Universal credit: advance payments

Your first universal credit payment will usually take five weeks to come through. If you don’t have enough money to cover essentials during this time, you can apply for an advance.

You can also apply for an advance if you’re waiting for your universal credit payments to increase due to a change in circumstances and you’re struggling to get by in the meantime.

How much is a universal credit advance payment?

You can ask for up to a month of your estimated universal credit payment.

If you apply for an amount that is less than your monthly payment and then decide you need more, you can ask for a second payment but you’ll have to explain what the extra money will be used for.

The first and second payments together can’t add up to more than your monthly universal credit entitlement.

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How do I apply for an advance payment?

There are a number of ways you can apply for an advance payment, depending on your situation.

Applying through your online account

You can only apply for an advance through your online account if you are within your first universal credit assessment period (usually a month) and have had your interview at the jobcentre.

Select ‘apply for an advance’ and the amount you can get will be shown on screen. If you’re part of a couple, you’ll be asked if your partner agrees to the advance.

If your first assessment period has passed, you’ll need to apply for an advance by calling the universal credit helpline.

Applying by phone or through your work coach

If you apply for an advance by calling the universal credit helpline or through your work coach, you (and your partner, if you have one) will need to:

explain why you need an advance
have had your identity checked at a jobcentre
provide bank account details where the advance should be paid

When will I know if I’ve been accepted for a universal credit advance?

You’ll usually be told on the same day whether you can get an advance.

When will I get my universal credit advance?

The advance payment will usually arrive in your account three days after you ask for it. If you need it sooner, you may be able to get it on the same day.

The advance will be paid into the same bank account you’re using for your universal credit claim.

Paying back a universal credit advance

You will need to pay back your advance, but not all at once. It will be deducted from future universal credit payments.

If you still owe money and you’re no longer getting universal credit, you’ll be asked to make alternative arrangements to pay it back. If you fail to do that, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) might approach your employer to see whether they can arrange deductions from your pay.

You’ll usually be expected to pay back the advance within:

24 months if the advance related to a new claim for universal credit
six months if you applied for the advance because of a change of circumstances

In exceptional circumstances, you can ask for your repayments to be delayed. They can be delayed for:

three months if the advance related to a new claim
one month if the advance related to a change of circumstances

If you're refused an advance payment

You can ask DWP to reconsider their decision if they won’t give you an advance payment. It will help if you can give new evidence or show your circumstances have changed since your first request. You don’t have a right to appeal.

There are a number of reasons you might be refused an advance, including if you:

haven’t had your identity checked at a jobcentre
are judged to have enough money to last until your first/next universal credit payment
live with parents, relatives or friends
have final earnings or redundancy money
have accessible savings