The Universal Credit website has gone down today (March 5), leaving thousands of claimants unable to log in. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responded with a brief eight-word message:
“Sorry, the service is unavailable. Try again later.”
Users attempting to access the Gov.uk Universal Credit login page are being met with an error message, while similar issues are affecting HMRC and other government services.
When Did the Universal Credit Website Go Down?
Reports of the outage started around 5 AM on March 5, 2025. According to Downdetector, the majority of complaints—57% as of 9 AM—relate to login failures.
Key Affected Services:
Universal Credit login page – Unavailable for many users.
Gov.uk website – Experiencing widespread access issues.
HMRC website and app – Users report difficulties logging in.
The issue is not just limited to the Universal Credit website; it seems to be affecting multiple government online services.
Could This Be a Cyber Attack?
Some social media users are speculating that the recent outages affecting major UK websites could be linked to cybercrime.
A Twitter user pointed out:
- January 31st – Barclays website crashed, affecting tax payments.
- February 28th – Five major UK banks suffered website issues.
- March 4th – The judiciary’s video system went down, disrupting court cases.
- March 5th – Universal Credit website crashes.
The user suggested that a hostile state might be engaging in cyber attacks against the UK. However, there is no official confirmation of such an incident.
How to Check If the Universal Credit Website Is Back Online
If you’re struggling to log in, here’s what you can do:
Check Downdetector – Visit Downdetector UK to see if other users are still reporting problems.
Follow Official Updates – Check DWP’s official X (Twitter) page or Gov.uk for service updates.
Try Again Later – The message from DWP suggests the issue is temporary.
What Should You Do If You Need to Access Universal Credit?
If you need to access your Universal Credit account, but the website is still down, you can:
Call Universal Credit’s helpline for urgent queries.
Use alternative contact methods like emails or online forms if available.
Wait and retry later, as the service is expected to be restored soon.
The Universal Credit website outage has caused frustration for many claimants who rely on the service. While there is no confirmed cause for the outage, users have raised concerns about a possible pattern of online disruptions affecting UK financial and government services.
FAQ’s
Why is the Universal Credit website down today?
Users have reported login issues since 5 AM on March 5, 2025. DWP has acknowledged the outage and advised users to try again later.
What services are affected by the Gov.uk outage?
Universal Credit, HMRC, and other government services are experiencing login and access issues.
Is the Universal Credit website being hacked?
There is no official confirmation of a cyber attack, but users have noted a pattern of website crashes affecting UK financial institutions and government services.
How can I check if the Universal Credit website is back?
Visit Downdetector or check the DWP’s official social media for updates.
What should I do if I can’t access my Universal Credit account?
Try again later, check official updates, or contact the Universal Credit helpline for urgent queries.
