The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are offering Universal Credit claimants cash in advance if they are struggling to pay bills. Millions of people in the UK are relying on benefits now more than ever to help them with household costs in the cost of living crisis, and advanced cash benefits can come as a huge lifeline in times of need.
The DWP has explained on its website how to claim the support if you need it including what criteria you need to fulfil to get it, what are the requirements and how to pay it back. It is important to be aware of how advanced payments are paid back after you have received them so you don't get a nasty shock later down the line, Liverpool Echo reports.
Before taking out any advanced payments it's important to make sure you have planned ahead for the next steps, so with that in mind here are all the things you need to know about getting an advanced Universal Credit payment. The most you can get as an advance is the amount of your first estimated payment, which means you aren't necessarily going to get a huge amount of money, maybe just enough to tide yourself over.
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It's to help people who are newly signed up to Universal Credit who need urgent help until that first payment drops. You can apply for an advance payment via your online account or through your Jobcentre Plus work coach.
You’ll need to:
explain why you need an advance
verify your identity (you’ll do this when you apply online or on the phone with a work coach)
provide bank account details for the advance (talk to your work coach if you cannot open an account)
You'll usually find out the same day if you can get an advance. The cash must usually be paid back within two years, and claimants will start to repay it from their first payment.
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