As a part of our commitment to helping the nation to understand its finances, we’ve introduced Pave.
Pave is a free online Benefit Calculator and Budgeting service that uses over 4,000 pieces of legislation across four Government departments to help people understand how they are affected and what support they are eligible for.
Grow your financial strength without needing to be experts in the benefit system.
There is no cost – Pave is a free tool.
Pave is a free tool that can be used by individuals and advisers.
Money Advice and Tools
Energy Advice and Grants
Impartial and independent advice to help you:
- Reduce your energy bills
- Make your home warmer
- Plan home improvements
- Make your home greener
- Learn about available energy grants
Get advice
Debt Advice
Get free and independent debt advice over the phone and online.
Get DEBT advice
Moneyhelper
Get free guidance on:
- Benefits
- Family & Care
- Money Troubles
- Savings
- Everyday Money
- Homes
- Pensions & Retirement
- Work
GO TO MONEYHELPER
Pension Wise
Pension Wise is a government service from MoneyHelper that offers free, impartial pensions guidance about your defined contribution pension options.
An appointment with Pension Wise is free and will help you understand what your overall financial situation will be when you retire.
It’ll talk you through your options to help you make the right decision. You’ll also find out about the other factors you need to consider when deciding on your options before retirement.
GO TO PENSION WISE
Check your State Pension age
Use this tool to find out:
- When you’ll reach State Pension age
- Your Pension Credit qualifying age
- When you’ll be eligible for free bus travel
CHECK YOUR STATE PENSION AGE
Apply or Renew a Blue Badge
Check your eligibility and apply for a Blue Badge. You can also use this service to reapply for a Blue Badge.
- You can apply for yourself, someone else or an organisation.
- A Blue Badge costs up to £10 in England and £20 in Scotland. It’s free in Wales.
- They usually last up to 3 years.
- You must reapply for a Blue Badge before your current one expires.
Apply or renew a blue badge
Cost of Living Payment Guidance
Guidance on getting an extra payment to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.
Get help with cost of living
Get a free or discounted TV licence
You can get either:
- A free TV licence if you’re 75 or over and you get Pension Credit
- A discount if you’re blind or in residential care
Help with TV Licence
Council Tax
Apply for Council Tax reduction
Apply to your local council for Council Tax Reduction (sometimes called Council Tax Support).
You’ll get a discount on your bill if you’re eligible.
APPLY FOR COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION
Apply for a Council Tax discount
Check with your council if you’re eligible for a discount which will reduce the Council Tax you pay.
APPLY FOR COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION
Check your Council Tax Band (England & Wales)
Find out the Council Tax band for a home in England or Wales by looking up its address or postcode.
CHECK YOUR COUNCIL TAX BAND
Check your Council Tax Band (Scotland)
Find out the Council Tax band for a home in Scotland by looking up its address or postcode.
CHECK YOUR COUNCIL TAX BAND
Benefits and Financial Support
Pension Credit
Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
APPLY FOR CREDIT PENSION
Universal Credit - Apply
Get help with the early stages of your Universal Credit claim.
APPLY FOR UNIVERSAL CREDIT
Child Benefit - Claim
Access the information and forms you need to claim Child Benefit.
CLAIM CHILD BENEFIT
Claim for help with the Cost of Living
If you don’t have enough to live on, you might be able to get help from the Government or your local council to afford essentials like bills and food. This includes the Household Support Fund and Cost of Living Payments.
CLAIM FOR HELP WITH COST OF LIVING
Housing Benefit – Apply
Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you’re unemployed, on a low income or claiming benefits. It’s being replaced by Universal Credit.
You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if either of the following apply:
- You have reached State Pension age
- You’re in supported, sheltered or temporary housing
APPLY FOR HOUSING BENEFIT
Discounted Royal Mail Redirection Service
The Redirection service enables your mail to move with you when you are moving to another home.
The Redirection service helps ensure that:
- You won't miss important documents
- You’ll help prevent your personal details falling into the wrong hands and becoming a victim of fraud
- You will receive home mover offers
The concessionary offering is for customers who are in receipt of Universal Credit or Pension Credit. Universal Credit also covers the following benefits:
- Child Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and
- Working Tax Credit
GET DISCOUNTED ROYAL MAIL REDIRECTION SERVICE
Mortgage Interest Run On
Mortgage Interest Run On is extra money you can get towards your housing costs if certain other benefits are stopping because you’re:
- Returning to work full-time
- Working more hours
- Earning more money
You can get this help for 4 weeks.
GET MORTGAGE INTEREST RUN ON
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get help towards interest payments on:
- Your mortgage
- Loans you’ve taken out for certain repairs and improvements to your home
GET SUPPORT FOR MORTGAGE INTEREST (SMI)
Cold Weather Payment (restarts 01 November 2022)
You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.
