A world of help for Universal Credit from Torus

Whether you’re new to Universal Credit or you’ve been on it a while, our info and advice can help you make the switch and manage your money, home and bills much more easily.

The Latest Changes

From July 2018 Universal Credit is changing in St Helens
A new process – Universal Credit Full Service is being introduced.

Who might be affected

Firstly, if you’re working age and have a change in circumstance that affects your benefits, you may need to claim Universal Credit Full Service.

A change in circumstances could be:

A new baby
Children starting school
A partner moving in or out
Becoming unemployed

Secondly, if you’re already claiming Universal Credit then come September the DWP will write to you asking you to go online and claim Universal Credit Full Service instead.

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Things you need to know

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You may need to claim Universal Credit if you have a change in circumstances that affects your benefits

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Claims must be done entirely online, so you’ll need internet access

3

It can take up to 5 weeks for your first payment to come through, after that you’re paid monthly

4

You’ll need photographic ID, like a passport or driving licence

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You need to confirm how much rent you pay. If you don’t you won’t be given help towards your housing costs

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You must pay your rent yourself, it isn’t paid automatically like housing benefit

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You need to keep an online workbook that shows you are actively looking for work

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Ways we can help

Getting used to being paid monthly not weekly can take some getting used to. Here are some of the ways we can help.

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We have loads of tips and advice to help your money go further

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We can help you prioritise important bills like your rent first

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If you fall into arrears we can arrange a payment plan

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We can help you access grants or affordable loans

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If money’s short at the end of the month we can provide foodbank vouchers

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We can help you access the internet to complete your claim and work diary

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We can help you find a job or training opportunity

Here's what our experts have to say

How Universal Credit is different

Laura explains the big differences you need to know

Budgeting support

Mike talks about the ways we help tenants manage their money

No one works harder to find you a job

Our team works with employers across the region to bring you the latest job opportunities and provide weekly drop-in sessions to help with job applications, job searches and more.

Wednesdays 1pm – 4pm, Helena Central, St Helens

Tuesdays 1pm – 4pm, Newton Family and Community Centre

Getting Online

Because Universal Credit needs to be claimed online, you’ll need access to the internet. We have a number of computers available to use at Helena Central, just pop in the Wi-Fi is free. Alternatively, you can use the PCs at Central Library or St Helens Job Centre Plus.

Useful Resources

Get support while you’re looking for work

Universal Credit & You

This guide will help you to benefit from all the positives that work brings.

View Resource