Universal Credit users were locked out of their accounts this morning after the government website crashed without warning.
The outage, which began before 6am, left claimants unable to access payments or update their details — and also hit other key services like HMRC.
More than 150 users reported issues on the government’s service tracker, with many taking to social media to vent their frustration.
Some claimants warned they could miss deadlines for jobcentre updates or face delays in receiving vital payments.
The Department for Work and Pensions has yet to confirm the cause of the outage or when full service will be restored.
Around six in 10 users encountering issues said they were struggling to log in
GETTYWhen logging in to the Universal Credit portal, users were greeted by an error page saying: ‘Sorry, the service is unavailable. Try again later.’
Around six in 10 users encountering issues said they were struggling to log in, while four in 10 couldn’t access the website.
"The Universal Credit website is down, any idea when it’ll be back up again?" one user on X posted just before 7am.
This downward revision further weakens economic confidence and raises fresh concerns about the UK’s recoveryGETTYThe outage also affected HMRC, the Government Gateway, and other GOV.UK login services, leaving users unable to complete tax returns or access child benefit information
Around 145 people have also reported issues logging in to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), where users can set up tax accounts or register for Self-Assessment.
The outages hindered public access to essential services, raising concerns over the reliability of Government digital infrastructure.
Thousands will be impacted by the changesGettyUsers reported being unable to access payments, update details, or respond to jobcentre messages, which are critical functions for those relying on Universal Credit.
Over 5.7 million people currently claim Universal Credit in the UK, with many relying on online access to manage their accounts.
Universal Credit payments are used to cover rent, bills, and basic living costs, meaning even brief outages can cause real anxiety for families.
