What a DLA advance is and when you might need one

A DLA advance is a payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that you can request before your regular Disability Living Allowance payment arrives. It gives you money upfront when you're waiting for your first payment or when you're in financial difficulty and can't wait for your next scheduled payment.

The advance is not extra money — it's a loan against your future DLA payments. The DWP will deduct what you borrowed from your next payments until the advance is repaid. You only get an advance if you're already receiving DLA or have been approved for it and are waiting for the first payment to arrive.

You might request an advance if you've just been approved for DLA and need money before the first payment posts, or if an unexpected expense has left you short before your next regular payment date.

Key Takeaways

  • A DLA advance is a loan against your future payments, not additional money, and the DWP deducts the amount from your next scheduled payments.
  • You can only request an advance if you're already receiving DLA or have been approved and are waiting for your first payment.
  • Contact the DWP by phone, post, or online to request an advance, and you'll need to explain why you need the money urgently.
  • The DWP typically decides on advance requests within a few days, though the exact timeline depends on how you contact them and how busy they are.
  • An advance is usually for a smaller amount than your full monthly payment and covers only genuine financial hardship, not routine expenses.

How to contact the DWP to request an advance

You can request a DLA advance through three main routes: by phone, by post, or through your online account if you have one set up.

The fastest way is usually by phone. Call the DWP's Disability Living Allowance helpline at 0345 712 3456 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). When you call, have your National Insurance number ready and be prepared to explain why you need the advance and how much you're requesting. The person on the phone can often tell you on the same call whether an advance is possible.

If you prefer to write, send a letter to the DWP office handling your claim. Your DLA decision letter or payment paperwork will show the address. In your letter, include your name, National Insurance number, the amount you're requesting, and a clear explanation of why you need the money urgently. Post takes longer — allow at least one to two weeks for a response.

If you manage your DLA online through your personal account on the gov.uk website, you may be able to request an advance through that portal. Log in, find your DLA claim, and look for the option to request an advance or contact the DWP about your payment.

What information you'll need to provide

When you request an advance, the DWP will ask you to explain the financial difficulty you're facing. This isn't a form you fill out — it's a conversation or a statement in your letter. Be specific about what has happened: an unexpected bill, a broken appliance you need to replace, a medical expense, or another genuine hardship.

Have your National Insurance number available, as the DWP will use it to find your claim quickly. If you're requesting an advance before your first DLA payment has arrived, have your approval letter or decision notice handy so you can reference the date you were approved.

The DWP will also want to know how much you're requesting. Don't ask for more than you genuinely need — advances are meant to cover when ready hardship, not to build savings or cover routine monthly expenses. A typical advance might be £50 to £200, though the amount depends on your circumstances and what the DWP thinks is reasonable.

How long an advance takes and what happens next

If you call the DWP, you may get a decision on the same day or within one to two working days. The DWP will tell you whether they can pay an advance and, if so, when the money will reach your bank account — usually within three to five working days of approval.

If you request an advance by post or online, allow at least five to ten working days for the DWP to process your request and make a decision. Once approved, the payment typically arrives within a week.

The DWP may refuse an advance if they think you're not in genuine financial hardship, if you've had a recent advance that hasn't been repaid yet, or if your next DLA payment is due very soon anyway. If they refuse, you can ask them to reconsider, but you'll need to provide more detail about why the hardship is urgent.

How the advance is repaid

When your next DLA payment is due, the DWP automatically deducts the advance amount from it. If you borrowed £100, your next payment will be £100 less than usual. This continues until the full advance is repaid.

The DWP will tell you in writing how much is being deducted and over how many payments the advance will be recovered. If the deduction would leave you without enough to live on, contact the DWP when ready — they can sometimes spread the repayment over a longer period.

You cannot avoid or delay repayment, and you cannot request another advance until the first one is fully repaid. If your circumstances change significantly — for example, if your DLA payment stops or reduces — tell the DWP, as this affects how the advance is repaid.

When an advance might not be available

The DWP cannot give you an advance if you're not yet receiving DLA and haven't been approved for it. If you've applied but are still waiting for a decision, you cannot request an advance on a payment that doesn't exist yet.

You also cannot get an advance if you have an outstanding advance that hasn't been fully repaid. The DWP will check this when you call or write, so be honest about any previous advances you've received.

If your DLA payment is due within the next few days, the DWP may decline an advance and suggest you wait for the regular payment instead. They may also refuse if they believe you're not in genuine financial hardship — for example, if you're asking for money to cover routine bills rather than an unexpected crisis.

What to do if your request is refused

If the DWP refuses your advance request, ask them to explain why in writing. You have the right to ask them to reconsider if you believe they've made a mistake or if your circumstances have changed since you first asked.

To ask for reconsideration, contact the DWP again — by phone is fastest — and provide more detail about your financial hardship. Explain what has changed or what the DWP may have misunderstood about your situation. If they refuse again, you can lodge a formal complaint with the DWP, though this takes longer and won't get you money when ready.

If you're in urgent financial difficulty and the DWP won't give you an advance, explore other options: a local crisis fund (run by your council), a food bank, or a charitable organisation that supports people with disabilities. Your local Citizens information office can tell you what's available in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request an advance if I'm waiting for my first DLA payment?

Yes, if you've been approved for DLA and are waiting for the first payment to arrive, you can request an advance. You'll need your approval letter or decision notice showing the date you were approved. The DWP will deduct the advance from your first payment when it arrives.

What if I can't repay the advance because my DLA stops?

Contact the DWP when ready and explain what's happened. If your DLA ends or reduces significantly, they may agree to recover the advance differently — for example, by taking a smaller amount from your final payment or by arranging a repayment plan. Don't ignore the debt, as the DWP can pursue it through other means.

How much can I borrow as an advance?

There's no fixed maximum, but advances are typically small — usually between £50 and £300 depending on your circumstances and the DWP's assessment of your hardship. The DWP won't lend you more than a reasonable portion of your next payment, as they need to may support you still have money to live on after repayment.

Can I request an advance online if I don't have a gov.uk account?

You can set up a gov.uk account to manage your DLA claim online, which may let you request an advance through that portal. If you don't have an account or prefer not to use it, calling or writing to the DWP works just as well and is often faster for advance requests.

Will requesting an advance affect my DLA payments or my claim?

No. Requesting an advance does not affect your DLA payments, your claim status, or your may be able to access. It's straightforward a loan against future payments. The DWP will not reduce your payment rate or investigate your claim because you asked for an advance.