Getting my payments more frequent

Lally84

Hello can any body give me any advice on/if I can get my UC payments fortnightly? I'm really struggling and got into a cycle of having to borrow some cash to get me threw I'd say last 15days before I'm paid again obviously I then pay this back to just lend again. I don't like the fact that I'm reliant on a friend. I'm lucky to have a friend who's able to help and grateful but hate asking. I was able to budget a lot better and wasn't in a situation like this when I had my fortnightly payments. I tryed to request this but it was rejected I wasn't aware that it could be. Does anybody know what the criteria is to qualify for payments to be paid like this.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Lally84, welcome to the community. Sorry to hear you were rejected for an alternative payment arrangement.

There's some guidance here on how they decide who can be given alternative payment arrangements:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-alternative-payment-arrangements/alternative-payment-arrangements#more-frequent-payments

It's mostly people who are vulnerable in various different factors, but they can also be used if you're struggling to budget. It's all decided on a case by case basis, so it may be that if you can explain again how difficult things are for you, they may make a different decision.

I hope you can get something sorted soon.

Kimi87

If the APA does get approved for you it won't be fortnightly but twice a month which is different.

You'd have one payment on a fixed date, then the second on a variable date 14-15 days later.

Have you thought about having a second current or easy access savings account? You could transfer half your payment across when paid, then back 14 days later.

Some app based banks like Startling even have savings "pots" where you can move money around and it's hidden from your main balance.

https://www.starlingbank.com/features/spaces/

Passerby

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/137775/getting-my-payments-more-frequent

I just wrote a single line message on my journal requesting them to pay me fortnightly. Less than 2 hours later, I got a response, saying, "That's not a problem. Alternative payment requested". They didn't ask me anything whatsoever. I also asked them to pay my rent directly to my landlord. Again, they said, "No problem. Alternative payment requested". I received my first fortnightly payment a few days ago.

This was less than a month ago.

durhamjaide2001

well done for being the first person to post on this forum today.