If you’ve ever sat on hold to the PIP helpline listening to the same music on a loop, you’ll know it can feel like forever. A few years ago, average waits ran to nearly 20 minutes.
The latest figures suggest things have got better. In a written answer to Parliament on November 2, Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, set out how quickly DWP’s main helplines are answering calls. The PIP line is now averaging just over 8 minutes, down from more than 12 minutes a year earlier.
It’s not all good news, though. One line has actually got slower. Here’s how each one is doing, plus the numbers to call and a few tips to save you time.
The figures, line by line
The numbers were given in response to a parliamentary question from MP Rupert Lowe, as reported by Brit Brief.
| Helpline | Years compared | Average time to answer | Average hold time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIP helpline | 2025-26 → 2026-27 | 12 min 13 sec → 8 min 9 sec | About 36 sec in both years |
| Universal Credit helpline | 2024-25 → 2025-26 | 2 min 43 sec → 1 min 48 sec | 9 sec → 7 sec |
| Jobcentre Enquiry Line | 2024-25 → 2025-26 | 57 sec → 2 min 18 sec | 30 sec → 19 sec |
A quick note on the years: the PIP figures compare last year with the current year so far, while the other two lines compare the last two full years.
PIP: better, but still the longest wait
The PIP helpline takes around 600,000 calls a month and still has the longest waits of the three. But the trend is going the right way. For context, here’s how the average answer time has moved:
- 2020-21: 5 minutes 28 seconds
- 2021-22: over 18 minutes
- 2022-23: over 19 minutes
- 2025-26: 12 minutes 13 seconds
- 2026-27 so far: 8 minutes 9 seconds
The big jump in 2021-22 came as PIP claims surged. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has linked the rise in claimants around that time to a sudden worsening in health across the UK population.
Universal Credit: the quickest line
The Universal Credit helpline handles more than a million calls a month for about 8.4 million claimants, yet it’s now answering in under two minutes on average.
Jobcentre Enquiry Line: slower
This is the one that went the wrong way. The average time to answer more than doubled, from 57 seconds to 2 minutes 18 seconds. The good news is that once you’re through, hold times dropped.
The numbers to call
| Helpline | Number | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| PIP enquiry line | 0800 121 4433 | Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm |
| Universal Credit helpline | 0800 328 5644 (Welsh: 0800 328 1744) | Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm |
| Jobcentre Plus (new claims and enquiries) | 0800 169 0190 | Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm |
All three are free to call. If you use Relay UK, add 18001 before the number. It’s worth checking GOV.UK before you call in case hours change, for example over Christmas.
Tips to save time on the phone
- Have your details ready. Your National Insurance number, and any letter or reference number DWP sent you, will speed things up.
- Try early in the day. Lines tend to be busiest mid-morning and at lunchtime, and Mondays are often the busiest day of the week.
- On Universal Credit? Use your journal. For many questions, posting in your online journal is quicker than calling, and it leaves a written record.
- Write things down. Note the date, time and name of the person you spoke to, plus what they told you. It helps if there’s a dispute later.
- Ask for a call back if your call is complicated or you’re short on phone credit.
Shorter waits are welcome, especially for PIP claimants who often have the most complicated questions. With the Timms Review of PIP due to report soon, those phone lines could get busier again if changes are announced, so it’s worth saving these numbers now.
Sources: Brit Brief, GOV.UK: PIP helpline and GOV.UK: Universal Credit helpline.
Maria is a dedicated news writer covering the latest UK updates on DWP, PIP, State Pension Triple Lock, Child Benefit, Universal Credit, and driving licence regulations. She focuses on explaining government announcements, benefit eligibility, payment changes, pension increases, and new regulations in a clear and easy-to-understand way.