How to Claim the Benefits You’re Entitled To

Heather Stillufsen

A recent report suggests that around £19 billion of money is going unclaimed, including £7.5 billion unclaimed in Universal Credit by over 1 million households. The most underclaimed benefit is (very expensive) Council Tax, with almost 3 million people not claiming almost £3 billion in help.

One helper in Kent secured an extra £11,500 a year for a pensioner couple who were living on low benefits. And in Coventry, a pensioner who was living on £55 a week (seriously) received an extra £138 a week (over £7000 a year) once benefit checks were performed.

Collectively, around 850,000 pensioners across the UK are not receiving what they are entitled to. And for those who are from the ‘get on your bike and find work’ generation, it may take a little persuasion to have them take the money. But they worked and paid taxes all their lives, so let’s return the favour.

Making Sense of Benefits in England

Heather Stillufsen

It is easy to feel lost when trying to work out if you can claim benefits in England. The reality is that many people qualify for more help than they realise. You do not have to be out of work or on your own to receive support.

Benefits can top up what you already have, ease everyday living costs, and bridge gaps if your situation changes. Let’s break down who can claim some of the main support options, with examples that might sound familiar to you or someone close.

Universal Credit: Support for Working Age Adults

Universal Credit is one of the main benefits. If you are over 18 and not yet at State Pension age, you could be eligible. This includes people who are:

• Out of work
• In a low-paid job
• Unable to work because of illness or caring duties

Universal Credit helps cover living costs. It takes into account your income, savings, and household. For example, a single mum on a zero-hours contract, a young carer for an ill parent, or someone whose hours have just been cut could all be entitled.

Pension Credit: Help for Older People

If you have reached State Pension age and live in the UK, you might qualify for Pension Credit. This benefit is there to top up your weekly income if it is below a set level.

Martin Lewis famously set when the Winter Fuel Allowance was temporarily cut, that ‘just one 10-minute phone call could get you an extra £11,000 a year (and entitle you to many other benefits).

Who might claim?

Picture an elderly widower living alone, struggling to keep up with bills and food costs. He has a small pension and some savings, but it does not stretch far. Pension Credit bridges the gap, so basics become affordable again.

Attendance Allowance: Support for Health Conditions

This is for people over State Pension age who need extra help because of a disability or health condition that makes everyday tasks hard. It is not means-tested, so your savings and income do not matter.

• Do you need help getting dressed, eating, moving around, or taking medication?
• Are you supporting an elderly parent who cannot manage alone?

Attendance Allowance can make getting outside support possible, like paying for taxis to appointments or help with cleaning.

Carer’s Allowance: Money for Those Who Care

If you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone who gets a disability benefit, you may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance. This applies even if you do not live with them or are not family.

Example:
A full-time carer for their disabled brother, a parent looking after a child with autism, or a partner caring for someone with dementia. Even if you also work part-time, you might still qualify, as long as your earnings stay below a set limit.

Council Tax Discounts: Local Relief Schemes

Many councils offer help with council tax for people on a low income, single adults, disabled people, and carers.
Common discounts include:

• Single person discount if you live alone
• Reductions for full-time students or people with a severe mental impairment
• Council Tax Support for those on benefits

Example:
A single adult in a flat, or a family where one child is away at university, may pay much less. Someone with a learning disability living with their carer could even have their bill cut altogether.

Child Benefit: For Parents and Guardians

If you are responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in education), you can usually claim Child Benefit. This is paid to help with the costs of raising children.

Key points for families:

• Available no matter your work status
• You do not need to pay National Insurance to get it
• High earners may pay extra tax but can still claim the benefit

Think of a single dad juggling school runs and work, or grandparents looking after young relatives. These families can claim Child Benefit, which arrives every four weeks, making a real difference to the monthly budget.

Many people fall into these groups without knowing it, while others avoid claiming out of pride or fear of paperwork. The benefits system is not just for one type of person, and the rules are not as strict as most think. If you see yourself or your loved ones in any of these examples, it is always worth checking what you might be owed.

How to Claim Benefits—Simple Steps

Heather Stillufsen

Claiming benefits can seem like a puzzle, but the path is more straightforward than it first appears. You do not need to handle everything on your own.

Here is a practical guide to getting started, even if you do not have online access or you feel unsure about paperwork. These steps will help you claim money or support you are entitled to, and get any help you need along the way.

Claiming Without a Computer: Easy Alternatives

Not everyone can claim benefits online, and that is fine. Some people do not have a computer or reliable internet. Others may just feel more confident with a form in hand or a real person on the phone. There are simple ways to apply and get updates even if you are not online.

