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Apply for financial support if you need an advance or hardship payment before your next Universal Credit payment.

• Overview

  You might be able to get financial help paid to you before your next…

• Get an advance on your first payment

  If you need help to pay your bills or cover other costs before you get…

• If your payments have been stopped or reduced

  Your Universal Credit payments can be stopped or reduced if you get a…

• Get an advance for unexpected costs

  If you already get Universal Credit and need help paying for a one-off…

• Help with job expenses

  If you’re applying for or starting a job, you can get support to pay for…

• Get an advance if your circumstances have changed

  If your circumstances have changed and this means you’ll be eligible for…

Get a benefit advance if you've applied for a benefit for the first time and cannot afford to wait for the first payment

• Overview

  You may be able to get an advance on your first benefit payment if you’re…

• How to apply

  There’s separate guidance if you’ve applied for Universal Credit and need…

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) helps homeowners on certain benefits pay interest on loans or mortgages - what you'll get, eligibility and how to claim.

• Overview

  You may be able to get help towards interest payments on: the mortgage for…

• What you'll get

  You’ll get help paying the interest on your mortgage or loan. Support for…

• Eligibility

  To be eligible for a Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan, you must…

• How to apply

  When you apply for a qualifying benefit, you’ll be asked extra questions…

• Repaying your loan

  You’ll need to repay your SMI loan as a lump sum with interest if you sell…

• If your benefits stop

  You can still get financial help with your housing costs if your Income…

If you want to claim Universal Credit you must verify your identity. This guide for claimants and people supporting them explains how to do that.

• Updated: 7 October 2025

Check a list of recent phone contacts from HMRC to help you decide if a phone call you've received is a scam.

• Updated: 10 November 2025

Find out what happens if your Universal Credit claim is reviewed.

Only fill in this capability for work questionnaire if you're asked to do so, this is not a claim form.

Visiting a prisoner: visiting times, keeping in touch by email, telephone or letter, banned items and sending money to a prisoner by debit card or online bank transfer

Financial help if you're disabled - benefits, housing costs, council tax, vehicle tax exemption, TV Licence, motability schemes, VAT relief

Universal Credit is replacing 6 other benefits with a single monthly payment if you're out of work or on a low income - eligibility, how to prepare.