If you want to find out more about the help you may be entitled to.
Are you on low income or not in work?
Universal Credit (UC)
What is it?
- Universal Credit is a payment that helps people:
- With low income.
- Who have no job.
Can I apply if I’m working?
- Yes, but the more you earn, the less you will get.
Who can apply?
- You are 18 or older.
- You have less than £16,000 in savings.
Can UC help with rent?
- Yes, if you get the housing element, it can help pay your rent.
- You might be able to claim your Local Housing Allowance.
Are benefits changing?
- Legacy benefits are gradually being replaced by UC.
- They include:
- You should receive a letter asking you to switch by December 2025.
Are you over State Pension age?
- You cannot get Universal Credit if you are over State Pension age.
- You can make a joint claim if your partner is below State Pension age.
- You can still apply for Housing Benefit, but there are some conditions.
How to apply
- Apply for Universal Credit online.
- Make a phone claim on 0800 328 5644.
- You can also ask Citizens Advice to help by calling 0800 1448 444.
More information
- See our page on Universal Credit for more information.
Are you sick or disabled?
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Who can apply?
You can apply if you are:
- 16 years old or older.
- Below State Pension age.
- Have an illness, disability, or mental health condition.
What is it for and how much is paid?
PIP helps with:
- Daily living: Tasks like cooking, washing, or using the toilet
- The rates are ££73.90(lower rate) or £110.40 (higher rate) per week.
- Mobility: Moving and getting around or planning routes
- £29.20 (lower rate) or £77.05 (higher rate) per week.
Extra information
- PIP is tax-free and does not depend on your income or savings.
- You can get PIP even if you work or receive other benefits.
- If you have less than 12 months to live you will automatically get daily living.
- See our page on Personal Independence Payment for more information.
How to apply
- Call the PIP new claims line at 0800 917 2222 to request a form.
- Fill it out and send it to the address on the form.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children
Who can apply?
- You are looking after a child under 16
- Who has mobility problems.
- Or needs more care than other children their age.
What is it for and how much is paid?
- Care: How much care the child needs.
- Mobility: The child’s ability to walk.
- Rates: The weekly rate varies from £28.70 to £184.30.
How to apply
- Call 0800 121 4600 to request a form.
- Fill in form and send back to the address stated.
Attendance Allowance
Who can apply?
- If you have reached State Pension age.
- And need help with personal care
- Due to a physical or mental condition.
How much is paid?
- You could get either £73.90 (low rate) or £110.40 (high rate) a week.
- It depends on how much help you need.
- This allowance does not cover mobility needs.
Extra information
- It doesn’t depend on your income or savings.
- You may get extra Pension Credit or Council Tax Reduction if eligible.
- If you have less than 12 months to live, you will get the higher rate.
- You are not eligible if you live in a care home paid for by the local council
- But you may be eligible if you pay for it yourself.
How to apply
- Apply online.
- Fill in and post a claim form.
- Call 0800 731 0122 to request a form.
Do you have a child?
Child Benefit
Who can get it?
You can get Child Benefit if:
- You are responsible for a child under 16
- Live in the UK.
Being responsible for a child means:
- You live with the child.
- Pay for their needs like food and clothing.
If your child is:
- 20 years old or under and
- In approved training or education.
You may still get Child Benefit.
Who cannot get it?
You can't get Child Benefit if your child:
- Works 24 hours or more per week.
- Starts an apprenticeship.
- Gets their own benefits like Universal Credit.
If you or your partner earn more than £60,000 a year
- You will have to pay some of the Child Benefit back as tax.
Child element of Universal Credit
Who can get it?
- You get Universal Credit
- Have one or two children.
How much is paid?
- You can extra money on top of your UC.
- You get £287.92 per child each month.
- This extra money is paid until:
- August 31st after your child’s 16th birthday.
- Your child’s 19th birthday if they are still in school or training.
- If your first or only child was born before April 6, 2017:
- You can get £333.33 per month.
- You won’t get extra money for more than two children, unless
- You claimed for three or more children before April 6, 2017.
Child Tax Credit
What is happening to Child Tax Credit?
- Child Tax Credit is being replaced by Universal Credit.
- This means you can usually only apply for a maximum of two children.
- Apply for Universal Credit when you get a letter to switch.
Can I still get it?
- If your child was born before April 6, 2017:
- You can get the ‘child element’ - up to £3,455 a year per child.
- You can get the ‘family element’ - up to £545 a year.
- If your children were born after April 6, 2017
- You will only get the child element for two of them.
- You can still get Child Tax Credit if you also get Working Tax Credit.
- To claim Child Tax Credit update your existing tax credit claim online.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children
See the tab “Are you sick or disabled?” above for more information.
Do you care for someone?
Carer's Allowance
Who can get it and how much is paid?
You can claim Carer's Allowance if:
- You care for someone for 35 hours or more a week.
- You must are 16 or older.
- Not in full-time education,
- Earning £151 or less per week after tax.
If you get Carer's Allowance you would receive:
- A weekly allowance of £83.30 per week.
What does caring include?
Caring includes helping someone with:
- Cooking.
- Washing.
- Household tasks, such as:
- Food shopping.
- Taking them to appointments.
What about the person being cared for?
- They must get a benefit like PIP, DLA, or Attendance Allowance.
- Only one carer can get Carer's Allowance for the same person.
Does it effect other benefits?
- If you are on Universal Credit it will be reduced by how much Carer's Allowance you get.
- This is because Universal Credit count it as income.
- But you could still get the carer's element of Universal Credit, which is an extra £201.68 a month
- If you get Pension Credit your payments will increase.
- The person you care for could stop getting disability premiums.
How to apply
- Apply online.
- Send in a form by post.
- Request a form by calling 0800 731 0297.
Carer's Credit
What does it do?
Carer's Credit means your State Pension is:
- Not affected by filling gaps in your National Insurance record.
- Protects your State Pension.
Who can get it?
You can get Carer's Credit if you:
- Are 16 or older.
- Under State Pension Age.
- Care for someone for at least 20 hours a week.
How to apply:
- Fill in and post a form.
- Request one by calling 0800 731 0297.
Do I need to apply for Carer's Credit if I get Carer's Allowance or Child Benefit?
- No, you will get the credits automatically.
Are you of state pension age?
Pension Credit
Who is it for?
- Pension Credit is for people over State Pension age (66 years old).
- Also with a low income.
How is it different?
- It is different from your State Pension.
- It is extra money.
- You may still get it even if you have other savings or own your home.
How to apply
- Apply online.
- By posting and filling a form
- Phone: 0800 99 1234.
When can I apply?
- You can apply up to four months before you reach State Pension age.
Housing Benefit
- You can apply for help with your housing costs if you are of State Pension age.
- But you will also have to be on a low income and claiming benefits like Pension Credit.
- You could also get help if you are in supported, sheltered or temporary housing.
Claiming State Pension
See here for How to Claim your Pension
What benefits can I get?
You could be entitled to many benefits. Find out which here:
Benefits calculators
Find out what benefits you can apply for with these benefit calculators:
Advice services
These organisations can tell you what benefits you can get:
If you are having difficulties, please contact the Friends, Families and Travellers helpline on 01273 234 777. We are open:
- Monday to Friday
- From 10.00am to 4.30pm
- Closed on Bank Holidays