Here are your best options if you cannot claim digitally:

• Phone Applications: Most major benefits allow you to start a claim by phone. Numbers are shown on the government website and in leaflets. Trained staff will guide you through questions and fill in details as you answer.
• Paper Forms by Post: You can ask for a paper application form to be sent to your home. Just fill it out and post it back. This can be a good route for those who want to take time or need to get supporting letters from a doctor or carer.
• Support from Trusted People: If you trust a friend or family member, they can help fill in forms or go through questions with you. Some people write a rough draft on scrap paper before completing the final form.
• Local Libraries and Community Centres: Libraries often have free computer access and printers. Staff will sometimes help you go online or print out forms, especially for benefit claims.
• Community Organisations: Many areas have support groups, lunch clubs, or drop-in centres that provide form-filling sessions and advice.

Getting Help from Others: Where to Turn

Here are some places where you can get free, confidential advice:

Citizens Advice offers free help online, and in person via their offices (which are usually busy, so you are best booking an appointment.

Christians Against Poverty is a charity that helps people to get out of debt (you don’t have to be a Christian to get help). It has its own benefits calculator online, which anyone can use. It’s free, confidential and only takes 10 minutes to get results.

Nationwide Building Society offers a free Better Off Helpline (for anyone, not just its own customers) to help people claim the unclaimed money they are entitled to.

AGE UK offers a great benefits calculator, or alternatively use the free phone number, for someone to do this over the phone for you. It can also tell you of grants that you are entitled to and the service can also assist, if  English is not your first language (if it’s easier to speak in your mother tongue).

AGE UK also run a brilliant advice line, which can include info on benefits. For instance, many callers end up being put on Attendance Allowance, which brings their income up considerably, if they qualify (and entitles them to a host of other benefits).

More Than Just Money in Your Pocket

Claiming benefits is about much more than just topping up your bank balance. The real value runs deeper. The peace of mind you get when you can pay your bills on time or keep the heating on through winter is hard to put a price on.

When you take up the help you are due, you give yourself and your family a better shot at thriving, not just getting by. Many miss out simply because they do not realise how claiming one benefit can unlock so many others, creating a ripple effect of extra support.

Extra Support You Didn’t Know About

There is a hidden side to claiming. Many people think a benefit is a one-off payment or a monthly help with living costs. In truth, certain benefits act as golden keys, opening the door to even more help. You could call them ‘passport benefits’ because they give you access to extra discounts, grants, and savings.

Take Pension Credit as an example. If you qualify, you do not just get a regular payment to top up your pension. You may also get:

• Free NHS prescriptions and dental care (saving £9.65 per prescription item and much more at the dentist)
• A free TV licence if you’re over 75, which normally costs £159
• Cold Weather Payments of £25 each time the temperature stays below freezing for seven days in winter
• Help with Council Tax– in some areas, this might even mean you pay nothing at all
• Warm Home Discount, taking £150 off your winter electric bill (if your supplier is part of the scheme)
• Capped water bills (for disabled people and carers who use more water)

Universal Credit also comes with hidden extras. Claiming it can mean you qualify for:

• Reduced water bills or help from the local council with emergency living costs
• Discounted or free school meals for your children
• Home improvement grants if you need a new boiler or extra insulation

Let’s look at a few practical examples to show how this plays out:

• Mary is a pensioner who feels embarrassed about struggling with money. She applies for Pension Credit and is awarded £40 a week. Suddenly, she finds she can get a free TV licence, cheaper dental care, and her winter heating bills are much lower because of the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments. She is no longer afraid to turn the heating on when it gets cold.
• James is a single dad working part-time. He claims Universal Credit to top up his wages. After his successful claim, he finds out his daughter gets free school dinners, he qualifies for help with council tax, and the water company puts him on their discounted social tariff.

When you add up all these extras, it can mean hundreds – sometimes thousands – of pounds saved every year. But that is not the only benefit. With money worries eased, people find they sleep better, eat better, and take part more in family and community life.

Claimed benefits also keep local shops going. When people have extra in their pockets, butchers, newsagents, takeaways, taxis, and hairdressers all see more business. Money spent locally helps keep jobs and services in the community.

You are not just helping yourself when you claim. Every pound you get goes back into your local area. The right support means you can fix the boiler if it breaks, pay for taxis to hospital, buy a new school uniform, or spoil your children with something special when times are tight.

For families with disabled children, claiming opens the door to mobility items, supervised activity breaks, or even small grants for toys and living aids.

People on benefits also can sometimes get cheaper phone and broadband from certain providers:

• BT Home Essentials is for people on benefits at a reduced monthly rate (you can also use this service for phone calls only). You can exit the 12-month contract any time (without fees), just provide your NI number.
• Virgin Media’s Essential Broadband is again a simple service for people on benefits, with a rolling 30-day tariff. The basic plan is £12.50 a month (or £20 for Essential Broadband Plus).
• Sky Broadband Basics offers a social tariff for people on certain benefits, for this you have to be a Sky Broadband customer (reverts to standard after 2 years).
• Community Fibre (London) offers a social tariff, offering gigabit speeds, at a much lower cost for those who qualify. And there are special student discounts. Installation is free, with streaming and VPN options.
• B4RN is a community-led provider rolling out gigabit fibre to rural areas, often neglected by big networks. Prices are fair, and they work closely with local people to improve digital inclusion. Discounts are for low-income families and pensioners. Social tariff rates start at £15 per month.

