The tax credits system closed on 5 April 2025, so no tax credit awards continue after that date. Most people will have been invited to claim either universal credit or pension credit. However, you may still be entitled to tax credit disability element payments for 2024/25 and earlier years if you, ...

Under universal credit rules, if you make a loss from your self-employment in one assessment period, you may be able to carry forward that loss to set-off against profit in a future assessment period.

If you are self-employed and claiming universal credit, DWP will need to decide if you are in ‘gainful self-employment’. 

The minimum income floor applies to some universal credit claims if you are self-employed. It does not apply in all cases. If the minimum income floor applies, you may be treated as earning a certain amount even if your actual earnings from self-employment are lower.

This page explains how to report your self-employed income and how it is calculated for universal credit.

The surplus earnings rules apply whether you are employed or self-employed or both. The rules mean that excess earnings are carried forward from one assessment period to another if certain conditions are met. They are then treated as extra income in a later assessment period.