Budgeting Loan Contact Number
Calls to this number cost 7p / minute plus your network operator’s access charge.
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: 08:00-17:00
Getting Help With Budgeting Loans
When on certain benefits or grants, it can often be hard to afford the bigger items in life that you desperately need. Whether this means purchasing new clothes to wear, rent to pay for in advance or even for funeral costs, there are some charges in our lives that we can hardly avoid.
These fees are particularly hard on people who are actively looking for work, or are unable to do so – and therefore, the government has a loan system in place to help you budget and fund such areas in your life that base benefits simply cannot cover.
The Budgeting Loan telephone number is available on 0844 556 9352 at any time – and the support staff will be able to answer any number of questions or queries you may have about applying.
Budgeting loan support is available to anyone who has been actively receiving benefits payments for over six months, meaning that if you are in this position and are struggling to budget for an upcoming expense that falls outside your financial remit, the government may be able to help you make such payments.
The amount you can borrow will depend firstly upon your circumstances, then on your ability to pay back and the savings you have available. Handily, GOV.UK has a full guide on budgeting loan availability and eligibility to help you before you ever need to call the budgeting loan telephone number.
Reasons to call the budgeting loan helpline
If you are experiencing financial hardship while receiving benefits and are faced with a particularly large and necessary expense, a budgeting loan may be able to lighten the financial load for you. The budgeting loan contact number is in place to field and concerns or queries new or existing claimants may have about the amount of money they can receive from the government, as well as what they need to do to ensure that it all gets paid back when required.
There are many reasons why you may wish to take out a budgeting loan – and, further to this, why you may need to call the budgeting loan helpline. Here are just a few of the areas that a budgeting loan can cover:
- Clothing items and footwear
- Maternity costs
- Funeral costs
- Costs involved in finding a new job
- Travelling costs – UK only
- Home maintenance or security improvements
- Advance rent payments
- Household items and furniture
- House removal and relocation costs
Unfortunately, life has a habit of getting rather complex when you really don’t need it to – meaning that this is all the more reason for the existence of the budgeting loan. It is in place to help tackle those bigger financial demands that may be considered essential to a person’s life or employment prospects, and is tied in closely with the UK benefits system. While the above covers the areas which a loan can cover for, there is also an eligibility criteria that comes into play – which we will cover further down the page in more detail. In any case, however, you can always call the budgeting loan support team for advice.
Making a complaint
While all formal complaints regarding the service you receive are encouraged to be sent via the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) directly, you can either call the budget loan helpline for direct assistance, or can appeal against a decision made by the government and DWP on your claim or loan by writing to request for an independent review. These reviews are overseen by a case examiner based in Bootle, and GOV.UK has more information here on how to process such a complaint.
All other queries can be fielded by the telephone support team, or alternatively you can write directly to the DWP at their postal address, which we have included at the bottom of the page. However, please be advised that this address is to be used in the event of complaints regarding the department itself.
FAQs
Which benefits can I be on to receive a budgeting loan?
The government advises that you will need to have been on income support, income-base jobseeker’s allowance, pension credit or income-related employment and support allowance for the past six months to be able to benefit from a loan. However, it is also stipulated that you may not be involved in industrial action or currently owe more than £1500 in related loan payments. These rules, it is noted, apply in Scotland, England and Wales only.
How much do I stand to receive from a budgeting loan?
This depends both upon your circumstances and other factors. Firstly, if you are single, you could receive up to £348 – whereas partnered claimants receive a maximum of £464, and even those claiming child benefit could receive up to £812. The minimum you can borrow is £100, and your total loan will also be dependent upon factors such as your ability to repay, the savings you have available, and any loans from the government that may currently be in place.
How do I repay my loan?
The amount you receive from your loan will be replayed in staggered amounts across weekly or fortnightly dedications, based entirely upon your benefits circumstances. You will be expected to clear your loan via benefit deductions and these are expected to be cleared within two years of your application.
What happens if I stop claiming benefits?
If you stop claiming benefits, GOV.UK advises that alternative methods of repayment will need to be sought, and these can be arranged with a quick call to the budgeting loan contact number, 0844 556 9352.
How do I apply?
You can apply online, or can print and fill in a specific form to send back – alternatively, you can call the Social Fund for more information.
Other Ways to Get In Touch
If you’d like to know more about the work that the DWP do, or if you’d like to get in touch with a member of the team via social media, the best port of call is their Twitter account – follow and tweet them here for more information.
The DWP has released a PDF to download which includes a list of all applicable department addresses.
You Can View The Official GOV Site: https://www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits
Official Address
Budgeting Loans,
Department for Work and Pensions,
Warbreck House,
Warbreck Hill Rd,
Blackpool,
FY2 0UZ
United Kingdom
Opening Hours:
Phone: 0844 556 9352