Ensure You Claim Disability Benefits

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Around 25% of the population worldwide have a disability that not only makes life a bit more tricky, but more expensive as often you need adapted devices and comfortable wheelchairs. The main three benefits at present in England are:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP): For people aged 16 to 64 with extra care or mobility needs.
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA): Mostly for children under 16, with similar needs to PIP.
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): For those unable to work due to illness or disability.

Medical evidence is needed, so get organised with GP letters, consultant reports, hospital discharge notes, therapy reviews, and prescription lists. Most people hear back within eight to twelve weeks, and if successful,  ask for back-dated payments (not always given automatically).

Other Benefits for Disabled People

• The government offers Disabled Facilities Grants (these don’t affect benefits) to widen doors, install ramps and grab rails, build downstairs bathrooms and easy-to-use heating/lighting controls.
• Family Fund offers grants for children with disabilities (adaptations, sensory toys, clothing, days out and holidays).
• NHS has info on how to apply for walking sticks and NHS wheelchairs. You can apply for a personal wheelchair budget to upgrade to a more comfortable one (and easier to use for carers).
• Which? has a good post on how to choose the best wheelchair, depending on height, weight and needs.
• Remap has volunteer ‘garage tinkerers’ who come up with free inventions for unique needs. A garden chair for an amputee, an oven door opener for weak hands, a one-handed sandwich cutter for a stroke survivor, and an emergency brake for an epileptic.

Ben Ryan created a fantastic bionic limb for his young son, who had to have a limb amputated at birth,  due to a blood clot. He quit his job to set up Ambionics in North Wales. Yet despite winning an inventor’s prize, the government won’t fund him. Yet his genius could change the lives of so any children – and yet MPs spend money on bombs.

Free Help with Home Telephones

• Relay is a free app to help people who have difficulty using the telephone. Also register with BT Protected Services Scheme (this prevents your bill being cut off, in case you forget to pay).
• BT Home Essentials offers cheaper calls and broadband (also apply for BT Priority Repair & free BT directory enquiries).
• If you’re registered blind, Royal Mail offers free postage (national and international) of books, media & mobility aids. Also get free loan of digital radios and touch-to-see books.

Free Mobility Equipment

• People who use wheelchairs may be entitled to free equipment like raised toilet seats, bath rails and slip mats, easy-grip kitchen equipment, bed rails and reclining chairs.
• Also order a £5 radar key (to access disabled toilets) and a blue badge (for easier parking).

Discounted Public Transport

• Londoners with a disability can get discounted (limited) travel across the city via Taxicard. Apply to your borough (GPs can also endorse applications).
• The Disabled Person’s Railcard is available for many people on benefits (and epilepsy). It costs £20 for 1 year and entitles a third savings on all fares.

Read rules for train travel with pets. Animals must be kept on leads or in carriers, and aside from guide dogs (who still may find them stressful), pets are not allowed on seats/escalators (must be carried). 

Possible Compensation from the Armed Forces

You can claim for compensation if you were made disabled (or have mental health issues) while serving in the Armed Forces (including Reserve Forces).

Paid as a lump sum or regular payments, you can also claim if you were victim of a violent crime while serving abroad, under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Donate Surplus Disability Equipment

Skiggle is an online community to donate surplus disability equipment, or exchange for things needed. There are safety caveats, and you must not make profit from NHS items. But if you have sealed unused items, someone else could benefit.

The message support system responds to urgent requests for missing, broken or forgotten essentials (chargers, feeding equipment, tracheostomy tubes), so the nearest member can assist.

The founder began the site, after a holiday with their eldest (disabled) son. They packed medical products (and bucket and spade). Then realised they had forgotten to pack an essential feeding item. After 3 hours of trying to call the out-of-hours doctor, they had to drive home, to avoid their son being checked into hospital.

Current products in the market place include:

• Catheters
• Reusable bottles
• Ventilator filters and adaptors
• Clinical dressings
• Mobility aids

How Common is Benefit Fraud?

Benefit fraud is obviously when people claim for money they are not entitled to, whether that’s providing false information or not reporting a change in circumstances.

But even if convicted, many benefits by law have to remain. One idea to prevent benefit fraud is to simplify everything by scrapping most benefits, and replacing with a Basic Income.

It’s interesting that tax evasion is around £5.5 billion. Yet benefit fraud (although substantial) is far less (around £3.3 billion).

Yet MPs focus far more on those who cheat the benefit system, rather than donors who live abroad and don’t pay tax (or big multi-nationals who use clever accountants to set up shop here, but then pay little or no tax to contribute to the NHS and other public services).