How and when is universal credit paid?

Universal credit is normally paid into a bank, building society or credit union account. If you don’t have one, you might be able to get your money through the payment exception service instead. 

Payment exception service 

If you don’t have a bank, building society or credit union account, call the universal credit helpline to arrange being paid via the payment exception service.

This lets you collect your money from a PayPoint or Post Office using a payment card or voucher code. Remember to take photo ID with you.

You can collect the full amount you’ve been paid if the outlet has enough money in their till. 

You might need to use your card more than once, or use more than one voucher code if you’re collecting more than £100. 

You’ll need to pick up your money within 90 days of it being sent. If you don’t, you’ll have to ask for it to be sent again. 

Alternative payment arrangement

Your money will usually be paid into one account, but if you want to split the money with someone else, you can ask for an alternative payment arrangement. There are a number of reasons why you might want to do this e.g. if you want your rent paid directly to your landlord.

An alternative payment arrangement needs to be agreed but you’re likely to get one if you’ve:

• fallen behind on rent
• got addiction problems
• got mental health problems
• got learning difficulties
• been homeless
• experienced domestic abuse including financial abuse

You might also be allowed split payments if you’re in a couple and one of you struggles to manage money.

You’ll usually get your first universal credit payment five weeks after making your claim. This is because payments are made one week after a one-month assessment period. The assessment period starts on the day of your claim.

If you need money during these five weeks, you can ask for an advance on your first payment. You’ll need to pay it back but you won’t be charged interest.

Universal credit is a single payment made on the same date each month. If your payment date is a weekend or bank holiday, you’ll be paid on the working day before. 

It might take until 8pm on your payment date for the money to reach your account. 

Examples of payment dates 

Your universal credit claim can be backdated by a maximum of one month if you or your partner couldn’t have been reasonably expected to make a claim earlier and one of these circumstances apply:

• you were previously getting jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or employment support allowance (ESA) and weren’t told it was coming to an end
• you have a disability
• you were ill and this stopped you claiming earlier – you’ll need medical evidence
• your claim was made on the first day after a system failure or planned system maintenance
• you’re now claiming as a single person after a joint claim stopped when your relationship ended
• you’re now single and your previous joint claim was stopped or turned down because your ex-partner didn’t agree to the claimant commitment when you were together

How do I backdate my universal credit claim?

Ring the universal credit helpline if you want to backdate your claim.