Benefits and Advice

Trying to manage on a limited budget can be difficult, particularly when facing those higher than expected bills or replacing essential household items. Many eligible people do not claim the benefits that they are entitled to, even though their income can be significantly increased if they did. Worse, some people may turn to high interest borrowing to make ends meet.

Are you claiming the full range of benefits, pensions and/or tax credits available?

People who fail to claim may not know all the benefits they may be entitled to, may be confused about their eligibility, or simply do not know where to access advice and information.

Even if you are already in receipt of a benefit, or think you may be entitled to make a claim, it’s worth checking out exactly what you may be entitled to and how to go about claiming it. Alternatively, click on the links in the list below to access the government’s own sites giving advice on benefit entitlement.

You can look at independent sources of help available to get advice on claiming benefits. You can also contact your local Welfare Rights office for a free and impartial benefit health check.

If you have specific queries about benefits you may be entitled to, you can contact the following:

Child Benefit enquiry line
Tel: 0845 302 1444
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/

Child Support Agency Enquiry Line
Tel: 0845 7133 133
http://www.csa.gov.uk/

Department for Work and Pensions
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

Disability Benefits Enquiry Line
Tel: 0800 88 22 00
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
Tel: 08457 123 456

Disability Rights Commission
Tel: 08457 622 633
http://www.drc-gb.org/

Entitled To

Calculator to help you work out your entitlement to benefits and tax credits
http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Jobcentre Plus
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/index.html

New Deal
Tel: 0845 606 2626
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/New_Deal/

New Deal for Lone Parents
Tel: 0800 868 868
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/New_Deal/

Pension Credit Claim Line
Tel: 0800 99 1234
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/

Tax Credits Helpline
Tel: 0845 300 3900
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

Veterans Agency Freeline
Tel: 0800 169 2277
http://www.veterans-uk.info/

Winter Fuel Payments Helpline
Tel: 0845 915 1515
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel/