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Check what benefits you can get

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If you’re struggling with the cost of living, you should check if you can claim benefits or increase your current benefits. 

You might be able to claim certain benefits even if you work, have savings or own a home.

To check what benefits you can get, you can:

  • use a benefits calculator - for a detailed check based on your personal situation

  • read our general benefits advice - to quickly check if you could get Universal Credit and other benefits

 

Why it’s worth checking what you can get

Lots of people miss out on benefits they’re entitled to - so it’s worth checking what you can get.

Claiming benefits also means you can get access to other financial help like cost of living payments and discounts on energy and transport.

Use a benefits calculator

Benefits calculators can tell you what benefits you might get and how much money you could get in benefits. 

To get a more accurate answer, you’ll need information about your savings, income, pension, childcare payments and any existing benefits for you and your partner, if you have one.

Check if you can use a calculator

None of the calculators can give you an accurate answer if you're:

  • a student

  • on strike

  • living outside the UK

  • living permanently in residential care or a nursing home

  • in prison

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If you’re under 18

There's only one benefits calculator you can use if you're under 18.

You can use the Policy in Practice benefits calculator.

 

If you're not a British or Irish citizen

There’s only one tool you can use - it’s called ‘Support for migrant families’. 

The tool can tell you if you’re eligible for benefits and what help you can get from social services and immigration advisers.

You can only use the Support for migrant families tool if you have 'no recourse to public funds' - this means you can't claim most benefits. The tool is particularly useful if you're responsible for children under 18.  

Your results will be more accurate if you know your immigration status. 

Use the Support for migrant families tool.

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If you want a detailed benefits check

You can use the Entitledto benefits calculator for a detailed overview of what you might get. Entitledto’s calculator is particularly useful if:

  • you’re already claiming benefits

  • you’re sick or disabled

Use the Entitledto benefits calculator.

 

If you want a quick overview of what help you can get 

You can use the Turn2us benefits calculator for a quick idea of what benefits and other financial help you might be eligible for.

Use the Turn2us benefits calculator.

Check if you can get Universal Credit

Universal Credit is the main benefit for most people of working age. You should check if you can get Universal Credit if:

  • you have less than £16,000 in savings or other investments

It's worth checking if you can get Universal Credit, even if you work full-time. There’s no set amount of income where you stop being eligible for Universal Credit - it depends on your situation. 

Check if you can get Universal Credit.

 

Getting Universal Credit if you’re sick or disabled

If you find it difficult to work because you’re sick or disabled, you might get more Universal Credit or not have to look for work. 

Check how Universal Credit works for people who are sick or disabled.

 

Check what other benefits you might get 

You might be entitled to other benefits depending on your situation - like your age, if you’re disabled or if you have a child. 

You might be able to get more than one benefit - for example, disability benefits and Universal Credit. 

If you pay council tax, you should check if you can pay less council tax. 

 

If you’re sick or disabled

You might be able to get disability benefits if:

  • you have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around

  • you can’t work because you’re sick or disabled

It usually doesn’t matter how much you earn, if you have savings or how much National Insurance you’ve paid.

Check what benefits to claim if you’re sick or disabled.

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If you’re over State Pension age

You can check your State Pension age on GOV.UK.

If you’ve been paying National Insurance contributions, you might get a State Pension. Check how State Pensions work.

 

If you’re sick or disabled

You might be able to get Attendance Allowance if you have difficulty with everyday tasks and getting around. 

Check if you can get Attendance Allowance.

 

If you have a low amount of income and savings 

You might be able to get Pension Credit - even if you own your own home or have a small private pension. 

Claiming Pension Credit can give you access to other help like money off council tax, healthcare and energy.

Check if you can claim Pension Credit. 

If you’re struggling to pay your rent, you should check if you can claim Housing Benefit.  

 

If you’re 80 or over

If you don’t get a basic State Pension or your basic State Pension is less than £85 a week, you could get extra money - this is called a ‘category D pension’.

You can only get a category D pension if you’ve lived in the UK for at least 10 years of the past 20 years.

Check if you can get a category D pension on GOV.UK.

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If you’re looking for full-time work

You might get ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) if:

  • you’re over 18 and under State Pension age

  • you've worked and paid Class 1 National Insurance in the last 2 to 3 years 

You can claim new style JSA on its own or with Universal Credit. 

Check if you can get new style JSA.

If you already get contribution-based JSA, check if you can add income-based JSA.

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If you're a carer

If you care for a disabled person for at least 35 hours a week, check if you can get Carer’s Allowance.

 

If you can’t get Carer’s Allowance

You might be able to get Carer’s Credit if you care for a disabled person for at least 20 hours a week. Check if you can get Carer’s Credit on GOV.UK.

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If you’re having a baby

If you work and you’re having a child, you might be able to get:

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If you're responsible for a child

You might get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for: 

  • a child under 16

  • a child under 20 who is still in education or training

It doesn’t matter if you work or have savings and investments. 

Check if you can get Child Benefit.

 

If you’re responsible for a child whose parents have died

You might get Guardian’s Allowance if you already get Child Benefit.

Check if you can get Guardian’s Allowance on GOV.UK.

 

If you get Working Tax Credits 

You can add Child Tax Credits to your claim. Child Tax Credits give you access to other help - like free school meals.

Check if you can get Child Tax Credits.

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If you're 16 or 17

If you’re finding things difficult, you should contact your local council’s child services. They might be able to give you money to afford essentials and give you access to counselling and care. You can find your local council on GOV.UK. 

You might also be able to get Universal Credit if:

  • you’re a carer 

  • you’re a single parent or you’re the only person responsible for children in your household

  • you can’t work or have difficulty working because you’re sick or disabled

  • you’re not in contact with your parents and you’re not in care

If you’re responsible for a child under 18, you might be able to get Child Benefit.

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