can appeal a sanction if you think it’s wrong. Citizens Advice can help with challenging a sanction.

Help if your payment is stopped or reduced

You can ask for a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs because you got a sanction. You’ll repay it through your Universal Credit payments - they’ll be lower until you pay it back.

You must be 18 or over.

You’ll have to show that you’ve tried to:

find the money from somewhere else

only spend money on essentials

Call the Universal Credit helpline to ask for a hardship payment.

Report a change of circumstances

You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount each month.

Changes can include:

finding or finishing a job

having a child

moving in with your partner

starting to care for a child or disabled person

changing your mobile number or email address

moving to a new address

changing your bank details

your rent going up or down

changes to your health condition

becoming too ill to work or meet your work coach

changes to your earnings (only if you’re self-employed)

changes to your savings, investments and how much money you have

changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

How to report

You can report a change of circumstances by signing in to your Universal Credit account.

If you get a job or increase the hours you work

Use a benefits calculator or speak with your work coach to find out how getting a job or an increase in your earnings might affect your Universal Credit claim.

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.

If you have a terminal illness

You may get extra money if you’re terminally ill.

If your life expectancy is more than 6 months

You’ll need to report this in the same way as any other change of circumstance.

If your life expectancy is less than 6 months

Report the change online through your Universal Credit account. You’ll be contacted about what to do next.

You can also get someone else to report the change for you. They’ll need to ask a doctor or healthcare professional to fill in form DS1500 (the doctor will have the form already). Either the doctor or your representative can send it to:

If you’ve already sent form DS1500 for Personal Independence Payment or Employment and Support Allowance, you do not need to send it again.

You will not need to have a Work Capability Assessment.

Other financial support

If you’re in financial difficulties, you can get help and advice from the government, local councils and other organisations.

Advance and hardship payments

If you do not have enough to live on while you wait for your first payment you can ask for an advance payment after you’ve made a claim.

You can also ask for a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs because you got a sanction.

You need to pay it back through your Universal Credit payments - they’ll be lower until you pay it back.

Alternative Payment Arrangements

If you’re having financial difficulties or you’re behind on your rent, you or your landlord may be able to apply for an Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA).

Depending on your circumstances, you could get an APA to:

get your rent paid directly to your landlord

get paid more frequently than once a month

receive split payments, if you’re part of a couple

Speak to your work coach to apply for an APA.

Budgeting Advance

You might be able to get a Budgeting Advance to help with:

emergency household costs such as replacing a broken cooker

getting a job or staying in work

funeral costs

You’ll repay it through your regular Universal Credit payments - these will be lower until you pay it back. If you stop getting Universal Credit, you’ll have to repay the money in another way.

How much you can borrow

The smallest amount you can borrow is £100. You can get up to:

£348 if you’re single

£464 if you’re part of a couple

£812 if you have children

What you get depends on whether you have savings of over £1,000 and can pay the loan back.

Eligibility

To get a Budgeting Advance, all of the following must apply:

you’ve been getting Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance or State Pension Credit for 6 months or more, unless you need the money to help you start a new job or stay in work

you’ve earned less than £2,600 (£3,600 together for couples) in the past 6 months

you’ve paid off any previous Budgeting Advance loans

How to apply

Sign into your Universal Credit account and contact your work coach. They can tell you how to apply.

Other benefits you can claim

If you want to claim a benefit without your savings, your partner’s savings or their income being taken into account, you can apply for either:

‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Use a benefits calculator to find out what other benefits you could get, for example Personal Independence Payment if you’re disabled.

Other financial support you might get

If you receive Universal Credit you may be able to get other payments too.

The support you could get might be different in Scotland or Wales.

Help with housing costs and bills

You might be able to get:

BT Basic (or KCOM Flex Packages for the East Riding or Hull City Council local authority areas) if you have no income

a Cold Weather Payment

Disabled Facilities Grants

Discretionary Housing Payments if your Universal Credit payment is not enough to pay your rent

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Affordable Warmth

a reduction in your Council Tax

WaterSure to cap your bills if you have a water meter

You can get advice on reducing your energy bills from:

Simple Energy Advice - in England and Wales

Energy Savings Trust Scotland - in Scotland

Bryson Energy - in Northern Ireland

Help if you’re pregnant or have a child

You might be able to get:

free early education for 2 year olds

free school meals

Healthy Start vouchers (in England and Wales) if you’re pregnant or have a child under 4 years old

Best Start Foods and a Best Start Grant (in Scotland) if you’re pregnant or have a child under 4 years old

a Sure Start Maternity Grant in England and Wales

a Pregnancy and Baby payment in Scotland

Help with legal costs

You might be able to get:

help with prison visiting costs

help with the costs of using courts or tribunals

legal aid

Help with other costs

You might be able to get:

help with health costs, including prescriptions and dental treatment

a Funeral Expenses Payment

help with building up savings through Help to Save

Advice on money and debt

You can get help and advice from:

your Jobcentre Plus work coach

Citizens Advice

Money Advice Trust

the Money Manager tool from Money Advice Service

My Money Steps

National Debtline

Shelter for help with housing and homelessness

StepChange

Contact Universal Credit

You can contact Universal Credit:

through your online account

by calling the Universal Credit helpline

If your query is about claiming ‘new style’ benefits with Universal Credit

You could get ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) at the same time or instead of Universal Credit.

Apply for ‘new style’ ESA

You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA online or contact the Universal Credit helpline.

