Financial Benefits You May Be Entitled To

Who can claim?

Child Benefit is paid to all parents or guardians responsible for children under 16 years, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.

Only one parent or guardian can claim the benefit per child. It is not means-tested, which means you can claim the benefit for your child regardless of your income or how much you have in savings.

How much?

You will receive £26.05 per week for your eldest child and £17.25 per week for any additional children.

Payments are usually made every 4 weeks, but you can ask for weekly payments if you are a single parent or in receipt of certain other benefits, including Universal Credit.

Any Child Benefit payments you get will count towards the benefit cap. If you’re affected by the cap, you’ll still recieve the full amount for your Child Benefit, but your other benefits may be reduced.

Child Tax Credit was a payment to people to help with the costs of bringing up a child, including enhanced costs for children with disabilities.

However, all tax credits have now ended. These have been replaced by Universal Credit (scroll down for further information).

If you have been receiving child tax credits, your 2024 to 2025 tax credits notices may show some predicted payments for the tax year 2025 to 2026. These are automatically generated and should be disregarded.

All eligible customers will receive a letter from the DWP or the Department for Communities telling you what to do. This letter is called a Migration Notice.

Disability Living Allowance is a payment to help with the extra costs of daily living or getting about because your child has a long-term health condition or disability.

How much?

You could get between £29.20 and £187.45 per week, depending on your child’s needs.

Further Information

Read our DLA article for advice, guidance, and our Family Welfare Advisor’s top tips on completing a Disability Living Allowance claim form.

You can watch Contact’s short introduction videos to find out more about DLA here, they are available in English, العربية, Polski, and Soomaalida.

Scotland

If you live in Scotland, the Child Disability Payment replaces DLA. For further details, click here.

Once your child turns 16

If your child continues to need extra help with daily living tasks or mobility once they turn 16, they may be entitled to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (scroll down for more information).

The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child.

Who can claim?

You can apply if you or your partner get one of these benefits AND one of the following:

• you’re expecting your first child
• you have children already, but you are expecting a multiple birth (e.g. twins or triplets)
• you have children already, but you also look after someone else’s child who lives with you

Deadline for applying

You must claim the grant from 11 weeks before your baby’s due date or within 6 months after the baby’s birth.

If you are becoming responsible for a child you must claim within 6 months of this happening.

How to apply?

Visit the government website to access the Sure Start Maternity Grant claim form and for more information on how to claim.

If you need help with your claim, call the Sure Start Maternity Grant helpline on 0800 169 0140 or call 0800 169 0240 if you speak Welsh. If you are a British Sign Language user, use the BSL video relay service.

Who can claim?

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition.

You can still get PIP even if you’re working, have savings, or are receiving most other benefits.

How much?

There are 2 parts to PIP:

A daily living part for if you need help with everyday tasks (between £73.90 to £110.40 per week).

A mobility part for if you need help with getting around (between £29.20 and £77.05 per week).

Whether you get one or both parts and how much you get depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around.

Scotland

If you live in Scotland, you’ll need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead of PIP.

If you currently get PIP, you’ll be automatically moved to ADP by spring 2025.

If you are over 65

If you are over 65, you need to apply for Attendance Allowance (see below).

Who can claim?

Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition and are State Pension Age or older.

You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.

How much?

You could get £73.90 or £110.40 per week to help with personal support. Attendance Allowance does not cover mobility needs.

You could be entitled to extra Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction if you get Attendance Allowance.

How to apply?

Visit the government website to apply online or for instructions on how to apply by post.

Scotland

You will need to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment instead of Attendance Allowance if you live in Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney Islands, or Shetland Islands.

If you live in another part of Scotland, apply for Attendance Allowance.

Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.

Who can claim?

You must have a disability, illness or health condition that means you need support to do your job. See further details on the eligibility criteria.

What support do you get?

The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:

• a grant to help pay for practical support with your work
• support with managing your mental health at work
• money to pay for communication support at job interviews

Northern Ireland

There is a different system in Northern Ireland, visit NI Direct Government Services to find out more.

Carer’s allowance helps you look after someone you care for, including your child.  You do not have to be related to the person to be able to claim.

Who can claim?

If you are spending 35 hours or more a week caring for another person you may be entitled to make a claim. The person will need to be receiving the middle or higher rate component of DLA or PIP to qualify.

How much?

You can get up to £83.30 per week, which can be paid weekly or every 4 weeks. You can only receive this payment if you earn up to £196 per week.

