Welfare reform

For years, people who needed extra financial support to cope with a disability received Disability Living Allowance. This allowance is now being replaced by a new payment, the Personal Independence Payment.

If you are over 18 and under pension age, you will be assessed for PIP if you need extra financial help because of a disability.  Children will still be able to claim DLA. 

Some people will do better under PIP and some people will lose out. The Northern Ireland Assembly has made extra money available to help people who are less well-off under PIP. These people can get a welfare supplementary payment.  There are three types of payments for people moving from DLA to PIP.

Universal credit is rolling out across Northern Ireland. From 5 December 2018 most new claims for social security assistance will be for Universal Credit. You will only be able to make new claims for older benefits, such as Housing Benefit in limited circumstances. You can make and manage a Universal Credit claim online. The phone number for Universal Credit in Northern Ireland is 0800 012 1331 

The government will start moving existing claimants of certain other benefits on to Universal Credit from 2019 and plans to finish this process by 2022. 

The amount of your universal credit payment will depend on several things, such as your personal circumstances and your income.