Apply for ’new style’ JSA

You can apply for ‘new style’ JSA online or contact the Jobcentre Plus helpline.

If you have a query about an existing claim for ‘new style’ ESA or JSA

Contact the Jobcentre Plus helpline.


Pension Credit

Overview

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.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You might get extra help if you’re a carer, severely disabled, or responsible for a child or young person.

Pension Credit is separate from your State Pension.

You can get Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.

This guide covers Pension Credit in England, Scotland and Wales. Find out about Pension Credit in Northern Ireland.

Other help if you get Pension Credit

If you get Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:

Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in

Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in

Council Tax Reduction

a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over

help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments

help with your heating costs

Eligibility

You must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit.

Find out about Pension Credit in Northern Ireland.

If you have a partner

You must include your partner on your application.

You’ll be eligible if either:

you and your partner have both reached State Pension age

one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age

A partner is either:

your husband, wife or civil partner - if you live with them

someone you live with as a couple, without being married or in a civil partnership

Your income

When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.

Pension Credit tops up:

your weekly income to £177.10 if you’re single

your joint weekly income to £270.30 if you have a partner

If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.

What counts as income

Your income includes:

State Pension

other pensions

earnings from employment and self-employment

most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance

What does not count as income

Not all benefits are counted as income. For example, the following are not counted:

Attendance Allowance

Christmas Bonus

Child Benefit

Disability Living Allowance

Personal Independence Payment

social fund payments like Winter Fuel Allowance

Housing Benefit

Council Tax Reduction

If you’ve deferred your pension

If you’re entitled to a personal or workplace pension and you have not claimed it yet, the amount you’d expect to get still counts as income.

If you’ve deferred your State Pension, the amount of State Pension you would get is counted as income.

You cannot build up extra amounts for deferring your State Pension if you or your partner are getting Pension Credit.

Your savings and investments

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit.

If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

Contact the Pension Service helpline if your circumstances change.

What you'll get

Pension Credit tops up:

You may get extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs.

The top up and extra amounts are known as ‘Guarantee Credit’.

If you have a severe disability

You could get an extra £67.30 a week if you get any of the following:

Attendance Allowance

the middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Armed Forces Independence Payment

If you care for another adult

You could get an extra £37.70 a week if:

you get Carer’s Allowance

you’ve claimed Carer’s Allowance but are not being paid because you already get another benefit paying a higher amount

If you and your partner have both claimed or are getting Carer’s Allowance, you can both get this extra amount.

If you’re responsible for children or young people

You could get an extra £54.60 a week for each child or young person you’re responsible for. This is increased to £65.10 a week for the first child if they were born before 6 April 2017.

The child or young person must normally live with you and be under the age of 20.

If they’re 16 or over and under 20, they must be in (or accepted for):

approved training, such as Foundation Apprenticeships

a course of non-advanced education (for example, they’re studying for GCSEs or A levels)

If they’re in education, it must be for more than 12 hours a week on average.

If you get Tax Credits, you cannot get this extra amount of Pension Credit for caring for a child. But you might be eligible for Child Tax Credits.

If the child or young person is disabled

If the child or young person is disabled, you could also get an extra amount of either:

£29.66 a week if they get DLA or PIP

£92.54 a week if they’re blind or they get the highest rate care component of DLA, or the enhanced daily living component of PIP

If you have housing costs

You could get an extra amount to cover your housing costs, such as:

ground rent if your property is a leasehold

some service charges

charges for tents and site rents

The amount you could get depends on your housing costs.

If you get Pension Credit, you could also be eligible for:

Council Tax Reduction

Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in

Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in

If you have savings or a second pension

You could get the ‘Savings Credit’ part of Pension Credit if both of the following apply:

you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016

you saved some money for retirement, for example a personal or workplace pension

You’ll get up to £14.04 Savings Credit a week if you’re single. If you have a partner, you’ll get up to £15.71 a week.

You might still get some Savings Credit even if you do not get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit.

Other help if you get Pension Credit

If you get Pension Credit you’ll automatically get cold weather payments.

You’ll also be eligible to:

get help with NHS costs, such as prescriptions, dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments

apply for a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over

Find out how much you could get

Use the Pension Credit calculator to work out how much you might get.

Contact the Pension Service helpline if you’re not sure whether you’re eligible for extra amounts.

How you’re paid

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, for example a bank account.

How to claim

You can start your application up to 4 months before you reach State Pension age.

You can apply any time after you reach State Pension age but your application can only be backdated by 3 months. This means you can get up to 3 months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.

Information you’ll need

You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:

National Insurance number

information about any income, savings and investments you have

information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually 3 months ago or the date you reached State Pension age)

You’ll also need your bank account details if you’re applying by phone or by post.

Apply online

You can use the online service if:

you have already claimed your State Pension

there are no children or young people included in your application

Apply now

Apply by phone

A friend or family member can call for you if you cannot use the phone.

Apply by post

To apply by post, print out and fill in the Pension Credit claim form or call the claim line to request a form.

Send the claim form to the Pension Service, or ask someone to do it for you.

Contact a voluntary organisation like Citizens Advice or Age UK if you need help with the form.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your Pension Credit application. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Report a change of circumstances

You need to report changes to you and your partner’s personal and financial circumstances.

Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away. Some changes will increase the amount of Pension Credit you could get.

