Universal Credit claimants to get online option to apply for advances in ‘spring 2018’
New digital service to be created following £1.5bn support package unveiled in the Budget
Credit: Kin Cheung/AP/Press Association Images
The £1.5bn support package for the rollout of Universal Credit will include provision for people to apply online for advances.
Beginning in “spring 2018”, claimants will be able to use a digital service to apply for an advance on their first Universal Credit payment. The government has advised new claimants that it “usually takes about six weeks” for the initial payment to be made.
While they wait, recipients that find themselves unable to pay rent or buy food or other necessities can apply for an advance payment. Advances can also be issued if a newly reported change in circumstances affects a claimant’s payment schedule.
Related content
- Universal Credit seeks booking system to support up to 30 million appointments
- DWP to bring in electronic evidence submission for funeral payment claims
- Universal Credit: Poor planning and lack of ‘agile’ expertise major factors in disastrous start, says report
Currently, applications for an advance can only be made via the Universal Credit telephone helpline, or by talking directly to a designated “work coach”.
In the spring of next year, an online system for making applications will be made available, which the government said will make it “even easier for a claimant to access an advance if they need it”.
The development of this new service is among a raft of support and improvement measures provided for by a £1.5bn funding package unveiled by chancellor Philp Hammond in the recent Budget.
Last month the government claimed that 99% of new claims for Universal Credit are made online.
Share this page
Tags
Categories
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM READERS
Please login to post a comment or register for a free account.
Related Articles
Head of PCS union says that seeming drop in instances of bullying does ‘not reflect the sad reality’
November stats show another spike in call-waiting times and new struggles with answering online and postal queries
Success rate of 7% compares with 3% for state-educated applicants
Education secretary also announces that schools must deliver at least three hours of online teaching a day
Related Sponsored Articles
In 2020 public sector organisations have been tested to a degree never experienced before. According to CrowdStrike, increasing cybersecurity attacks are an additional complication they must...