[Solved] Insufficient Balance When Withdrawing Helb Upkeep Funds To M-PESA

Any Helb beneficiary can attest to the fact that the most joyous occasion in regards to Helb is when allocated funds finally hit the bank account or M-PESA wallet depending on the chosen mode of payment during application.

This excitement is usually justified owing to prior anxiety and panic-ridden occasions of constant checking the Helb portal to track the stages of Helb loan disbursement whereby instances of Helb status being stuck at allocated for long periods, allocated funds missing batch number, Helb application deferred etc are common.

Regardless of the above challenges, Helb usually ensures that each applicant is funded based on level of need assessed through the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) which takes into consideration household income and programme cost to allocate funds fairly.

Therefore, disbursed funds are based purely on information provided during application and any concerns raised regarding the same may be channeled through the Helb loan appeal process.

While it is no secret that Helb disbursements are rarely expedited, when it is ultimately done, additional patience is required before the Helb funds actually reflect in your account.

Once they eventually do, you now have the option to either withdraw them from your bank account or mobile money wallet (M-PESA)

For bank account users, withdrawal can be done over-the-counter, via ATM or mobile banking if activated.

On the other hand, Helb applicants who opted for mobile payment/M-PESA wallet as a payment channel during application can make withdrawals via USSD codes *642# or *334#

Alternatively, the Helb Mini app which is accessible via the MPESA app can equally accomplish the same task.

However, there are instances whereby Helb upkeep withdrawals to M-PESA bring up an insufficient balance error as shown below.

Before panicking in such a scenario, you should ensure that you are aligned as per below;

1. Received Two Surepay SMS

Surepay is an SMS notification service to Helb beneficiaries who opt for mobile payments during application. The service offers alerts on Helb disbursements whereby the 1st SMS adds you as a beneficiary to Helb while the 2nd SMS contains the disbursed upkeep amount.

2. Have Some Funds In M-PESA Wallet

Some Helb beneficiaries who have encountered the above issue of insufficient balance claim that you may need to have at least Ksh15 to Ksh20 available in your M-PESA wallet for the withdrawal process to be successful.

3. Updated Phone Number

Inconsistent phone number details resulting from SIM swaps or alternative numbers submitted during application may at times cause the above error. Therefore, ensure that the phone number used during registration is the same one making the withdrawal attempt.

4. Use Helb Mini App

If the USSD option is bringing up the error, try using the Helb Mini App by downloading the M-PESA App from either the Playstore or Appstore and selecting the Helb Mini program via Services>Education>Helb

5. Contact Helb Support

If all of the above fail, you may proceed to contact Helb support via their official online channels. You may be required to submit a reference document such as phone number or ID number.

6. Visit Huduma Centre

This should be your last option if all of the above prove futile. Huduma centres are brick-and-mortar help locations for a variety of government related services including Helb.