Cost of living support

This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

Check what benefits and financial support you can get

Support with your income

• • Check what benefits and financial support you can get
  • Check if you’re getting the minimum wage
  • Apply for Marriage Allowance
  • Apply for Carer’s Allowance
  • Apply for support with savings if you’re on a low income (Help to Save)
  • Claim tax relief on work-related expenses
  • Check how you can deal with your debts
  • Contact the MoneyHelper service for free, confidential and impartial advice

• Apply for Universal Credit

  • Universal Credit in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Universal Credit in Northern Ireland

• Apply for Pension Credit if you’re on a low income

  • Pension Credit in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Pension Credit in Northern Ireland

• Apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) if you’re unemployed

  • ‘New style’ JSA in England, Scotland and Wales
  • ‘New style’ JSA in Northern Ireland

Support if you’re disabled

• • Find out about the Cost of Living Payment

• Apply for Universal Credit if you’re disabled

  • Universal Credit if you’re disabled in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Universal Credit in Northern Ireland

• Apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

  • ‘New style’ ESA in England, Scotland and Wales
  • ‘New style’ and ‘Contribution based’ ESA in Northern Ireland

• Support with living costs if you’re disabled

  • Apply for Attendance Allowance if you’re state pension age
  • Apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in England and Wales
  • Apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Northern Ireland
  • Apply for Adult Disability Payment in Scotland

• Support to get or stay in work

  • Apply for Access to Work in England
  • Apply for Access to Work in Northern Ireland

• Support with travel costs if you’re disabled

  • Apply for a disabled person’s railcard
  • Apply for an older or disabled person’s bus pass in Scotland

• Support if your child is disabled

  • Apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Apply for Child Disability Payment in Scotland

Support with your bills

• • Limits on energy prices: Energy Price Guarantee
  • Find out about the Cost of Living Payment
  • Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme
  • Find out about the Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment
  • Find out about the Warm Home Discount Scheme
  • Apply for the Cold Weather Payment
  • Find out if you can get cheaper phone and broadband
  • Find out how to reduce your water bill and financial support you may be able to get

• Support with Council Tax

  • Apply for a Council Tax rebate in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Apply for Rate Relief in Northern Ireland

• Support with health costs

  • Check if you’re eligible for support with prescriptions and health costs
  • Find out about support with health costs in Scotland

• Apply for a Budgeting Loan if you’re claiming benefits

  • Budgeting Loans in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Social Fund Budgeting Loan in Northern Ireland

Support with childcare costs

• • Check what help you could get with childcare costs
  • Apply for Child Benefit
  • Apply for support with childcare costs for children 11 or under (Tax-Free Childcare)
  • Claim back childcare costs if you get Universal Credit

• Support with childcare for children aged 2 to 4

  • Apply for free childcare for children aged 2 in England
  • Apply for 15 hours free childcare for children aged 3 to 4 in England
  • Apply for 30 hours free childcare for children aged 3 to 4 in England
  • Apply for free childcare for children aged 3 to 4 in Scotland
  • Apply for free childcare for children aged 3 to 4 in Wales

• Support with school costs (for example, equipment and uniforms)

  • Apply for support with school uniform costs in Scotland
  • Apply for support with school costs in Wales
  • Apply for support with school uniform costs in Northern Ireland

• Support with school meal costs

  • Apply for free school meals in England
  • Apply for free school meals in Scotland
  • Apply for free school meals in Wales
  • Apply for free school meals in Northern Ireland

• Support with school transport costs

  • Apply for support with school transport costs in England
  • Apply for support with school transport costs in Scotland
  • Apply for support with school transport costs in Northern Ireland

• Support with childcare costs if your child is disabled

  • Apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Apply for Child Disability Payment in Scotland

• Support with food and milk for your child

  • Apply for Healthy Start vouchers
  • Apply for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods in Scotland

• Support with maternity costs

  • Apply for the Maternity Grant (Sure Start) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Apply for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods in Scotland

Support with housing costs

• • Find out about support with housing costs if you get Universal Credit
  • Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment
  • Apply for support with interest payments on a mortgage or home improvement loan
  • Contact your council for help with housing costs and Council Tax

• Check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit

  • Apply for Housing Benefit in England and Wales
  • Apply for Housing Benefit in Scotland
  • Apply for Housing Benefit in Northern Ireland

Support with travel costs

• Help with rail costs

  • Apply for a railcard to save money on rail journeys
  • Claim 50% off rail journeys if you’re on Universal Credit

• Help with bus costs

  • Apply for an older person’s bus pass in England and Wales
  • Apply for an older or disabled person’s bus pass in Scotland
  • Apply for an older person’s bus pass in Northern Ireland
  • Apply for a disabled person’s bus pass in England