Changes to your personal circumstances

A change of personal circumstances can include:

moving to a new address

starting or stopping living with a partner

the death of a partner who is named on your claim

starting or stopping work

going into hospital or a care home

people moving in or out of your house

changing your name

switching your bank account

changes to your Post Office card account

leaving England, Scotland and Wales for any period (for example, going on holiday)

you start or stop looking after a child or young person under the age of 20

changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

Changes to your financial circumstances

You also need to report if your income or expenses change. This can include changes to:

housing costs, for example ground rent or service charges

benefits that anyone living in your home gets - including getting a new benefit or a benefit being stopped

occupational or personal pensions - including if you start to get a new pension or take a lump sum out of your pension pot

other income, for example foreign pensions or Working Tax Credits

savings, investments or property

Call the Pension Credit helpline if you’re not sure if you need to report a change.

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

How to report a change

You can also report by post. The address is on the letters you get about your Pension Credit.

Living with a partner under State Pension age

You will stop getting Pension Credit if you start living with a partner who is under State Pension age. You can start getting it again when your partner reaches State Pension age.

If you were living with a partner under State Pension age before 15 May 2019 and getting Pension Credit, you’ll keep getting it unless you stop being eligible. If this happens, you usually won’t be able to get Pension Credit again until you and your partner are both eligible.

If you cannot get Pension Credit, you might be entitled to Universal Credit instead, but you and your partner cannot get both at the same time. If one of you starts getting Universal Credit you’ll stop being eligible for Pension Credit.

If you have an Assessed Income Period (AIP)

An AIP is a period of time when you do not have to report changes to your pensions, savings or investments.

If you have an AIP you must still report all other changes to your personal circumstances.

Your Pension Credit award letter will tell you if you have an AIP. You may have one if you’re aged 75 or over and you started getting Pension Credit before 6 April 2016.

Your AIP will end if your household circumstances change, for example if you move into a care home or if you become a member of a couple.

You’ll get a letter saying your AIP has ended. From then on, you must report all changes to your circumstances, including changes to your pensions, savings or investments.

Call the Pension Service helpline if you’re not sure if you need to report a change.

If you’ve been paid too much

You may have to repay the money if you:

did not report a change straight away

gave wrong information

were overpaid by mistake

Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.


Help with moving from benefits to work

Overview

Get support from Jobcentre Plus to help you prepare for, find and stay in work, including:

training, guidance and work placement programmes

work experience, volunteering and job trialling schemes

help with starting your own business

help combining work with looking after children or caring responsibilities

extra help for specific problems

You may also be able to keep getting some benefits once you start working.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Support for disabled people

Speak to your local Jobcentre Plus if you’re disabled or have a long-term health condition. They can help you find a job or gain new skills, and tell you about specific programmes to help you back into work.

You might be able to get an Access to Work grant to pay for:

special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings

help getting to and from work

mental health support

communication support at a job interview (for example, a British Sign Language interpreter or a lipspeaker)

Job search programmes

Your Jobcentre Plus work coach can give you more information about programmes that can help you prepare for, find and stay in work.

If you live in Scotland, you can also get help from Fair Start Scotland.

Work Programme

The Work Programme stopped taking new participants on 1 April 2017. If you’re already taking part, you can continue to do so for up to 2 years from the date you joined.

You’ll have to attend an assessment interview with Jobcentre Plus if you’ve been on the Work Programme for 2 years. The interview will help you plan, prepare and find work.

Help for specific types of work

Sector-based work academies offer training and work experience for up to 6 weeks in a particular industry or area of work.

Most academies also offer a guaranteed interview for a job or an apprenticeship.

They’re available to you if you’re claiming any of the following because you’re unemployed:

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance (if you’re in the Work-Related Activity Group)

Universal Credit

Work clubs

Anyone who’s unemployed can join a Work Club. They’re run by local organisations like employers and community groups, and give you the chance to share knowledge, experience and job hunting tips.

Work experience and volunteering

Contact Jobcentre Plus to find out about opportunities that can improve your chances of finding work, including work experience, volunteering and work trials.

You might be able to get help with costs like childcare and travel.

Work experience

If you’re getting Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Universal Credit, you can get work experience through Jobcentre Plus.

Work experience can last between 2 and 8 weeks, and you’ll normally be expected to work between 25 and 30 hours a week. You’ll carry on getting your JSA or Universal Credit payment as long as you continue to look for work.

You may also be able to get help from Jobcentre Plus for costs related to work experience, for example for travel or childcare.

Work Together (volunteering)

If you’re unemployed and looking for work, you can volunteer with a local organisation through the Work Together programme. Your Jobcentre Plus work coach will help you to find a volunteering opportunity.

Work trials

A work trial gives you the chance to try out a job and keep getting benefits. It can last up to 30 working days, and you might get offered a job at the end.

Work trials are voluntary, and your benefits will not be affected if you finish early or turn down a job you’re offered.

Your Jobcentre Plus can arrange a work trial for you, or you can ask them about how to do this yourself.

Employment on Trial

Employment on Trial allows you to leave a job and start claiming JSA again without this affecting your benefit (unless you’re sacked or leave because of misconduct).

You must have worked more than 16 hours a week for between 4 and 12 weeks before leaving the job.

Starting or running your own business

You may be able to get New Enterprise Allowance to help you:

start your own business

develop your business, if you’re already self-employed

Starting your own business

You could get mentoring and an allowance to help you start your own business through New Enterprise Allowance.