GET COLD WEATHER PAYMENT
Check what help you can get from your local council
Your local council might help you pay for things like:
- your energy and water bills
- food
- essential items - for example, clothes or an oven
This help is known as 'welfare assistance' or the ‘Household Support Fund’. Each council runs their own scheme. The help they offer and who can get it varies.
Ask your local council if they run a welfare assistance or Household Support Fund scheme.
You don’t have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council. If you do get benefits, they won’t be affected if you start getting money from a welfare assistance or Household Support Fund scheme.
CHECK WHAT HELP YOU CAN GET FROM YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL
Search for a charitable grant
Many charitable funds will help people who have no recourse to public funds - and cannot claim welfare benefits
Charitable grants do not have to be paid back.
SEARCH FOR A CHARITABLE GRANT
Apply for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance
Check here to see if you are eligible and apply.
SEARCH FOR A CHARITABLE GRANT
Benefits and Financial Support (Health and Care)
Help with NHS prescriptions and health costs
You might be able to get free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and help with other NHS costs.
Whether you get help depends on things like:
- Your age
- Your income
- Where you live
- If you get certain benefits
- If you’re pregnant
- If you have a medical condition
Use this service to check what help you could get and how to apply.
It usually takes 5 minutes to check.
GET BENEFITS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT (HEALTH AND CARE)
Carer’s Allowance
Click here to make a claim for Carer’s Allowance.
CLAIM CARER'S ALLOWANCE
Apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.
Apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have both:
- A long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- Difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
Apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Apply for Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
Apply for Attendance Allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
- Is under 16
- Has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability
get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
Get benefits if you're nearing the end of life
You could get money to help with living costs if you’re nearing the end of life because of an illness.
If your doctor or a medical professional has told you that you might have 12 months or less to live, you might be able to:
- Get benefits at a higher rate or get extra money
- Start getting payments quicker than usual
This is sometimes called ‘special rules for end of life’.
Get benefits if you're nearing the end of life
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
You might get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if you became ill or are disabled because of an accident or disease either:
- At work
- On an approved employment training scheme or course
The amount you may get depends on your individual circumstances.
get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Claim if you were injured while serving in the armed forces
You can claim compensation if you were injured or got an illness while serving in the armed forces (including the reserve forces).
Compensation may include:
- A lump sum
- Regular payments
Claim if you were injured while serving in the armed forces
Blind Person’s Allowance
Blind Person’s Allowance is an extra amount of tax-free allowance.
It means you can earn more before you start paying Income Tax.
claim Blind Person’s Allowance
Disabled Facilities Grants
You could get a grant from your council if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home, for example to:
- Widen doors and install ramps
- Improve access to rooms and facilities - eg stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom
- Provide a heating system suitable for your needs
- Adapt heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
A Disabled Facilities Grant won’t affect any benefits you get.
get Disabled Facilities Grants
Disabled Students' Allowance
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.
This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.
The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income.
You do not need to pay back DSA.
claim Disabled Students' Allowance
Help if you have a disabled child
Your local council can provide help if you have a disabled child, including:
- short break services
- holiday play schemes
- care at home
- some aids and adaptations
- financial help, e.g. money towards travel costs for hospital visits
get Help if you have a disabled child
Vaccine Damage Payment
If you’re severely disabled as a result of a vaccination against certain diseases, you could get a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000. This is called a Vaccine Damage Payment.
You can also apply for this payment on behalf of someone who has died after becoming severely disabled because of certain vaccinations. You need to be managing their estate to apply.
You can still take legal action to claim compensation, even if you get a Vaccine Damage Payment.
get Vaccine Damage Payment
Guidance and Support
What to do if you become disabled
You have rights if you become disabled to protect you from discrimination. You might also be entitled to certain benefits.
The main disability and sickness benefits are:
What you’re entitled to depends on your circumstances - use a benefits calculator to see what you might be able to get.
You might also be able to get:
check What to do if you become disabled
Support visits if you need help to claim benefits
You may be able to get a home visit from a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officer to help you with your benefit claim.
You cannot book a visit yourself. Tell DWP you need help to claim benefits by calling the number of the benefit you’re applying for. If you’re eligible, they’ll arrange a support visit.
You can also be referred for a support visit by a charitable organisation like Citizens Advice or Age UK.
Support visits can take place somewhere other than your home, for example at a hospital. This will usually be discussed with you when you’re referred.
Get support visits if you need help to claim benefits
Intensive Personalised Employment Support
Intensive Personalised Employment Support is one-to-one support and training to help you into work if you have a disability.
To apply you must:
GET Intensive Personalised Employment Support
Apply for communication support at a job interview if you have a disability or health condition (Access to Work)
You can apply to Access to Work to get money for communication support at a job interview.
APPLY FOR COMMUNICATION SUPPORT
Work and Health Programme
The Work and Health Programme helps you find and keep a job if you’re out of work.
It’s voluntary - unless you’ve been out of work and claiming unemployment benefits for 24 months.
Get Work and Health Programme