Support during the five week wait in England

You can ask for a Universal Credit (UC) Advance while you’re waiting for your first payment.  

It is a loan which you must pay back from your future Universal Credit payments, usually over 24 months.  

How much you can get will depend on your Universal Credit entitlement, but you can get up to 100% of your estimated amount.  

You can only claim a Universal Credit Advance during your first assessment period, and you’ll normally receive it within three working days of requesting it.  

You can request a UC Advance payment by:

• Speaking to your Jobcentre Plus work coach
• Requesting one in your online Universal Credit account   

Calling the Universal Credit Helpline:

• Telephone 0800 328 5644 
• Textphone 0800 328 1344 

Your local council or authority might be able to provide you with support while you wait for your first Universal Credit claim.

What you can get depends on where you live. It could be vouchers, a one-off payment, or help with specific bills.

This type of support is not required to be paid back. Schemes are discretionary, so the council doesn’t have to provide one.

Contact your council to find out what’s available in your area.

If you are struggling to find any mention of a fund on your local council website, try doing an internet search typing "name of your local council and hardship or welfare fund/household support fund" e.g. "Birmingham hardship fund" and it should bring up that webpage

You might be able to get support through the Flexible Support Fund, to help with extra costs associated with getting into and starting work. This could include support with travel expenses to attend an interview, or money to pay for clothing to start work.

The flexible Support Fund is discretionary, so you don’t have to pay it back. You also don’t have an automatic right to it if you qualify and no set amount of money can be given.

It depends on your situation, circumstances and needs.  

To get access to the Flexible Support Fund, you should speak to your Work Coach or an adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus.

You will need to tell them what you need the money for and give evidence that you cannot pay for the items yourself. 

There might be other support available to you if you get Universal Credit and meet certain criteria

• Budgeting Advance - if you have been X
• UC Recoverable Hardship Fund - of you have been sanctioned

Visit our Emergency Information guide for other support options.