Do DWP and Universal Credit send text messages? Real texts vs scams

Yes, Universal Credit texts you: to say check your account

GOV.UK's guidance for Universal Credit claimants says: “When we send you a journal message, you will usually get a text or email telling you to check your online account.” The text is a nudge, not the message itself: what DWP wants to tell you is in your journal, which you reach by signing in.

This guidance covers England, Scotland and Wales. Universal Credit in Northern Ireland has its own guidance on nidirect: what to do after you have claimed Universal Credit.

Universal Credit also phones people. GOV.UK says the calls may show as 0800 0232 635, 0800 640 4999, an unknown number or a withheld number, and that you can ask the caller to leave a message in your journal so you know the call is genuine.

What DWP says it will never ask for by text

The same guidance is plain: “We will never text or email you asking for your personal information or bank details.” It also says not to share information if you think a call, text or email might not be from Universal Credit, because it could be a scam. For Winter Fuel Payments, DWP says the government will never ask for bank details by text.

The scam pattern: "apply for your payment"

The fake texts invite you to apply for money, by a deadline, through a link. That is the opposite of how these payments work:

• Cost of Living Payments: GOV.UK says you did not need to apply, eligible people were paid automatically, DWP is not planning any more, and a message asking you to apply might be a scam.
• Winter Fuel Payment: paid automatically. DWP reported a 153% rise in scam referrals in the final week of September 2025 compared with the week before, and asks anyone who gets a text inviting them to apply to forward it to 7726. More in Winter Fuel Payment scam texts.
• Warm Home Discount: a £150 discount off your electricity bill, which your supplier applies; GOV.UK says the money is not paid to you and you'll usually get it automatically (in Scotland you may need to apply to your energy supplier). GOV.UK says the scheme reopens in October 2026.

How to check a DWP text safely

The NCSC's general rule applies to any text about benefits: if you have doubts, contact the organisation directly, using the details on its official website, never the numbers or address in the message.

Where to report a fake DWP text

• Forward it to 7726, free, then delete it. This is what DWP asks.
• If you gave bank details or paid anything, call your bank straight away on 159 or the number on your card, then report it to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040), or to Police Scotland on 101.
• GOV.UK also explains how to report suspicious emails, websites and texts.

Texts that claim to be from HMRC instead? See HMRC scam texts, and for TV Licensing, does TV Licensing text you. Paste any message into the scam text checker: it flags invitations to apply for a government payment and links that use "gov" on a domain that isn't gov.uk.

Sources

• GOV.UK, manage your Universal Credit claim: GOV.UK (DWP), 'Manage your Universal Credit claim after you apply' (published 3 September 2025): "Applies to England, Scotland and Wales ... Calls from us may show on your phone as one of these: 0800 0232 635 0800 640 4999 unknown number withheld number ... If we call you, you can also ask us to leave a message in your journal so you know it’s us calling. We will never text or email you asking for your personal information or bank details. ... When we send you a journal message, you will usually get a text or email telling you to check your online account. ... Do not share information if you think a call, text message or email might not be from Universal Credit. It could be a scam." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-your-universal-credit-claim-after-you-apply, read on 2026-10-02
• GOV.UK, Cost of Living Payments: GOV.UK (DWP), 'Cost of Living Payments' (updated 1 April 2026): "DWP is not planning to make any more Cost of Living Payments. ... You may have been entitled to payments to help with the cost of living if you were getting certain benefits or tax credits on certain dates between 2022 and 2024. You do not need to apply for these payments. If you’re eligible, you’re paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefit or tax credits. ... If you have had a message asking you to apply or contact someone about the payment, this might be a scam." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment, read on 2026-10-02
• DWP, Winter Fuel Payment scams (15 Oct 2025): DWP (GOV.UK), 'Pensioners warned to stay alert as winter fuel payment scams surge by over 150%' (press release, 15 October 2025): "New data reveals a 153% rise in scam referrals in the final week of September, compared to the previous week. ... Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically, and the government will never ask for bank details by text. Anyone who receives a text message inviting them to apply for a payment should not engage with it and instead forward it to 7726." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pensioners-warned-to-stay-alert-as-winter-fuel-payment-scams-surge-by-over-150, read on 2026-10-02
• GOV.UK, Warm Home Discount Scheme: GOV.UK, 'Warm Home Discount Scheme': "The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2026. ... The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you. You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. You may need to apply directly to your energy supplier if you live in Scotland." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme, read on 2026-10-02
• NCSC, how to spot a scam: NCSC, 'How to spot a scam email, text message or call' (published 26 November 2021, reviewed 5 September 2022): "Urgency Are you told you have a limited time to respond (such as 'within 24 hours' or 'immediately')? Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences. ... If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly. Don’t use the numbers or address in the message – use the details from their official website." Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-10-02
• NCSC, forwarding to 7726: NCSC, Report a scam text: "Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it's found to be malicious." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29
• Report Fraud: Action Fraud / City of London Police press release, 4 Dec 2025, summarised in our own words: from 4 December 2025 fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are reported to the new Report Fraud service, which replaced Action Fraud, at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040; people in Scotland keep calling Police Scotland on 101. — https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Report+Fraud+service+goes+live+04122025143000; https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/, read on 2026-09-29

Quotes from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, mygov.scot, the NCSC, the ICO and NHS England are used under the Open Government Licence v3.0; material from Ofcom is Ofcom copyright. Other pages are summarised in our own words or quoted briefly, with a link. How we check.