What is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is part of the United Kingdom [[Social Security]] system. It was started in 2013 to replace six benefits for working-age people with a low income: income-related [[Employment and Support Allowance]], income-based [[Jobseeker's Allowance]], [[Income Support]], [[Child Tax Credit]], [[Working Tax Credit]] and [[Housing Benefit]]. Like them it is [[means test]]<nowiki/>ed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2010 to 2015 government policy: welfare reform|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-welfare-reform/2010-to-2015-government-policy-welfare-reform|access-date=2023-01-24|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref> It is paid to families once a month and is designed to help people to work as much as they can. People under 25 get less. An extra amount is paid for children, but only for 2 unless they were born before 6 April 2017, are adopted or are born as part of a multiple birth. Extra money is paid for disabled people, disabled children and carers. According to the [[New Economics Foundation]] the rates of benefit were not sufficient to meet the minimum income standard calculated by [[Loughborough University]]’s Centre for Research in Social Policy in April 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tims|first=Sam|title=The gap between universal credit and the cost of living is growing|url=https://neweconomics.org/2023/05/universal-credit-is-falling-890-a-month-short-of-the-cost-of-living-despite-inflation-linked-uprating-1|access-date=2023-06-03|website=New Economics Foundation|language=en}}</ref> People who are working can claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs. People who are responsible for a child or young person or living with a disability or health condition that affects their ability to work get a ‘work allowance’. Each £1 earned (above the monthly work allowance if there is one) reduces the payment by 55p. Universal Credit is paid monthly. People who are paid 4 weekly will get 2 sets of wages in one assessment period once a year, which will reduce their Universal Cred