If you have been awarded a benefit but have yet to receive the first payment then you could apply for an advance to tie you over financially .
Basic eligibility
You can only claim a benefit advance if you are in receipt of the following benefits…
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Pension Credit
State Pension
Income Support
Carer’s Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Those on Universal Credit can claim a short term advance
Advances are for people who have already applied to claim a benefit.
You must prove you are in financial hardship in order to claim, e.g you cannot afford food or pay an energy bill without receiving the money, for example.
How much will I get?
The amount you can get is based on two factors…
- How many days you have been due an individual benefit
- Your personal allowance (based on what benefits you’ve claimed)
You will have to repay these advances once you start to receive your benefit payments. This must be done within three months, except in exceptional cases.
Any on-going repayments to existing benefit advances will also be taken into account when you apply
How do I apply?
You will need to speak to the relevant department within the DWP in order to apply for an advance. To find out who this is you should contact your local JobCentre Plus.
How will I get paid the money
Approved payments are normally made the next working day if not before.
Impact on other benefits
A Short Term Benefit Advance is classified as a payment related to the benefit you are claiming an advanced payment of. Therefore, if the benefit you are claiming for is treated as income in relation to the Benefit Cap, then so will the advanced payment.