How does Universal Credit work for couples?

Who counts as a couple

Universal Credit treats you as a couple if you live in the same household and you are:

• married to each other
• civil partners
• living together as if you were married

If this is you, you must claim together. You cannot make a claim on your own.

Conditions for a couple claim

• You live together at the same address.
• Your combined savings are £16,000 or less.
• You make one joint claim for the household, even if your partner is not eligible.

Couple rates for 2026/27

A couple gets less than two single people. Two single people aged 25 or over would get £849.80 a month between them (2 x £424.90).

Extra amounts for children, housing, caring, health or childcare are added on top.

How your money is counted

• Income: both partners' earnings count. For every £1 either of you earns above any work allowance, your payment goes down by 55p.
• Savings: your combined savings count. Savings over £6,000 reduce your payment, and over £16,000 you cannot claim. These limits are the same as for a single person.
• Childcare: to get help with childcare costs, you usually both need to be working.

Claimant commitments

You each have your own claimant commitment. The main carer of a child may have fewer work requirements, while the other partner, if not working full time, is usually expected to look for full-time work.

If you are already working, the couple's administrative earnings threshold from 1 April 2026 is £1,597 a month combined, before deductions. At or above it, you will not need regular work coach meetings.

Special cases

• One partner not eligible: you still claim jointly, and their income and savings may still count.
• Mixed age couples: if one of you has reached State Pension age and the other has not, you claim Universal Credit as a couple. Couples who have been getting Housing Benefit as a mixed age couple continuously since 14 May 2019 can choose Pension Credit instead, but they will not get transitional protection if they do.
• Moving in or splitting up: report it straight away. It can affect your whole assessment period.

How you are paid

You get one monthly payment for the household, into a joint account or one partner's account. A split payment can be arranged where it is right for your family, usually for a limited time.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

• Scotland: you can choose to be paid once or twice a month.
• Wales: the same as England.
• Northern Ireland: you each create an account and link them with a partner code, then submit within 28 days. Couples are paid twice a month.

Related guides

• Am I eligible for Universal Credit?
• How much Universal Credit will I get?
• How do savings affect Universal Credit?
• What changes must I report on Universal Credit?
• Can pensioners get Universal Credit?

Where these figures come from

• Universal Credit: eligibility (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit: further information for couples (GOV.UK)
• Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (DWP)
• Universal Credit if you're a mixed age couple (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit if you have children (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit and earnings (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit: how you're paid (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit for couples (nidirect)