You may be eligible if you’re over 18 and either:

you or your partner get Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or  Employment and Support Allowance

you get Income Support and you’re a lone parent, sick or disabled

What you’ll get

You’ll get a mentor who’ll give you advice and support to help you set up your business and start to trade.

Once you’ve made a business plan that your mentor has approved, you:

may get a weekly allowance worth up to £1,274 over 26 weeks

can apply for a loan to help with start-up costs

How to get New Enterprise Allowance

Talk to your Jobcentre Plus work coach.  They’ll check your business idea and help you if you’re eligible.

Developing your business

If you’re self-employed and getting Universal Credit, you may be able to:

get a mentor who’ll give you advice and support to help you develop your business

apply for a start-up loan if your business is less than 2 years old

To find out if you’re eligible for New Enterprise Allowance, contact your work coach by signing in to your Universal Credit account.

If you’re disabled or you have a health condition

You may be able to get extra support through an Access to Work grant.

Help for parents and carers

Your Jobcentre Plus work coach can tell you about support you can get to help you combine work with looking after children or caring responsibilities.

Help for parents

Parents can get help with childcare costs when moving from benefits to work.

Help for carers

Work Preparation Support for Carers provides help and support for you to make a successful move into work, including access to training and advice on job hunting and applications.

You might be able to get help with the cost of replacement care while you take part in training or attend interviews.

Help with drug and alcohol problems

You may be able to get extra support if you have drug or alcohol problems that are stopping you working.

Your Jobcentre Plus work coach can tell you about the help available from specialist drugs or alcohol treatment professionals in your area, and refer you to their services if you want.

This help is available to anyone getting benefits.

Support when you start working

Going back to work does not mean giving up all your benefits. Some benefits may carry on, and others may be available once you’re working.

Contact Jobcentre Plus if you’ve found a job and you or your partner have been getting:

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Income Support

Universal Credit

Your Jobcentre Plus work coach will help you to manage your move into work, and sort out changes to your other benefits, including tax credits. What you can get will depend on how long you were claiming these benefits without a break.

You do not have to fill in any forms, but make sure you have details of your income, savings and any rent payments to hand.

Use a benefits calculator to see how starting a job or increasing your working hours affects your benefits.

Help with housing

Depending on how long you have been claiming benefits, you may be able to get:

Mortgage Interest Run On

Extended Payment of Housing Benefit

These payments provide help for up to 4 weeks when you start a new job and begin earning a wage. You may also be able to get extended reductions on your Council Tax.


Get support in work if you have a disability or health condition (Access to Work)

Overview

If you’re disabled or have a physical or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to do your job, you can:

talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplace

get extra help from Access to Work, including mental health support

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplace

Your employer must make certain changes (known as ‘reasonable adjustments’) to make sure you’re not substantially disadvantaged when doing your job. These could include changing your working hours or providing equipment to help you do your job.

You should talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work.

Get help from Access to Work

If the help you need at work is not covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, you may be able to get help from Access to Work.

You need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one.

You’ll be offered support based on your needs, which may include a grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace. Your workplace can include your home if you work from there some or all of the time.

An Access to Work grant can pay for:

special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings

help getting to and from work

You might not get a grant if you already get certain benefits.

The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.

There’s a different system in Northern Ireland.

Get mental health support

You can apply for Access to Work to get mental health support, or contact a Mental Health Support Service provider directly.

Eligibility

To get help from Access to Work you must:

have a disability or health condition (physical or mental) that makes it hard for you to do parts of your job or get to and from work

be 16 or over

live in England, Scotland or Wales - there’s a different system in Northern Ireland

You also need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one. A paid job could include:

self-employment

an apprenticeship

a work trial or work experience

an internship

You cannot get a grant for voluntary work.

Your job must be based in England, Scotland or Wales.

You cannot get Access to Work if you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

If you get other benefits

Certain benefits may affect whether you can get an Access to Work grant.

Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support

You can still get help from Access to Work if you work more than one hour a week.

Employment and Support Allowance

You can only get help from Access to Work if you’re doing ‘permitted work’. It’s permitted work if all of the following apply:

you earn up to £143 a week

you work less than 16 hours a week

it’s been agreed with your work coach

What you'll get

You’ll be offered support based on your needs. This may include a grant to help cover the costs of travel to and from work or practical support in the workplace. Your workplace can include your home if you work from there some or all of the time.

The grant can help pay for items or services you need, including:

adaptations to the equipment you use

special equipment or software

British Sign Language interpreters and video relay service support, lip speakers or note takers

adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work

taxi fares to work or a support worker if you cannot use public transport - for example, if you use a wheelchair and your journey includes a train station that does not have ramps

taxi fares to work or a support worker if you cannot use public transport safely because of coronavirus (COVID-19) - for example, if you’re blind and because of this you’re unable to stay apart from other people

a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace

personal protective equipment for your support worker, if you employ them yourself

disability awareness training for your colleagues

the cost of moving your equipment if you change location or job

Access to Work can also help assess whether your needs can be met through reasonable adjustments by your employer.

Mental health support

You can get confidential support and advice from a trained healthcare professional from the Mental Health Support Service. You do not need to have a diagnosed condition to use the service.

You do not have to get Access to Work to get support from the Mental Health Support Service, but you must be eligible.

To get mental health support you can apply for Access to Work. You can also contact one of the Mental Health Support Service providers directly. They are:

Able Futures

Remploy

How your Access to Work grant is paid

You or your employer will buy the items or services you need.

