Around 23m people are currently claiming some form of benefits in the UK. With rising costs of living putting increasing pressure on household finances people are claiming much-needed help through universal credit, legacy benefits, state pension, and other benefits.
With experts warning of further cost increases, including another rise in the energy price cap in October, the UK Government has put forward a £15bn support package which includes extra cash for those struggling the most. You can read more about that here.
Despite this many are looking to the benefits system for the first time and wondering how long it will be before they receive their first payment. In some cases the Department for Work and Pensions is telling people they could be waiting for months after they first apply.
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To make this easier we've outlined exactly how long you will be waiting to get your payments after you apply for the different benefits. We've not included legacy benefits such as housing benefit, jobseeker's allowance, and disability living allowance as you can now only apply for these in certain circumstances. However you can find more information on these benefits on the government website here.
Universal credit
Universal credit is a payment given by the UK Government to help with your living costs. It was first announced in 2010 and began its rollout in 2013. While new claimants are almost always only eligible for universal credit there are still millions of people who are on the older legacy benefits that universal credit replaced.
According to the UK Government website it usually takes around five weeks to get your first payment. If you need help with your living costs while you wait for your first payment you can apply for an advance. You can find out more about that here. The wait before your first payment is made up of a one-month assessment period and up to seven days for the payment to reach your account.
Personal independence payments (PIP)
Personal independence payments (PIP) are given to claimants who qualify for additional financial assistance if they have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. You can find out more about it, including how to find out if you qualify, here.
How long it'll take to get your first payment depends on whether or not you need an assessment but Citizens Advice says it can take up to six months from when you first contact the DWP to when you get your first payment. If the DWP decide you can get PIP they'll pay you the money you should have got from the date you started your claim.
New employment and support allowance
You can apply for employment and support allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. You may also be able to get ESA if you were unable to work while self-isolating because of coronavirus. ESA gives you money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work and support to get back into work if you’re able to. You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed, or unemployed.
When you apply for ESA the DWP will assess you and you might need to provide proof of why you cannot work. If the DWP accepts your ESA claim you’ll usually get your first ESA payment a few weeks after you apply. The DWP will usually pay up to three months ESA to cover time when you had limited capability for work before you applied. This is called 'backdating'.
Pension credit
Pension credit is a weekly benefit to boost your income if you're already receiving the state pension. You can apply online, by phone, or by completing a form. You can apply here.
Pension credit can be backdated for up to three months before you apply if you were eligible during that time. This means you'll get up to three months of pension credit included in your first payment. If the pension service have all the information they need they can sometimes make a decision on your claim and put payments in place straightaway. If they need more information they’ll send you a form to fill in.
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