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Find out what benefits you could get, how much you could get and how to claim

Find out what benefits and financial support you may be able to get.

Universal Credit is replacing 6 other benefits with a single monthly payment if you're out of work or on a low income - eligibility, how to prepare.

• What Universal Credit is

  Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid…

• Eligibility

  You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or need…

• What you'll get

  Universal Credit is paid monthly. How much you get depends on: your…

• How your wages affect your payments

  If you or your partner are working, how much Universal Credit you get will…

• How you're paid

  Universal Credit is paid once a month, usually into your bank, building…

• How to claim

  You can apply for Universal Credit online. You need to create an account…

• Get an advance on your first payment

  If you need help to pay your bills or cover other costs while you wait for…

• Your claimant commitment

  To get Universal Credit payments, you’ll need to accept an agreement…

• Report a change of circumstances

  You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the…

• Financial help and support

  If you need financial support, you can get help and advice from the…

• Contact Universal Credit

  You can contact Universal Credit: through your online account by calling…

Child Benefit - child benefit rates, eligibility, how to claim, child benefit claim form CH2.

Housing Benefit or Local Housing Allowance (LHA) - rates, eligibility, claim form, calculator, appeals, 'Discretionary Housing Payment'.

Guidance on getting extra payments to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.

• Updated: 23 February 2024

Reasons why your benefit payments could change, report changes in your circumstances while claiming benefits

Help with heating, housing and other living costs. Includes Universal Credit.

• Updated: 21 December 2022

Help if you’re unable to work because you’re ill or self-isolating. Includes Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

• Updated: 24 January 2023

Help if you're looking for a new job, are out of work or affected by redundancy. Includes Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

• Updated: 21 December 2022

If you're an employer and provide expenses or benefits to employees or directors, you might need to tell HMRC and pay tax and National Insurance on them

Benefit payments - payment dates, bank holidays, if you do not have a bank account, Post Office card accounts.

Benefits you can claim if you go abroad and countries with social security arrangements with the UK

There is a limit on the total amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to under State Pension age can get - benefits affected, benefit cap amount.

As an employer, you might need to report any expenses or benefits you provide to employees - tax and National Insurance (NI) payments

Debts you owe (for example court fines, rent or Council Tax) can be deducted from your benefits – sometimes called third party deductions or Fuel Direct

If you're terminally ill and might not live longer than 12 months, you may be able to get some benefits at a higher rate.

What happens to benefits if you or someone in your family goes to prison or is on remand.

Find out about help you can get moving from benefits to work - work trials, programmes and clubs, New Enterprise Allowance, help with drug or alcohol problems, carer support

What happens if you’re suspected of benefit fraud - benefits that can and cannot be stopped if you commit fraud