You should get your first payment 5 weeks after you make your claim, as long as you've given the Jobcentre all the information they need to work out how much Universal Credit you can get.

Once you've shown proof of your identity to the Jobcentre, and they've confirmed that you're able to get Universal Credit, you can ask for an advanced payment.

You can do this either by speaking to your work coach in person, or asking for an advanced payment online using your Universal Credit journal. Find out more about advanced payments.

If you can't get an advanced payment, you might be able to get short term, emergency support by calling the council's Community Support team on 0808 178 9278.

You should speak to your work coach as soon as possible to find out whether you could get an alternative payment arrangement (for example, being paid every two weeks).

If you'll struggle to make your money last until the end of the month, or make sure all your bills get paid, you should tell your work coach as soon as possible, as they can help you get budgeting advice.

Budgeting support can help you to identify your most important bills, and convert what you spend from weekly to monthly. It can also offer support and guidance on less important spending. If you do need help, you can ask your work coach at the Jobcentre for more information, or you can contact Money Helper.