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Part of How to claim Universal Credit: step by step

Apply for a Universal Credit advance or hardship payment

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If your payments have been stopped or reduced

Your Universal Credit payments can be stopped or reduced if you get a sanction or fraud penalty.

If so, you might be able to get financial support to help you (or a child or young person you look after) afford:

The support is called a ‘recoverable hardship payment’. You’ll need to pay this back through your future Universal Credit payments.

Eligibility

You must:

  • have reduced your non-essential costs
  • have looked into other ways to get support
  • be able to prove that you need the support

If you’re in a couple, both of you must both agree to getting a hardship payment.

There are additional rules if you’ve been sanctioned.

If you’ve been sanctioned

You must have been sanctioned at 100% (or 50% or more for a couple) of your standard allowance for any amount of time.

You (and your partner if you have one) must also have completed:

  • your work-related requirements in the 7 days before applying
  • any activities you were given to end your sanction (sometimes called a ‘compliance condition’)

When you can apply 

You can only apply once you’ve had a lower or missed Universal Credit payment because of a sanction or penalty.

You’ll need to reapply each time you get a lower or missed payment. You’ll also need to show you’re still eligible.

How to apply 

When you apply, you’ll need to show:

  • what you’ve done to find other types of support 
  • what other income or savings you might have to help pay your costs 
  • what you’ve done to reduce your non-essential costs 
  • which living costs you’re not able to afford

To apply, you can: 

  • ask your Universal Credit contact at your local jobcentre or your work coach
  • update your journal in your Universal Credit account
  • call the Universal Credit helpline

Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
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

When you’ll get your payment 

If your application is accepted, hardship payments are usually paid directly into your bank account on the same day.

Repaying hardship payments

You’ll need to pay back a hardship payment once your sanction or fraud penalty has ended. 

Your Universal Credit payment will be automatically reduced by up to 15% of your standard allowance until you repay the hardship payment.

You can check how to repay and manage money you owe.

Repaying if you no longer claim Universal Credit 

If you’re no longer claiming Universal Credit, you’ll get a letter from DWP Debt Management explaining how to repay and manage money you owe.

If you’re struggling to repay a hardship payment 

If you cannot afford your hardship payment deductions, you can call DWP Debt Management to discuss your options.  

View a printable version of the whole guide

This page is Part of How to claim Universal Credit: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you're eligible

    1. Check if you're eligible for Universal Credit

    If you've worked in the last 2 to 3 years, you may also be eligible for:

  2. Step 2 Create an account and make a claim

    You need an online account to claim Universal Credit.

    1. Set up an account and make a claim

    You must submit your claim within 28 days of creating your account.

    If you live with your partner, they will also need to set up an account. You'll be given a code to link the accounts together.

  3. and Find out how your claim is assessed

    You'll need to have an interview with Jobcentre Plus. You'll be told how to arrange this after you submit your claim. It will be within 10 working days.

    If you have a disability or health condition you may need a work capability assessment. You'll be told if you need one after you claim.

    1. What to do if you have a health condition or disability

  4. Step 3 Apply for an advance on your first payment

    If you need help with bills or other costs while you wait for your first payment, you can apply to get an advance.

    1. Get an advance on your first Universal Credit payment
    2. Check if you can get any other financial support

  5. Step 4 Get your first payment

    You’ll get your first payment 5 weeks after you claim. Your account will be updated to tell you how much it will be.

    1. What to do if you disagree with the decision

  6. Step 5 Report any change of circumstances

    You must update your account if your circumstances change to get the right payment.

    1. How to report a change in circumstances
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