CITIZENS Advice is preparing to help people with Universal Credit as it rolls out in full across Adur and Worthing this month.

Universal Credit is a new benefit which helps people on a low income, or not in work, meet their living costs.

It combines six benefits, including Housing Benefit and Working Tax Credit, into a single monthly payment.

Previously in this area, Universal Credit was only available to single jobseekers but since the beginning of July, parents, couples and people who can’t work because of their health, who are making a new claim, are also able to receive it.

Anyone who may be confused or worried about how the new benefit might affect them, is encouraged to get in touch with Citizens Advice for support.

Citizens Advice is highlighting what changes are taking effect, namely around how Universal Credit is paid, so that people can prepare before applying for the new benefit.

The three changes Citizens Advice says people need to be aware of are:

?Universal Credit payments are made in arrears once at the end of the month, rather than being paid every week.

?Payments go straight into a claimant’s bank account. This means people may need to set up their own standing orders for expenses like rent if it was paid directly to their landlord under the old Housing Benefit system.

?New Universal Credit applications, and any change in your circumstances, need to be made online.

With most people facing a six-week wait for their first Universal Credit payment, Citizens Advice is encouraging people to apply for an advance payment if they’re concerned about meeting their living costs in the meantime.

Nationally, Citizens Advice has helped 200,000 people with Universal Credit since the benefit began to be introduced in 2013.

The bulk of queries relate to people wanting to know how they make a claim and if they’re eligible to do so.

Julie Martin, Chief Executive of Central and South Sussex Citizens Advice, which operates the Crawley centre, said: “Universal Credit is the biggest ever change to the benefit system, so it’s important people get support while they get used to it.

“Most of the queries we have helped with so far have focused on people wanting to know how Universal Credit works and how to apply, and we’d expect that to continue during the full roll-out.

“We can help people.”