Access to Work will pay the money back, up to the amount of the grant you’ve been offered and with any contributions (such as employer or NHS contributions) deducted.

What Access to Work will not cover

You will not get an Access to Work grant to pay for:

changes that your employer has to make (reasonable adjustments)

items that would normally be needed to do the job whether a person is disabled or not

support that your employer used to provide but has stopped

Apply

Check you’re eligible before you apply.

You can apply for Access to Work online or by phone.

You’ll need to provide:

your workplace address and postcode

the name of a workplace contact who can authorise your Access to Work payments

your workplace contact’s email address or work phone number

your unique tax reference number (if you’re self-employed)

You’ll also need to explain:

how your condition affects you at work or getting to work

what help you’re already getting

what else could help you

It will help your application if you’ve spoken to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work.

Apply online

Apply by phone

You can apply by calling the Access to Work helpline. Make sure you have all the necessary details with you when you call.

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service

To use this you must:

first check you can use the service

go to the video relay service

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Alternative formats

Call the Access to Work number to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.

Complaints

You can contact Access to Work to complain if you are not happy with how your case has been handled.

After you've applied

Once you’ve applied, an Access to Work adviser will contact you to discuss what help you could get.

An adviser may also contact your employer to discuss how Access to Work can support you. They will not contact your employer until they’ve agreed this with you first.

An assessor may visit your workplace to assess your needs.

You may get an offer of support, which could include a grant. If it does, you’ll be told how much you’ll get and for how long.

Renew

If your Access to Work grant is ending soon, you need to apply to renew it. You can apply up to 12 weeks before the date it ends.

Check you’re still eligible before you apply.

You can apply online or by phone.

You’ll need to provide your:

name

address

date of birth

unique reference number (if you know it)

After you apply, an Access to Work adviser will contact you. They may request further information about your condition.

They’ll also contact your employer.

If you’re offered a new grant, you’ll be told how much you’ll get and for how long.

Renew online

Renew by phone

To use this you must:

first check you can use the service

go to the video relay service

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Alternative formats

Complaints

Report a change of circumstances

If you’re getting support from Access to Work you need to report changes to:

your disability or health condition (physical or mental)

your home or work address - if you get travel to work support

your employer, job role or working pattern

You’ll also need to tell Access to Work if your contact details change. For example, if you get a new phone number.

To report a change call the Access to Work helpline.

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service

To use this you must:

first check you can use the service

go to the video relay service

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm


Get help with savings if you’re on a low income (Help to Save)

How it works

Help to Save is a type of savings account. It allows certain people entitled to Working Tax Credit or receiving Universal Credit to get a bonus of 50p for every £1 they save over 4 years.

Help to Save is backed by the government so all savings in the scheme are secure.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How payments work

You can save between £1 and £50 each calendar month. You do not have to pay money in every month.

You can pay money into your Help to Save account by debit card, standing order or bank transfer.

You can pay in as many times as you like, but the most you can pay in each calendar month is £50. For example, if you have saved £50 by 8 January you will not be able to pay in again until 1 February.

You can only withdraw money from your Help to Save account to your bank account.

How bonuses work

You get bonuses at the end of the second and fourth years. They’re based on how much you’ve saved.

What happens after 4 years

Your Help to Save account will close 4 years after you open it. You will not be able to reopen it or open another Help to Save account. You’ll be able to keep the money from your account.

You can close your account at any time. If you close your account early you’ll miss your next bonus and you will not be able to open another one.

Sign in

Sign in to your Help to Save account if you already have one.

What you’ll get

You can earn 2 tax-free bonuses over 4 years. You’ll get any bonuses you’ve earned even if you withdraw money.

After your first 2 years, you’ll get a first bonus if you’ve been using your account to save. This bonus will be 50% of the highest balance you’ve saved.

After 4 years, you’ll get a final bonus if you continue to save. This bonus will be 50% of the difference between 2 amounts:

the highest balance saved in the first 2 years (years 1 and 2)

the highest balance saved in the last 2 years (years 3 and 4)

If your highest balance does not increase, you will not earn a final bonus.

The most you can pay into your account each calendar month is £50, which is £2,400 over 4 years. The most you can earn from your savings in 4 years is £1,200 in bonus money.

Your bonus is paid into your bank account, not your Help to Save account.

What happens if you withdraw money

If you withdraw money it will be harder for you to:

grow your highest balance

earn the largest possible bonuses

Withdrawing money could mean you are not able to earn a final bonus - depending on how much you withdraw and when.

Eligibility

You can open a Help to Save account if you’re any of the following:

receiving Working Tax Credit

entitled to Working Tax Credit and receiving Child Tax Credit

claiming Universal Credit and you (with your partner if it’s a joint claim) earned £617.73 or more from paid work in your last monthly assessment period

If you get payments as a couple, you and your partner can apply for your own Help to Save accounts. You need to apply separately.

You also need to be living in the UK. If you live overseas, you can apply for an account if you’re either a:

Crown servant or their spouse or civil partner

member of the British armed forces or their spouse or civil partner

If you stop claiming benefits

You can keep using your Help to Save account.

How it will affect your benefits

Saving money though a Help to Save account could affect your eligibility for certain benefits and how much you get.

Universal Credit

If you or your partner have £6,000 or less in personal savings this will not affect how much Universal Credit you get. This includes any savings in your Help to Save account.

