Welfare benefits
If you are looking for extra financial support you can use our online benefits directory to find out information about welfare benefits and if you are eligible.
You can receive benefits for a number of reasons, including if you:
- have a long term illness or disability
- care for someone
- are unemployed or work part-time
- are having a baby
- have a disabled child
- are over pension age.
Watch our short video which shows how people in different situations can be entitled to benefits:
Welfare benefits directory
Use our online benefits directory to see what type of benefits you might be able to receive and how to apply for them.
Most popular benefits
We have detailed information for some of the most popular benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Employment Support Allowance
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Tax Credits
| Benefit | Who can apply | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Armed Forces Compensation Scheme | Long term ill/disabled bereaved |
This scheme replaces the War Pensions scheme for those who have suffered injury, illness or death caused by service on or after 06.04.05 |
| Attendance Allowance | Long term ill/ disabled/ stage pension age |
A non taxable weekly benefit for people over 65 who need looking after because of an illness or disability. |
| Bereavement Allowance | Bereaved |
An allowance paid for 52 weeks to those who have been widowed or who have list a civil partner. |
| Bereavement Payment | Bereaved |
A one off payment of £2000 paid to spouses bereaved on or after 09.04.01 and for civil partners bereaved on or after 05.12.05. |
| Bereavement Support Payment | Bereaved |
A larger first payment followed by up to 18 monthly payments to be paid if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 6 April 2017. |
| Budgeting loan | Long-term ill/ disabled/ unemployed and part-time workers |
An interest free loan for those in receipt of certain benefits. |
| Carer's Allowance | Carers and unemployed/ part-time workers |
A weekly benefit paid to those who care for someone with an illness or disability |
| Carer's Credit | Carers | If you care for someone for at least 20 hours a week |
| Child Benefit | Families or carers | This benefit is payable to all parents and carers of children and young people up to the age of 19 |
| Child Tax Credit | Unemployed/ part-time workers parents or parents of a disabled child | This benefit is payable to parents with a low income |
| Christmas bonus | Long term ill/ disabled/ state pension age | A one-off payment of £10 paid automatically to people claiming certain benefits in the qualifying week |
| Cold Weather Payment | Long-term ill/ disabled/ state pension age | An extra payment of £25 per week, paid automatically if in receipt of certain benefits |
| Council Tax support/ reduction schemes | Long-term ill/ disabled/ state pension age | Local council tax support/ reduction scheme from 1 April 2013. |
| Disability Living Allowance | Long-term ill/ disabled/ have a disabled child |
A non taxable weekly benefit paid to people from birth to 65 who have attention or supervision needs because they have an illness or disability, or who have difficulty with their mobility |
| Employment Support Allowance | Long-term ill/ disabled |
An earnings replacement benefit paid because you are unable to work due to illness or disability |
| Funeral payment | Bereaved | This is a lump sum payment to cover the cost of a funeral and other expenses |
| Guardian's Allowance | Carers | A weekly benefit which you can claim if you care for a child who’s parents have died, are in prison or their whereabouts are unknown |
| Health benefits | Long-term ill/ disabled/ state pension age | Various free benefits including sight tests, dental treatments and prescriptions if you receive particular benefits |
| Health start food and vitamins | Pregnant/ recently given birth | You can claim for vitamins and vouchers worth £3.10 each to exchange for healthy food at specific places. |
| Housing benefit | Long-term ill/ disabled/ state pension age | A benefit paid to help you with the cost of your rent. |
| Income support | Carers/ pregnant women or women who have recently given birth |
A weekly benefit paid to certain categories of people on a low income |
| Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit | Long-term ill/ disabled |
This is a weekly benefit payable to those who have had an injury at work, or who are ill as a result of their work or work environment |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | Unemployed/ part-time workers |
You can claim JSA if you are currently unemployed or working under 16 hours per week and are actively able and looking for work |
| Maternity Allowance | Pregnant women or those who have recently given birth | You may receive this if you are pregnant or have recently had a baby and you are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay |
| Motability Scheme | Long-term ill/ disabled | A Government funded scheme which allows you to exchange your higher rate Mobility payment from Disability Living Allowance or your enhanced rate Mobility payment from Personal Independence Payment for a car |
| Pension Credit | Stage pension age |
A weekly benefit called Guarantee Credit is paid to those over Pension age to guarantee they have income of an appropriate level |
| Personal Indepedence Payment | Long-term ill/ disabled |
Personal Independence Payment has started to replace Disability Living Allowance for people of working age with a health condition or disability |
| Road Tax Exemption | Long-term ill/ disabled | If you are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance at the Higher rate of the Mobility component you are entitled to exemption on your Road Tax |
| Short term advance | All |
Short term advances of your benefits are available to claimants of any contributory or income-related benefit |
| Sixteen to Nineteen Bursary | Long-term ill/ disabled | You could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you're aged 16 to 19 |
| State Retirement Pension | State pension age | Your State Retirement Pension is based on the National Insurance Contributions you have paid throughout your life |
| Statutory Adoption Pay | Families | A payment made by your employer whilst you are on leave after adopting a baby or child |
| Statutory Maternity Pay | Pregnant women or those who have recently given birth | A payment made by your employer whilst you are on leave before and after having a baby |
| Statutory Paternity Pay | Families | A payment made by your employer if your partner has recently given birth to or adopted a baby |
| Statutory Sick Pay | Long-term ill/ disabled | A payment made by your employer whilst you are unable to work due to ill health |
| Sure Start Maternity Grant | Pregnant women or those who have recently given birth | You may be entitled to a payment of £500 if you are expecting a baby or have recently given birth |
| Universal Credit | Long-term ill/ disabled/ unemployed and part-time workers | A new benefit that will start to replace Income Support, Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income based Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Working and Child Tax Credit for working age people from 2016 |
| War Pension Scheme | Long-term ill/ disabled/ bereaved | The scheme remains in place for those with existing awards on 06.04.05 |
| Widowed Parents Allowance | Bereaved |
A benefit paid to Widow’s, Widower’s or surviving civil partner who are under pension age and who are pregnant or are receiving Child Benefit |
| Winter Fuel Payment | Stage pension age | You could get between £100 and £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills if you were born on or before 5 July 1952 |
| Working Tax Credit | Long-term ill/ disabled/ unemployed and part-time works |
This is a benefit paid to those who are working and on a low income |
