DWP Budgeting Loan Phone Number

How can I Get a Budgeting Loan or Budgeting Advance?

If you are claiming benefits and need a budgeting loan, it can help spread the cost of large expenses.   Budgeting loans help pay for moving home, essentials for your home and personal essentials, such as clothes.  A loan can help spread the cost of something you need to buy, but cannot afford all at once.  Let us help you learn more about how you can get extra money.  The budgeting Loans and Advances are to help you buy costly expenses and spread the cost over a number of weeks or months.

What is a budgeting loan?

A budgeting loan is money that is loaned to you, to help you buy costly essentials.  You can only get a budgeting loan if you can afford it and you have to pay it back.

A budgeting advance is extra Universal Credit, that you have to pay back over a number of weeks.

You can apply for a budgeting loan or a budgeting advance if you need help to buy the following:

• Furniture
• Things for your home
• Clothes & Footwear
• Rent in advance and / or removal costs for moving home
• Home improvements and security
• Essential travel expenses
• Expenses to get a job
• Maternity expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Help with debt if the debt was for any of the above

There are other ways to apply for extra money that you do not have to pay back, such as Funeral Payment, Welfare Assistance and Maternity Grants.  Please check with your benefits office or ring 0845 459 8945 and we will forward your call.

Am I Eligible to get a Budgeting Loan?

You can apply for a budgeting loan if you are claiming certain benefits and qualify on time and savings.  It must be a benefit you are claiming because you do not have a job, other than the permitted work allowance when claiming these benefits.

You can apply for a budgeting loan or budging advance if:

1. You claim the right benefit
2. You have been claiming benefit for at least 26 weeks
3. You have less than £1000 in savings (£2000 if over the age of 62)

A budgeting advance is only considered if you are claim Universal Credit and in the previous six months you earnings have been severally limited.  The current threshold is less than £2600 during the previous six month if you are single and £3600 for a couple.

You can apply for a budgeting loan or a budgeting advance if you claim the following:

• Universal Credit
• Employment Support Allowance – ESA (income related only)
• Jobseekers Allowance – JSA
• Pension Credit

It is important to note that when you apply for a budgeting loan or advance they will also look at your circumstance, any existing budgeting loan or advance and your ability to pay the money back.

Please check with your benefits office or ring 0845 459 8945 and we will forward your call.

How much budgeting loan can I get?

The amount you are  awarded for a budgeting loan or budgeting advance depends on a number of factors.  What you need the money for and how much you can afford to pay back.

The good news is there is no interest to pay back on a budgeting loan or advance loan.  That is why it is better to get a loan or advance from the benefits department at DWP, rather than a loan company or a bank.

Currently, you can get the maximum of the following amounts:

• £348 for single people
• £464 if you are part of a couple
• £812 if you have dependant children

The minimum loan or advance you will be awarded is £100.

There are other ways to apply for extra money that you do not have to pay back, such as Funeral Payment, Welfare Assistance and Maternity Grants.  Please check with your benefits office or ring 0845 459 8945 and we will forward your call.

How do I apply for a budgeting loan?

It is import to know, you do not need to itemise what you need the loan or advance for.  You only need to say the category of the items you need to buy.  For example, you can just put clothes.  No need to put jeans, socks, jumper etc.

You will need to fill in a claims form.  You can fill in a budget loan application online by clicking here.

To claim a budgeting advance, you will need to speak to your local Jobcentre Plus.  Or you can give them a ring on 0845 459 0293 and we will forward your call.

How long does it take?

Firstly, note that you must pay back your budgeting loan within two years.  A budgeting advance usually must be paid within one year.

The aim is for a claim to be paid within 20 days if it is successful. 

To speed up the process you can do the following:

• Use the online form.
• Complete the form will all the correct and full details.
• Put your mobile number on the form so they can text you.
• Follow up with a phone call, if you posted a form, to ensure they have your form.
• If you are posting your claim form back, use a first class stamp.
• Sign and accept the offer and post it back the same day.
• Use a postbox with an early collection time on it.

If you need to check they have your form ring 0845 459 8945 and we will forward your call.

What if I disagree with their decision?

There are two stages to challenging a decision about declining your claim or not giving you enough money.

You need to write to them within 28 days from the date on your decision letter.

If you still are not happy with the result when they write back to you.  Write back to them again or call them and ask the office of the Independent Case Examiner to review your claim.  It is more likely to win you favour, if you can provide additional evidence to why you think the decision is wrong.