Universal Credit budgeting advance

Jay_1987

I went on to universal credit early last year and whilst waiting on my first payment I was asked if I wanted to get a loan to keep me going until my first universal credit payment then I could. I now only have £20 left to pay, and was wondering if I could pay that early then apply for a budgeting advance straight away? I was on ESA before and any time I received an advance it was quite straight forward and I was able to do it online? If I call to pay the £20 outstanding would a new budgeting advance be available to me straight away? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

huckster

Yes you can phone DWP Debt Management ( not UC helpline) and pay off remaining advance balance.

You may not qualify for a new budgeting advance and UC won't be able to tell you whether you could take out a new budgeting advance, before you made the payment. The reason for this, is that the UC system won't indicate whether any further advance is available until.the existing balance is cleared. And you have to phone UC to go through an application process.

Jay_1987

Would I phone to pay it off then ask for another budgeting loan would I leave it a few days? I used to apply online for ESA but can’t find an option to do it for UC. That may be because I still have the £20 outstanding from the last loan though.

poppy12345

As it was a new claim advance you had this doesn’t affect you being eligible for a budgeting advance. 

Bemmy2525

Jay_1987 said:

Would I phone to pay it off then ask for another budgeting loan would I leave it a few days? I used to apply online for ESA but can’t find an option to do it for UC. That may be because I still have the £20 outstanding from the last loan though.

You have to ring up to apply for a budgeting advance.

huckster

If it is just a new claim advance you have had, you can try to apply for budgeting advance by calling UC helpline, but from I have heard recently they are tightening up the process by applying strict eligibility rules. It was a rule that a budgeting advance could not be issued within first 6 months of a new claim.

marcia_

 My friend was denied an advance whilst on sick leave without pay. The reason they gave was because she had earned over x amount in the last 3 pay dates. 

poppy12345

huckster said:

If it is just a new claim advance you have had, you can try to apply for budgeting advance by calling UC helpline, but from I have heard recently they are tightening up the process by applying strict eligibility rules. It was a rule that a budgeting advance could not be issued within first 6 months of a new claim.

That has always been the rules. However, the OP said they were claiming ESA before UC. As they've previously had budgeting loans It must have been Income Related ESA they were claiming. If they were claiming ESA when they applied for UC then the 6 month rules doesn't apply.