If your Universal Credit is reduced or stopped

The amount of Universal Credit you get can change, or it can stop completely.

If your Universal Credit is reduced or stopped, you'll either get:

• a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP

• a message when you log into your Universal Credit online account

If you have an online account, you can also sign up for text or email alerts.

Your Universal Credit will be reduced or stopped for a reason. For example, this might be because of a change in your circumstances, a sanction, or because the DWP are waiting to receive information from you.

Check when your Universal Credit might be reduced

Your Universal Credit might be reduced if:

• you've reported a change of circumstances - for example, you've moved home

• you're paying back an advance payment, hardship payment or budgeting advance

• you've been sanctioned - find out what to do if you've been sanctioned

• you've earned more from work - find out how working affects Universal Credit

You might also get less money if you've been paid too much Universal Credit or another benefit. This is called an 'overpayment'. You'll get less Universal Credit each month until you pay back the overpayment

If you owe money, your creditor might be able to apply to have money taken from your payment - this is called a 'third party deduction'. For example, if you haven’t paid a water bill, your water company might apply to take regular payments from your Universal Credit.

Check when your Universal Credit might be stopped

Your Universal Credit might be stopped if the DWP:

• asked you to provide more information, but you haven’t provided it

• think you might not be eligible

This is called ‘suspending’ your Universal Credit. Your payments will stop.

The DWP can also end your Universal Credit claim completely. This will happen if they decide you’re no longer entitled to get Universal Credit. You can ask them to reconsider their decision - ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If you've had an overpayment

You'll get less each month until you pay it back. In most cases, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will reduce your payment by between 15% and 25% of your 'standard allowance' – this is the basic amount you get, not including extra amounts called ‘elements’.

For example - if your payment is reduced by 15% of your standard allowance and your standard allowance is usually £393.45 a month, your total payment will be reduced by £59.02.

If you think you won't have enough money to live on because you're paying back an overpayment, you should talk to an adviser. They can help you budget or ask the DWP to either take repayments at a lower rate or stop taking repayments at all.

If your Universal Credit is reduced to pay off your debts

You'll only get a deduction if the creditor asks the DWP - this is called a 'third party deduction'. It's usually 5% of your basic standard allowance but could be more. The DWP will tell you if this has happened - they'll do this either in your online journal if you have one, or by letter.

Deductions can only be made for:

• rent arrears and other housing costs like service charges - the deduction can be between 10% and 20% for rent arrears

• gas, electric or water arrears

• council tax bills arrears

• child support maintenance

• some loans

• some fines

Your Universal Credit will be reduced by 5% of your basic 'standard allowance' for most third party deductions - more money can be taken for some debts. For example, for rent arrears.

You'll never get more than 3 third party deductions at a time and in most cases no more than 25% of your standard allowance should be taken.

Contact your nearest Citizens Advice if you think you won't have enough money to live on. An adviser can help you budget and ask the DWP to change their decision or make an appeal if suitable. For example, you might be able to appeal how much they're taking off your Universal Credit for rent arrears.

If you don't have enough to live on

You can ask for a smaller deduction if the amount your Universal Credit is being reduced means you don't have enough money to live on. You might have Universal Credit deduction for:

• a benefit debt

• a Social Fund loan

• rent arrears

You'll need to show the DWP that you don't have enough to live on - this is called financial hardship. You'll need to give them a financial statement showing your income and what you spend your money on. You'll also need to show you can't meet your basic living costs with the current rate of deduction. You can send this information through your online journal or in a letter if you don't have an online account.

If you think your payment is wrong

You should call the Universal Credit helpline or ask for an explanation using your online account if you have one. You should do this if:

• your payment is less than you expected and you haven't been told why

• you think there's been a mistake with how your Universal Credit has been worked out

Provide any evidence you have

It's a good idea to give them some evidence of the mistake if you can. You'll need to do this through your online account if you have one, or by letter. Evidence could be, for example:

• your occupation contract - if you think your housing costs are wrong

• payslips or bank statements - if there's been an error in your earnings (ask your employer for payslips if you don't have them)

• childcare bills - if they have your childcare costs wrong

If you still disagree with the deduction

If the DWP give you an explanation and you still disagree with the decision, you can challenge it - this is known as a mandatory reconsideration.

If your Universal Credit is stopped

Your Universal Credit payments can be stopped. The DWP will tell you they’re ‘suspending’ your Universal Credit. This can happen because:

• you’ve been asked to provide more information or evidence, and haven’t provided it

• the DWP think you might no longer be eligible for Universal Credit - they might call this a ‘risk review’

The DWP can stop all of your Universal Credit or just part of it - for example they might just suspend the housing element part of your monthly payment.

The DWP might decide to end your Universal Credit claim completely. If this happens, you can ask them to reconsider their decision.

If you're struggling while your Universal Credit has been suspended

You should tell the DWP as soon as possible. Explain that you don't have enough to live on and ask them to start paying your Universal Credit again.

Provide the DWP with more information

You should give the DWP the information they have asked for within 14 days. You can ask for an extension during this time period.

If you’ve run out of time, contact the DWP as soon as possible. Provide them with the information they asked for and ask them to accept the information even though it is late. Explain why you didn’t give the information sooner.

If you cannot provide the information at all, the DWP can end your Universal Credit award. You should contact the DWP as soon as you can and explain why you aren’t able to give them the information.

Once you have provided the information, or shown the DWP that it is not possible to provide the information, they will make a decision about your Universal Credit. They may decide to reduce or end your Universal Credit.

If the DWP decide to reduce or end your Universal Credit

If you disagree with the DWP's decision, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration.

If you didn’t provide the DWP with all the information they needed, give them the missing information if you can. You can do this when you ask for a mandatory reconsideration. Explain why the information was late and ask them to accept the information even though it’s late.