Your Help to Save bonuses will not affect your Universal Credit payments.

Working Tax Credit

Any savings or bonuses you earn through Help to Save will not affect how much Working Tax Credit you get.

Housing Benefit

If you or your partner have £6,000 or less in personal savings this will not affect how much Housing Benefit you get. This includes any savings in your Help to Save account.

Your Help to Save bonuses will not affect your Housing Benefit payments.

How to apply

You need a Government Gateway user ID and password to apply. If you do not have a user ID, you can create one when you apply.

You’ll be asked to provide your UK bank details when you apply.

Apply now

Sign in


Budgeting Loans

How they work

A Budgeting Loan can help pay for:

furniture or household items (for example, washing machines or other ‘white goods’)

clothes or footwear

rent in advance

costs linked to moving house

maintenance, improvements or security for your home

travelling costs within the UK

costs linked to getting a new job

maternity costs

funeral costs

repaying hire purchase loans

repaying loans taken for the above items

Crisis Loans are not available any more.

You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you’ve been on certain benefits for 6 months.

You only have to pay back the amount you borrow, and repayments are taken automatically from your benefits.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Check if you're eligible

To get a Budgeting Loan you must have been getting one or more of these benefits for the past 6 months:

Income Support

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Pension Credit

If you moved from Universal Credit to Pension Credit, any time spent claiming Universal Credit will count towards the 6 months.

You cannot get a Budgeting Loan if:

you are currently claiming Universal Credit - apply for a Budgeting Advance instead

you’re involved in industrial action (for example, a strike, walkout or lockout)

you owe more than £1,500 in total for Crisis Loans and Budgeting Loans

If you live in Northern Ireland, go to Budgeting Loans in Northern Ireland.

What you could get

The lowest amount you can borrow is £100. You could get up to:

£348 if you’re single

£464 if you have a partner

£812 if you or your partner claim Child Benefit

How much you could get depends on whether you:

can pay the loan back

have savings of more than £1,000 (£2,000 if you or your partner are 63 or over)

are paying back an existing Budgeting Loan or Crisis Loan

Paying back the loan

A Budgeting Loan is interest free so you only pay back what you borrow.

The repayments will be taken automatically from your benefits. The amount you repay is based on your income - including any benefits you receive - and what you can afford.

After you apply for a Budgeting Loan, you’ll get an email, text or letter telling you if you’ve been offered a loan. This explains how much your weekly repayments will be if you accept the loan.

You normally have to repay the loan within 2 years (104 weeks). If you stop getting benefits, you’ll need to arrange another way to repay.

Apply

Check you’re eligible before you apply.

If you get Universal Credit you cannot get a Budgeting Loan. You’ll need to apply for a Budgeting Advance instead.

You can apply online or using the paper form. It’s quicker to apply online.

Apply online

When you apply online, you can choose to get a decision on your loan by either:

email

text message

letter

It’s quicker to get the decision by email or text message and accept it online.

There’s a different way to apply for a Budgeting Loan in Northern Ireland.

Apply online

Apply using the paper form

You will need to fill in form SF500. You can:

download and print the form

phone the Social Fund Enquiry Line and ask for a form to be posted to you - allow 7 days for the form to arrive

Return your completed form by post.

After you apply

After you apply you will be given a decision on your application. You need to accept the decision before you get your money.

If you apply online

You’ll find out if you’ve been offered a loan within:

7 days if you get the decision by text or email

21 days if you get the decision by letter

If you apply by post

You’ll get a letter telling you if you’ve been offered a loan within 21 days.

Accepting the loan

How you accept the loan depends on how you applied.

Accept online

You can accept the loan offer online by following the instructions in the text or email.

Accept by post

You can accept by signing page 4 of the acceptance letter and returning it in the pre-paid envelope provided. Make sure the reply slip is folded so that the return address is fully visible in the envelope window.

Return it to the address on the letter. Do not send it to your local Jobcentre Plus office as this may delay getting your loan.

Getting your money

You’ll get your money within:

7 days of accepting the loan offer online

21 days of your loan offer acceptance being received by post

The money will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

You’ll get a text message confirming this has been done.

Questions about your application

Call the Social Fund Enquiry Line if you have a question about the progress of your application.

You should wait:

14 days before phoning if you applied online

21 days before phoning if you applied by post

Your application may not have been processed before then.

Other help you can get

You may be able to get other kinds of support, including:

help from your local council and Jobcentre Plus

the Discretionary Assistance Fund in Wales

a Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant in Scotland

Discretionary Support or a Short-term Benefit Advance in Northern Ireland


Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Overview

You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.

You may also be able to get ESA if you were unable to work while self-isolating or ‘shielding’ because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

ESA gives you:

money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work

support to get back into work if you’re able to

You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Eligibility

You can apply for ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you’re under State Pension age and you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.

You also need to have both:

worked as an employee or have been self-employed

paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years - National Insurance credits also count

Check your National Insurance record for gaps.

You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of ‘new style’ ESA. Universal Credit can help with, for example, your housing and childcare costs.

You cannot get ‘new style’ ESA if you:

claim Jobseeker’s Allowance

claim Statutory Sick Pay

If your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is due to end

You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA up to 3 months before your SSP ends. You’ll start getting ‘new style’ ESA as soon as your SSP ends.

If you’re working

You can apply whether you’re in or out of work. There are conditions to working while claiming ESA.

