Universal Credit claimants due cash refund from DWP - but you don't have long left to apply
Universal Credit claimants due cash refund from DWP - but you don't have long left to apply
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Universal Credit benefit claimants who previously took out a hardship payment could be due a refund from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Hardship payments are awarded to Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned and are struggling to cover their basic needs. They normally need to be paid back once your sanction has ended - but if you received a hardship payment between January 1, 2014 and January 11, 2021, then you could be owed money back.
You may be eligible for a refund if you asked the DWP to review your repayments, and they either refused your request, or refused to consider your request. You’ll need to prove you could not afford to repay the hardship payment, or that it had a significant impact on your or your family’s health or wellbeing.
This could be through bank statements or a note from your doctor. You will also need to provide information about your income and living costs at the time. If you believe you could be owed money back, then you need to submit an application form by May 4, 2025. The DWP will then contact you within six weeks of receiving your application to let you know it has been received, with a decision expected within 13 weeks of receiving it.
Hardship payments are worth roughly 60% of the amount you were sanctioned by the DWP in the last month. Your must have had 100% of your Universal Credit standard allowance, or 50% or more for a couple, to be eligible for a hardship payment. You can apply for one if you are aged 18 and over and you've been sanctioned, or aged 16 and over if your payment is reduced because of fraud, and you're struggling to afford your basic needs.
