Budgeting Advance

Ray212
Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
in Benefits and income
Can you request a budgeting advance if you get LCWRA ? If so who do you speak to on your journal. Is it leave a message for my work coach? 

Sounds silly but doing that won’t trigger anything will it?

I currently have a budgeting advance that is very nearly paid off but something has come up so would like to pay that off and apply for another. I am aware it may not be granted however. 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You will need to ring UC helpline to request this. However, you need to wait until you've paid the existing one off and for it to show on the system before they will allow another. I don't know how long that actually takes.

    It will not trigger a review for a WCA if that's what you're worried about.

    Applying for a budgeting advance

    You'll need to apply for your budgeting advance over the phone. To decide if you're eligible, and how much you can get, an adviser will look at:

    • whether you can afford to pay the loan back - they'll see if you have any debts and how much you owe to help work this out
    • how much you have in savings

    You'll normally get a decision on the same day.

    Universal Credit helpline

    Telephone: 0800 328 5644
    Telephone (Welsh language): 0800 328 1744
    Textphone: 0800 328 1344

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/on-universal-credit/budgeting-advance/

  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    Ok thank you :)

    I thought you had to apply for a budgeting advance through the journal. That’s what I had to do last time. Has it changed now? Or has it always been like that? 
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @Ray212

    I see Poppy has been able to advise :) You didn't say what you needed the advance for and wondered if it was something that could be covered by a grant, maybe look at Turn2Us? I hope that helps if applicable! :) 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You can only apply over the phone because there's no where on your journal for you to request it. Please see the link i posted above.
  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    Many thanks

    It’s for a washing machine and bed
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    You may also find support from the End Furniture Poverty campaign? 
  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    Hi, thank you, I will take a look at those links. I know it sounds a bit stupid but I prefer the loan as I struggle with ocd and I need to be selecting what I get, unfortunately that's not possible when things are given to you. For which I think is an amazing service people do of course, just I struggle with it. It's easy to select things I want then I know I am happy in my mind.
  • Jimm_Alumni
    Jimm_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,717 Championing
    Let us know how you get on @Ray212. Have you tried seeing if your local council can offer any support at all with a grant?

    I definitely understand wanting to pick exactly what you want, and I know that can often clash with the kind of support that is given. Many places prefer to just give items than reimburse and/or give a grant.
  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    I have already had the household support fund for this year. The washing machine packed up a few days ago and the bed I have needed for a month or so.

    I am thinking of just paying off what I owe them which is next to nothing at the moment then waiting a week or so and applying. I can't see why I wouldn't get another one to be honest. Its exactly what it's there for. Used to be so much easier than this though, used to be able to apply on line without having to give reasons etc
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Ray212 said:
     Used to be so much easier than this though, used to be able to apply on line without having to give reasons etc

    That only applies to the legacy benefits such as Income Related ESA/JSA and Income Support.
  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    Yeah I know, was a much easier system unlike this faff
  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    I don't know what the loan limit is for UC claimants but for a Budgeting Loan it is about £470 (couple no children). You certainly wouldn't be able to get a new washing machine AND a bed with that amount.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    2oldcodgers said:
    I don't know what the loan limit is for UC claimants but for a Budgeting Loan it is about £470 (couple no children). You certainly wouldn't be able to get a new washing machine AND a bed with that amount.

    It’s the same for a budgeting loan and advance. See link above. 
    • £348 if you're single without children
    • £464 if you're in a couple without children
    • £812 if you have children

  • Ray212
    Ray212 Online Community Member Posts: 661 Empowering
    Would be £812 for me then 

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