Helping you into work - Understanding Universal Credit

8. Helping you into work

If you are able to work, jobseeking is likely to be one of your key responsibilities as part of your Universal Credit claim. There is a range of support available to help you with your job search and in getting back to work.

Work coach support

If you receive Universal Credit and are able to work, you will be provided with a work coach. They are there to help with your job search, and they can give you individual support depending on your needs. This can include:

helping you to identify your transferable skills and how these may help you in jobs or industries you may not have thought of before
using their local expertise to help with your job search and to find suitable opportunities for you
helping you create, improve and adapt your CV
supporting you with job applications and providing advice to increase your chance of success
helping you prepare and practise for interviews

It’s easy to contact your work coach through your Universal Credit online account

Finding work

JobHelp is a dedicated online job search support service. It contains lots of useful tools to help you get started with your job search including:

job search ideas, for example where to look for new opportunities and how you can use your existing skills
guidance and tips for completing job applications
information about industries and job types that are more likely to be recruiting at the moment
advice and support with CV writing, completing applications and preparing for interviews

Find a job provides a list of full-time and part-time jobs in England, Scotland and Wales. You can search based on location, industry and type of job.

Starting work

If you’ve been offered a job or have started work, additional support could be available to help you stay in work and make the most of the opportunity.

Universal Credit: Ongoing financial support

Universal Credit adapts to your income and can continue to top up your wages when you’re in work.

If you take part-time or low paid work your Universal Credit payments may reduce but you could still receive some Universal Credit to top up your wages.

This helps make sure that taking work is financially worthwhile, and could make it easier to get started in a new job or industry.

Find out more about how work affects your Universal Credit payments

Universal Credit: Work Allowance

You may be able to keep more of your Universal Credit if you are in work and if you are responsible for children, or if you have a health condition or disability that affects your ability to work.

This is known as a Work Allowance, and it means you can earn more money before your Universal Credit starts to reduce.

The size of your Work Allowance will depend on your circumstances. Find out more about Work Allowances

Universal Credit: Childcare

If you’re in work or have accepted a job offer, you may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs to help you stay in work and take care of your family.

It doesn’t matter how many hours you work as long as you are in employment, and you could claim back up to £646.35 per month if you have 1 child, or £1,108.04 per month if you have 2 or more children.

From 28 June, working parents on Universal Credit will be able to receive even more financial help with their childcare costs. This will be to up to £951 for 1 child or up to £1,630 for 2 or more children. Eligible parents claiming Universal Credit will also be able to get help with their childcare upfront so that they can more easily pay their next set of costs. Parents who are moving into work or increasing their working hours can speak to their Universal Credit work coach who can provide more information.

Find out more about how Universal Credit can help you stay in work by helping to pay for your childcare

Financial support for working with a health condition or disability

Access to Work is a government grant scheme that can pay for extra support you need to help you start or stay in work if you have a disability or health condition that affects your ability to work. The support you are awarded will be based on your needs, and could include a grant to cover the additional costs of practical support in the workplace. This could pay for additional support beyond any reasonable adjustments you’ve agreed with your employer such as: