Does Universal Credit Get Paid At Midnight?

Once an applicant is approved for Universal Credit payments, they will continue to receive payments from the DWP each month; until such time that there is a change in their circumstances that deems them ineligible for state support. While the purpose of this blog post is to know whether Universal Credit payments are received by claimants at midnight, we will also explore how frequently are these payments received, whether or not an advance on Universal Credit payments is possible and what is the basic eligibility criteria to claim this state benefit.

Does Universal Credit Get Paid At Midnight?

Yes, Universal Credit gets paid at midnight directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. Some banks process the amount by 11:30 pm so that claimants can withdraw the amount by midnight (as they are generally expecting to receive the amount by that time). Meanwhile, a lot of banks will process the amount a few minutes after midnight; where some of them may transfer the amount to your account by 2:00 am or 3:00 am.

To access your Universal Credit payments, you must have a bank account as well as an active Universal Credit online account. This state benefit that is currently replacing six benefits is assessed each month and paid to claimants on a monthly basis.

Once you apply for Universal Credit and your claim is accepted by the DWP, it generally takes five weeks for the first month for the payment to be transferred to your account. Future payments are then made each month on the same date.

In the case of a weekend, bank holiday or a public holiday, the DWP transfers UC payments to claimants’ accounts on the last working day prior to the holiday.

The standard amount of Universal Credit payments is classified on the basis of your age and relationship status. These are listed as follows:

If you are single and under 25 years of age, you will get £257.33 a month
If you are single and 25 years of age or older, you will get £324.84 a month
If you are living with a partner and both of you are under 25 years of age, you will jointly get £403.93 a month
If you are living with a partner and one or both of you are over 25 years of age, you will jointly get £509.91 a month

In addition to the standard amount of Universal Credit payments, you will also get separate amounts for:

If you have children
If you need help with childcare costs
If you need support with housing costs
If you are caring for someone
If you can’t work due to a sickness or disability
If you were previously getting a severe disability premium

These extra amounts are called elements and a claimant can qualify for more than one of them at the same time.

Can I Get Advance Payment For Universal Credit?

Yes, you can get advance payment for Universal Credit if:

you have been given confirmation of your eligibility for Universal Credit and this will be your first payment; or
you have recently experienced a change in circumstances due to which you are expecting an increase in your Universal Credit payments

This usually happens when claimants are unable to afford their living expenses during the 5 week period that it takes for the first Universal Credit payment to be received by them.

You can apply for an advance on your UC payments in either of the following ways:

speaking to your Jobcentre Plus work coach
applying through your online UC account
calling the Universal Credit helpline

When you place your request to the DWP, they will ask you for the following:

your identification details
reasons for requesting an advance payment
your bank account details for the payment to be transferred

You will be told the same day by the DWP whether or not your request for advance payment has been accepted.

The DWP can refuse your request for advance payment on the following grounds:

your identity cannot be confirmed or has not been checked at the Jobcentre
you have sufficient funds to last until your payment of Universal Credit
you live with parents, relatives or friends who can provide funds
you have final earnings or redundancy payments
you have accessible savings

How Can I Claim The Universal Credit Mileage Allowance?

The Universal Credit Mileage Allowance is currently 45 pence per mile for the first 833 miles during the assessment period for Universal Credit; followed by 25 pence per mile for every mile over 833 miles. This includes motor vehicles, vans and cars. Meanwhile, the UC Mileage Allowance for motorcycles is 24 pence per mile.

Universal Credit claimants should keep their work coach informed if they incur any work-related expenses that are unreimbursed by their employer. Such expenses reduce the take-home earnings of claimants and can increase their Universal Credit award.

The amount of Universal Credit you qualify for includes all work-related earnings. These may include the following:

wages and overtime
tips and commission
bonuses
holiday pay
sick pay
maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental pay

Who Is Eligible For Universal Credit?

To qualify for Universal Credit, claimants must be able to fulfil the below eligibility criteria:

aged between 18 (in some cases it may be 16 or 17) and state pension age
unemployed or on low income
between the claimant and their partner, total savings are less than £6,000
experiencing high costs for childcare
suffering from a disability or health condition
caring for someone else

The amount of Universal Credit that an individual receives depends on their personal circumstances and income (if any). For instance, someone who is single and younger than 25 years of age will be eligible for Universal Credit amounting to around £257 per month. Meanwhile, this amount will rise to around £509 for someone who is living with a partner and either one of them or both of them are above the age of 25.

Do I Have To Spend 35 Hours In Job Search To Claim Universal Credit?

If you have agreed in your Claimant Commitment for Universal Credit that you will spend 35 hours per week working or looking for work, you will be required to keep up with this commitment to continue claiming Universal Credit payments. This includes the following activities:

drafting an appropriate CV and cover note
customising your CV and cover note to each job that you apply for
conducting research on employers and transport links
setting up online job alerts
creating an online employee profile
applying for suitable positions
following up on job applications
social networking with the intent to look for a job
preparing for your interview

You must record your activities in order to track your progress and share the results with your work coach. This will serve as evidence that you have managed to keep up with your Claimant Commitment of spending 35 hours looking for a job. Once you do start a job, you can keep the authorities updated on your working hours.

What Counts As Income For Universal Credit?

During your benefits calculation by the DWP, not only is your job-related income(s) taken into account, but the authorities will also consider unearned incomes. These are incomes that individuals receive without having to work.

Unearned incomes that affect your Universal Credit payments include the following:

Jobseeker’s Allowance (new style)
Employment and Support Allowance (new style)
Pension Income
Carer’s Allowance
State benefits that aren’t replaced by Universal Credit

For every £1 earned through any of the above means, £1 will be reduced from your Universal Credit payments.

Can Benefits Be Paid Into Someone Else’s Bank Account?

Generally speaking, benefits payments are sent by the DWP directly into the claimant’s bank, credit union or building society account. However, if someone is unable to manage their finances they can assign a power of attorney to a close family member in whose bank account their benefits claim can be paid. When claimants are incapable of managing their bank account either due to old age or disability, there needs to be a trusted appointee (usually a close family member) who will have to share their bank account details and manage the benefits claim on behalf of the claimant.

Conclusion:

The discussion in this article makes it clear that Universal Credit payments are usually transferred to the bank, building society or credit union accounts of claimants at midnight. However, the processing of these payments depends mainly on the bank that is processing the amount as some banks will process the amount earlier than midnight while others may take a couple of hours post-midnight.

FAQs: Does Universal Credit Get Paid At Midnight?

Can Universal Credit be paid late?

If you have not received your Universal Credit as per the usual schedule, you should inform your work coach. Delays in benefits payments are usually caused by missing information or documentation that is due from the claimant’s side; otherwise, payments are paid according to schedule each month.

Can I get my Universal Credit paid fortnightly?

If you wish to receive your Universal Credit payments on a fortnightly (or weekly basis) you will need to prove to the DWP that you are unable to manage monthly payments. If you are unable to do so, you will continue receiving UC payments as per a monthly schedule.

What can you get an advance for on Universal Credit?

You can get an advance for basic living expenses like food and clothing, repairs to your home and household equipment, maternity, travel and funeral expenses.

Can I get a hardship payment?

Yes, you can get a hardship payment if your application for advance payment is refused or you are unable to meet your living expenses as you wait for your benefits claim to be approved.

How long can you stay on Universal Credit?

You can claim Universal Credit as long as you are eligible for the benefit. As for your Universal Credit online account, it will remain active for six months after your claim ends. If you need to reclaim Universal Credit within six months, you can access the same account.