Your Benefits Have Stopped or Been Sanctioned: What to Do
If your benefits have stopped or been sanctioned, try not to panic. Find out why, get emergency help if you need it, and remember you can often challenge the decision. You do not have to manage on nothing while you sort it out.
Having your benefits stop is stressful and frightening, especially if it happens without warning. Here is what to do, step by step.
Find out why your benefits stopped
The first step is to understand what has happened. If you are on Universal Credit, check your online journal and any letters. Common reasons include a sanction (for example, missing an appointment or a task you agreed to), a change in your circumstances, missing information the office needs, or the end of an assessment. If it is not clear, contact the office that pays your benefit and ask.
Get emergency help now
You do not have to go without while you sort things out:
If you have been sanctioned on Universal Credit, you can ask for a hardship payment. You usually have to apply for it, and it is paid back later, but it can help you get by.
If you are waiting for a payment, you may be able to get a Universal Credit advance.
Your council's emergency support scheme, and food banks, can help with food and essentials.
Challenge the decision if you think it is wrong
If you think the decision is wrong, you can challenge it. Ask for a 'mandatory reconsideration', which is when the office looks at the decision again. There is usually a time limit, often one month, so act quickly. If you are still unhappy after that, you can appeal. Getting advice makes this much easier and improves your chances.
Where to get help
A free advice service can help you find out why your benefits stopped, get emergency help, and challenge a decision you think is wrong.
Organisations such as Hope 4U may be able to help. Eligibility is based on available location funding.
Questions people often ask
Why have my benefits stopped?
Common reasons include a sanction, a change in your circumstances, missing information, or the end of an assessment. Check your online journal and letters, and contact the office that pays your benefit to ask.
Can I get money if I've been sanctioned?
Possibly. If you have been sanctioned on Universal Credit, you can ask for a hardship payment. You usually have to apply, and it is repaid later. Your council and food banks may also be able to help.
How do I challenge a sanction or a decision?
Ask for a 'mandatory reconsideration', usually within one month, so the decision is looked at again. If you are still unhappy, you can appeal. A free advice service can help you do this.
Where can I get help?
A free advice service can help you find out why your benefits stopped, get emergency help, and challenge a decision. Organisations such as Hope 4U may be able to help. Eligibility is based on available funding.
This is general information and correct at the time of writing. Rules and time limits can change, so get advice about your own situation as soon as you can.
