Will I have to pay the money back?
Hardship payments are a loan not a grant, so you’ll need to pay the money back.
The repayments are taken from your benefits. This will mean the benefit you receive will be lower until the hardship payment loan is repaid.
How do I claim a hardship payment?
To claim a hardship payment, you need to:
- be age 18 or older,
- show you’ve tried to get money from elsewhere, for example from friends or family, and
- show you’ve only been spending money on essentials.
Claiming if you are on Universal Credit
If you’re on Universal Credit, you can contact the Universal Credit helpline to apply.
Claiming if you are on JSA or ESA
If you are on JSA or ESA, you can call Jobcentre Plus or ask at your local Jobcentre Plus.
How much can I get from a hardship payment?
You’ll get just over half of the amount that has been taken for the sanction. The total hardship payment will be 60% of your daily benefit, times by the number of days the sanction lasts.
For example, if you’re usually paid benefits of £500 every 28 days, and your benefits are sanctioned for one week (seven days), your hardship payment would be around £75.
A hardship payment is only paid for a limited number of days. If you’re still struggling after this payment runs out, you’ll need to make a new application.