If we need help with Universal Credit or extra financial support, we need to ask for it. Here’s where we can turn:

• Contact Universal Credit via your online account or call the free helpline (details on the webpage). Make sure you have your National Insurance number to hand. If you don’t know it, click here to find out.
• It is a lot easier to manage our Universal Credit if we have a bank account. For advice on opening a basic bank account check out the Money Advice Service. 
• Contact your local council which may have a welfare support team. They can tell us if we are eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment. If your landlord is a housing association, speak to them about what help is available.
• Get a copy of our Universal Credit Guide
• Citizens Advice can help us on all of the issues above. Also check out any local advice agencies.
  

Remember:

Get online. If we’re not online it can be more difficult to get the benefits we’re entitled to. Visit LearnMyWay where you can get free courses on how to use the internet. Also see our latest campaign with MasterCard, Nobody in the Dark.

Universal Credit will be paid monthly, which means your budgeting skills need to be tip top. Take our Future Proof Finance Quiz, download our free Spending Diary, use the Budget Planner and read our top tips for budgeting. 

For more information on Universal Credit:

• Factsheet by Child Poverty Action Group
• Rethink Factsheet
• Benefits Calculator
• Intro video from the DWP
• Official Government information
• Money Advice Service information
• Turn2us guide to Universal Credit

You can also sign up to our Quids In Readers Club which features a regular UC Watch column.