ADVANCE PAYMENTS
If you are waiting for your first Universal Credit payment and do not have enough money to live on, you can apply for an advance.
This is a loan from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that must be repaid from future UC payments, usually over 24 months.
Advances can also be requested if your circumstances change and you need urgent support. For example, if you lose your job and have no savings, you can request an advance to cover rent and food until your first UC payment arrives.
Advance payments are a crucial safety net, especially given the standard five-week wait for the first UC payment. However, because advances are loans, they reduce future UC payments, which can create budgeting challenges. Appeals are an essential part of the system’s checks and balances, ensuring claimants can contest decisions they believe are wrong. The process is time-sensitive—mandatory reconsideration requests must usually be made within one month of the decision, though late requests can be accepted with good reason (such as illness or bereavement). The right to appeal extends to most aspects of a UC claim, including sanctions, overpayments, and entitlement decisions
Of all people the usually right wing journal The New Statesman warns,
This means claimants are getting into debt at the very beginning of the process. It also means that while they make repayments, they are receiving a lower amount of benefits each month. As their benefits were initially calculated to cover their living costs, this means they are therefore receiving less than they need.
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APPEALSIf you disagree with a decision about your Universal Credit claim—such as the amount awarded, a sanction, or an overpayment—you have the right to challenge it.
The first step is a mandatory reconsideration, where you ask the DWP to review their decision.
If you are still dissatisfied, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. For example, if your Work Capability Assessment finds you fit for work but you believe this is incorrect, you can request a reconsideration.
Step 1: Request a mandatory reconsideration
What it is: A mandatory reconsideration is when the DWP reviews its own decision.
How to request: You can do this by:
1.Writing a message in your Universal Credit online account.
2.Filling out a CRMR1 form from GOV APPEAL PAGE
3.Writing a letter to the DWP.
4.Calling the number on the decision letter, but be sure to follow up with a written request.
Deadline: You must request this within one month of the date on your decision notice.
TIP: If you care going to appeal do so straight away and get professional advice. This can be done by phone, in person or at a reputable site like Benefits and Work. Please check, as sadly there are some sites out there charging money for advice that is not always correct.