Apply for a Universal Credit advance or hardship payment
Get an advance if your circumstances have changed
If your circumstances have changed and this means you鈥檒l be eligible for more money, you can apply for an advance. For example you might be able to get an advance if:
- you鈥檙e having a child
- your rent is going up
- you鈥檝e lost a job or your wages have gone down
When you can apply
You can apply as soon as you鈥檝e reported the change.
You cannot apply after you鈥檝e received a higher payment due to your change of circumstances.
How to apply
To apply, you can do any of the following:
- update your journal in your Universal Credit account
- ask a Universal Credit contact at your local jobcentre or your work coach
- call the Universal Credit helpline
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
British Sign Language (BSL) if you鈥檙e on a computer - find out how to
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Paying back your advance
You鈥檒l pay your advance back through your Universal Credit payments. You鈥檒l usually pay it back over 6 months, starting from your next Universal Credit payment.
If you鈥檙e struggling to repay an advance
If you cannot afford your advance repayments, you can ask for your repayments to be delayed for one month. To request this, you can:
- update your journal in your Universal Credit account
- ask a Universal Credit contact at your local jobcentre or your work coach
- call the Universal Credit helpline
Repaying if you no longer claim Universal Credit聽
If you鈥檙e no longer claiming Universal Credit you鈥檒l still need to pay back your advance.
If you move to another benefit, the deductions will usually continue from your payments.
If you move off benefits, you鈥檒l get a letter from DWP Debt Management explaining how to repay and manage money you owe. If you want to discuss your repayments you can call DWP Debt Management.