If you’ve been affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA if you’re unable to claim Statutory Sick Pay and one of the following applies:

you or your child might have COVID-19 or you’re recovering from it

you or your child are self-isolating because you came into contact with someone who might have COVID-19

you were advised to ‘shield’ because you’re clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19

Shielding in England, Scotland and Wales has stopped. You can still apply for ESA if you were shielding in England or shielding in Wales before 1 April 2021, or if you were shielding in Scotland before 26 April 2021.

If you’re claiming ESA because of COVID-19, you’ll need to give evidence to support your claim.

Proof if you’re self-isolating because of COVID-19

If you or your child are self-isolating and you cannot work because of COVID-19, you can get an ‘isolation note’ online from NHS 111 if you’ve been off work for 7 or more days. You do not have to go to your doctor or a hospital.

If you’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve come into contact with someone with COVID-19, your notification is proof.

If you’ve been advised by your doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery, your letter confirming the date of your procedure is proof.

Proof if you were advised to shield because of COVID-19

Your doctor or health authority should have sent you a letter advising you or your child to ‘shield’ because you’re clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

The letter will have included the period to shield for. It is proof of your eligibility for ESA for days away from work in that period.

You may have more than one letter covering more than one shielding period.

Contact your doctor if you do not have a letter but think you should have one.

What you'll get

How much you get will depend on what stage your application is at, as well as things like your age and whether you’re able to get back into work.

If you get ‘new style’ ESA you’ll earn Class 1 National Insurance credits, which can help towards your State Pension and some benefits in the future.

What might affect how much you get paid

You cannot make a new claim for income-related ESA. You’ll continue to get payments while you’re eligible until your claim ends.

Neither your or your partner’s savings or income will affect how much ‘new style’ ESA you’re paid. But a private pension worth more than £85 per week may affect how much you can get.

If you get income-related ESA, your household income and savings worth £6,000 or more may affect how much you can get.

While your claim is being assessed

You’ll normally get the ‘assessment rate’ for 13 weeks while your claim is being assessed.

This will be:

up to £59.20 a week if you’re aged under 25

up to £74.70 a week if you’re aged 25 or over

If it takes longer than 13 weeks to assess your claim, you’ll continue getting the ‘assessment rate’ until you get a decision or until your ESA is due to end. Your ESA will be backdated if you’re owed any money after 13 weeks.

After you’re assessed

You’ll be placed into one of 2 groups if you’re entitled to ESA. If you’re able to get back into work in the future, you’ll be put into the work-related activity group. Otherwise, you’ll be put into the support group.

You’ll get:

up to £74.70 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group

up to £114.10 a week if you’re in the support group

If you’re in the support group

If you’re in the support group and on income-related ESA, you’re also entitled to the enhanced disability premium.

You may also qualify for the severe disability premium.

Find out how to apply for a disability premium.

How you’re paid

You’ll get paid ESA every 2 weeks.

All benefits are paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Other benefits you can claim

Universal Credit can help with, for example, your housing and childcare costs. You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of ‘new style’ ESA.

Use a benefits calculator to find out what other benefits you could get, for example Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you have a long-term health condition or disability.

The benefit cap may affect the total amount of benefit you can get. The cap will not affect you if you’re in the support group.

If you’re moving to Universal Credit from income-related ESA

If your income-related ESA claim is ending because you’re making a new claim for Universal Credit, you’ll automatically continue to get the amount of ESA you currently receive, as long as you’re still eligible. You’ll normally get this for 2 weeks, starting from the date of your new claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you telling you how this works.

You do not need to pay this money back, and it will not affect the amount of Universal Credit you get.

Budgeting Loan

You can apply for a Budgeting Loan if you’ve been on income-related ESA for at least 6 months.

Advice on money and debt

You can get help and advice from your Jobcentre Plus work coach or:

Citizens Advice

Money Advice Service

National Debtline

Shelter

Working while you claim

You can usually work while you are claiming ESA if both of the following apply:

you work less than 16 hours a week

you do not earn more than £143 a week

Tell Jobcentre Plus about your work when you make a claim.

Send this form to Jobcentre Plus if you’re already claiming ESA and you want to start work.

When you can work 16 hours or more a week

You can work more than 16 hours a week if the work is either voluntary or ‘supported permitted work’.

Supported permitted work

The work must be either:

supervised by someone from a local council or voluntary organisation who arranges work for disabled people

part of a treatment programme under medical supervision

You can still earn no more than £143 a week.

How to claim

You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of ‘new style’ ESA.
Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit.

There’s a different way to apply in Northern Ireland.

What you need to apply

You’ll need:

your National Insurance number

your bank or building society account number and sort code (you can use a friend or family member’s account if you do not have one)

your doctor’s name, address and telephone number

details of your income if you’re working

the date your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) ends if you’re claiming it

You cannot get ‘new style’ ESA if you’re getting Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from an employer. You can apply for ‘new style’ ESA up to 3 months before your SSP ends.

If you’re applying because of COVID-19, you’ll also need:

an ‘isolation note’ if you’re unable to work because of COVID-19

your notification from the NHS or public health authorities if you’ve been told to self-isolate because you’ve come into contact with someone with COVID-19

a letter confirming the date of your procedure if you’ve been advised to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery

a letter from your doctor or a health authority advising you or your child to shield (take extra precautions to reduce contact with others) because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19

Once you’ve applied, you’ll be contacted by phone and told when to give the evidence and where to send it.

