Apply for a Universal Credit advance or hardship payment

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Get an advance if your circumstances have changed

If your circumstances have changed and this means you’ll be eligible for more money, you can apply for an advance. For example you might be able to get an advance if:

  • you’re having a child
  • your rent is going up
  • you’ve lost a job or your wages have gone down

When you can apply

You can apply as soon as you’ve reported the change.

You cannot apply after you’ve 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
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

Paying back your advance

You’ll pay your advance back through your Universal Credit payments. You’ll usually pay it back over 6 months, starting from your next Universal Credit payment.

If you’re 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 

If you’re no longer claiming Universal Credit you’ll 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, DWP Debt Management will be in touch to discuss repaying it. If you want to discuss your repayments you can call DWP Debt Management.

DWP Debt Management
Telephone: 0800 916 0647 
Textphone: 0800 916 0651
NGT text relay – if you cannot hear or speak on the phone: 18001 then 0800 916 0647
Calling from abroad: +44 (0)161 904 1233
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7.30pm
Find out about call charges 

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