Money matters

The government’s benefits system can be complex but is there to help people in need with their living costs. You may be able to claim extra money if you’re on a low wage, have an illness or disability, or care for someone.

To work out what benefits you might be entitled to and how to claim them, you can use GOV.UK's benefits calculator

To find out what benefits you could get, visit the GOV.UK website. This includes:

• Disability benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children under the age of 16
• Benefits and financial support if you're caring for someone including Carer's Allowance and Carer's Credit
• Benefits and financial support for families including Child Benefit
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit
• Winter fuel payments
• Help with housing and other living costs
• Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and Income Support

The following charities have created guides to help with your claim:

• Cerebra offers a step-by-step guide to completing the DLA application form.
• Contact - for families with disabled children has a handy guide to the DLA. 
  You can also call their DLA helpline: 0800 121 4600 / Textphone: 0800 121 4523
• Contact has a guide to PIP for parents
• Contact has a guide to claiming universal credit for a disabled young person