04 October 2023 , 11:17
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An estimated 21 million families are missing out on £19billion in unclaimed benefits, according to recent analysis from Policy in Practice.
But it only takes ten minutes to check if you could be entitled to make a claim. It is a common misconception that you need to be out of work to claim benefits.
There is help available for those who are on low incomes, plus support for those with children, those who care for a relative, and those with health issues.
You should first use one of these following free benefit calculators to check what you could be entitled to:
- Policy in Practice benefits calculator
- entitledto benefits calculator
- Turn2us benefits calculator
You'll need to input information about your living situation, your employment status, any savings you have, and if you currently already receive any benefits. If these calculators show you may be eligible for support, you can either put in a claim for the relevant benefit yourself, or get help by contacting Citizens Advice.
8 money changes coming in February including Universal Credit and passport fees
You can visit your nearest Citizens Advice in person, or call its "Help to Claim" service on 0800 144 8 444. The calculators should give you a rough idea of how much you're able to claim.
Citizens Advice has a full list of the different types of benefits you may be able to claim. After the state pension, the most common benefit in the UK is Universal Credit, which is replacing the following six "legacy" benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
You may be able to claim Universal Credit if you're out of work, or you're on a low income. If you're sick or disabled, you may be able to claim benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Attendance Allowance.
Again, these are just some examples of the different payments out there. Use one of the calculators above and speak to a specialist benefits advisor to work out your exact eligibility.
There is a benefit cap which sets a maximum amount of support you can claim, depending on where in the UK you live, and your living situation. The monthly cap for a single person living outside London is £1,229.42, or for a single parent or couple, the cap outside of London is £1,835.
The monthly cap for a single person living inside London is £1,413.92, or for a single parent or couple, the cap inside London is £2,110.25. Not all benefits - such as Personal Independence Allowance - are affected by the benefit cap.
You're also not affected by the cap if you're over state pension age. If you're part of a couple and one of you is under State Pension age, the cap may apply.