Short term benefit advance

A Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA) is available to those making a new claim or currently on benefits.

You can apply for a short term benefit advance when you have no money available while you are waiting for your benefit to be sorted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). However, to qualify for this advance, having a shortall in money must affect your health or your families well being.  

You will still need to re-pay this advance if your application is successful and this will normally be paid back over 12 weeks.

An advance may be paid to you:

• At the start of a new claim and you're waiting for a decision.
• After a change of circumstances affecting the amount you get
• Your first benefit payment is insufficient to meet your immediate needs.

An advance may not be payable where:

• You're not entitled to a benefit
• Your claim is already in payment (unless your circumstances change where your benefits increase)
• Your claim has been sanctioned, suspended or disallowed and you're appealing the decision.
• You cannot afford to re-pay the advance within the required timeframe (except where your circumstances mean your need overides what you can afford. Such as fleeing domestic violence for example).