Apply now

When you can apply by phone

Call the Universal Credit helpline if:

you cannot make an application online

you’re an appointee for someone

After you apply

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will contact you within 10 working days of applying.

If you’re eligible

DWP will contact you within 10 working days to schedule an appointment that you must attend. It will normally be over the phone with a work coach from your local Jobcentre Plus office.

Your work coach will explain what you need to do to get ‘new style’ ESA. They will create an agreement with you called a ‘Claimant Commitment’.

You must agree to your Claimant Commitment before you can get ‘new style’ ESA.

At the appointment, you’ll be asked to:

explain how your illness or disability affects your ability to work

provide medical evidence

agree to tell your local Jobcentre Plus if your circumstances change

If you’re not eligible

DWP will send you a letter within 10 working days of applying to explain why you’re not eligible for ESA.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

Reapplying for ESA

You may be able to reapply after your ‘new style’ ESA ends. You may qualify again depending on:

what National Insurance contributions you paid in the last 2 full tax years before the tax year you’re claiming in

whether you’re placed in the support group because you developed a new condition or your health deteriorated

Your ESA claim

After you’ve made your claim, you’ll be told if you need to have a ‘Work Capability Assessment’ and what group you’ll be put in.

Work Capability Assessment

A Work Capability Assessment is used to find out if your illness or disability affects how much you can work.

You might not need one, for example if you’re in hospital or you have a terminal illness.

If you need a Work Capability Assessment you’ll get a letter telling you to fill in the ‘Capability for work questionnaire’ and send it to the Health Assessment Advisory Service. The address is on the form. The questionnaire is different in Northern Ireland.

You’ll be told what happens next, for example if you need an appointment to understand your health condition better.

If you’re claiming both Universal Credit and ‘new style’ ESA, you’ll only have one Work Capability Assessment.

You can ask for your assessment to be recorded. If you would like this, tell the Health Assessment Advisory Service using the contact details in your appointment invite letter.

How the assessment happens

Assessments can be in person, by video call or on the phone. You’ll be told how your assessment will take place.

If you’re asked to attend in person you’ll be told how to do this safely because of coronavirus (COVID-19). You can bring one adult from your household with you.

If your assessment is by phone or video call, you can have someone else with you, for example a friend or support worker. You can ask the assessor to call them if they’re not with you when the assessment starts.

You’ll stay on the ‘assessment rate’ until a decision can be made on your Work Capability Assessment.

After your claim is assessed

If you’re entitled to ESA you’ll be placed in one of 2 groups:

a work-related activity group (you cannot work now, but can prepare to work in the future, for example by writing a CV)

a support group (you cannot work now and you’re not expected to prepare for work in the future)

If you’re in the work-related activity group

You must attend regular interviews with a work coach. They can help you improve your skills or write a CV to help you get back into work.

If you’re in the support group

You’re usually in this group if your illness or disability severely limits what you can do. You do not have to go to interviews. You can tell your work coach if you’d like to take part in work-related activities.

How long you’ll get ESA for

‘New style’ and contribution-based ESA last for 365 days if you’re in the work-related activity group.

There’s no time limit if you’re in the support group, or if you’re getting income-related ESA.

To keep getting ESA you must report any change in your circumstances. You may also need to send fit notes regularly.

If you get a sanction

Your ESA can be reduced if you do not attend interviews or do work-related activity as agreed with your work coach in your ‘Claimant Commitment’. This reduction can continue for up to 4 weeks after you restart work-related activities.

You’ll get a letter to say you may be sanctioned. Tell your work coach if you have a good reason for not doing what was agreed in your Claimant Commitment.

You’ll get another letter if the decision is made to give you a sanction. Your benefit will only be affected once a decision has been made.

You should contact your local council immediately if you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. They’ll tell you what to do to continue getting support.

If you get a sanction you can:

ask for the decision to be looked at again

ask for a hardship payment

You will not get a sanction if you’re in the support group.

Hardship payments

If you get income-related ESA, you may be able to get a hardship payment if your benefit has been reduced because of a sanction or a penalty due to suspected benefit fraud.

A hardship payment is a reduced amount of your ESA. You do not have to pay it back.

You can get a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or other basic needs for you or your family. You must be 18 or over.

Speak to your Jobcentre Plus adviser or work coach to find out how to claim a hardship payment.

Report a change of circumstances

You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away.

A change of circumstance can include:

starting or stopping work, education, training or an apprenticeship

moving house

changing your name

people moving into or out of the place you live (for example your partner or a child)

changes to the benefits you or anyone else in your house gets

changes to your pension, savings, investments or property

changes to other money you get (for example student loans or grants, sick pay or money you get from a charity)

changing your doctor

any changes to your medical condition or disability

going into hospital or a care home or sheltered accommodation

going abroad for any length of time

changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen

Call Jobcentre Plus if you’re not sure whether you need to report a change.

You may be prosecuted or have to pay a £50 penalty if you give wrong or incomplete information.

If you’ve been paid too much

If you give wrong or incomplete information or do not report a change straight away, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to pay some of the money back.

How to report

You can report a change of circumstances by:

calling Jobcentre Plus

writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your ESA - the address is on the letters you get about your ESA

If you get Universal Credit at the same time as ‘new style’ ESA, you must also report the changes of circumstances in your Universal Credit account.

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service

Watch a video to check you can use the service

Go to the video relay service

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

If you’re in Northern Ireland contact the ESA Centre.