If you get Universal Credit

If you get both Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance, your Universal Credit payment is reduced by the amount you get for Carer’s Allowance. This means there is no financial gain in claiming both benefits.

You can instead claim the Carer Element of Universal Credit (scroll down for more information).

Scotland

A new benefit called Carer Support Payment is replacing Carer’s Allowance in Scotland.

If you get Carer’s Allowance, you do not need to apply for Carer Support Payment. DWP and Social Security Scotland will move your benefit for you. If you do not get Carer’s Allowance, find out who can apply for Carer Support Payment.

The amount you get will be the same as the Carer’s Allowance. You may also be entitled to a supplementary payment.

New Style Employment and Support Allowance is a benefit paid to people who have a disability or health condition that affects how much they can work.

Who can claim?

To claim New Style ESA you need to have been working within the last 2 to 3 years and have made (or been credited with) Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions.

You cannot claim New Style ESA at the same time as Job Seekers Allowance or Statutory Sick Pay.

New Style ESA is not affected by any savings or income you have, except for occupational and personal pensions.

How much?

How much you get will depend on several factors, including your age, the nature of illness or disability, and the likelihood of returning to work. You will normally get the assessment rate (for 13 weeks) while your claim is being assessed.

The assessment rate is:

• Up to £72.90 per week if you are under 25.
• Up to £92.05 per week if you are 25 or over.

Your ESA will be backdated if you’re owed any money after 13 weeks.

After you are assessed:

You’ll be placed into one of 2 groups, the work-related group if you can go back to work in the future, or, the support group if you are not able to return to work.

• Up to £92.05 per week if you are in the work-related group.
• Up to £140.55 per week if you are in the support group.

If you get an occupational or personal pension that pays more than £85 per week, your New Style ESA will be reduced by half of the amount over this limit.

If you get Universal Credit

You may be able to claim Universal Credit at the same time or instead of  New Style ESA. However, if you get both benefits, your Universal Credit payment is reduced by the amount you get for New Style ESA.

Even though there is no financial gain to receiving both benefits, it may be better to claim both because:

• New Style ESA is paid fortnightly, so may make it easier to budget
• You recieve higher National Insurance credits if you claim New Style ESA. These count towards your State Pension and can help you qualify for other benefits in the future.

You may also be able to claim additional money for Universal Credit if you have a disability or health condition (scroll down for more information).

How to apply

You can apply for New Style ESA online.

It is advisable to apply for ESA as soon as your child turns 16 as this can help with claiming other benefits, such as Universal Credit, in the future.

• £316.98 per month for single claimants under 25.
• £400.14 per month for single claimants aged 25 or over.
• £497.55 per month for joint claimants both under 25.
• £628.10 per month for joint claimants if one of you is aged 25 or over.

You may get an extra amount for your first and second child.

• £339.00 per month for your first or only child born before 6 April 2017.
• £292.81 per month per child in all other circumstances.

You may get an extra amount if any of your children are disabled. You’re eligible for this extra amount no matter how many children you have.

• £158.76 a month per child currently getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or PIP (Personal Independence Payment).
• £495.87 a month per child if they get the highest rate of the DLA care component, enhanced rate of PIP for daily living, or are registered blind.

You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if:

• You are working
• If you live with your partner both of you need to be working, unless one of you is unable to work due to a disability or health condition.

The childcare needs to be from a registered provider. You can get help paying for childcare including nurseries, childminders, breakfast clubs, after-school care and holiday clubs.

You can get up to:

• £1,031.88 per month for one child.
• £1,768.94 per month for two or more children.

You need to pay your childcare costs up front and claim the money back as part of your payment. If you need to have payments upfront you can discuss this with your Work Coach after you have made your claim.

• £423.27 per month if you have limited capability for work
• £158.76 per month if you have limited capability for work and you started your health-related Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claim before 3 April 2017.

If you live with your partner and you both have limited capability for work and work-related activity, you’ll only get one extra monthly amount.

•  £201.68 per month if you provide care for at least 35 hours a week for someone who gets a health or disability-related benefit

This is on top of any extra amount you get if you have a disabled child.

You should apply for the Carer Element of Universal Credit rather than Carer Allowance if you recieve Universal Credit.

Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you’re unemployed, on a low income, or claiming benefits.

Housing Benefit is now being replaced by Universal Credit (see below). If you are already getting housing benefit, you will eventually be asked to claim the Housing Element of Universal Credit instead.

Who can claim?

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.

How much?

You may get help with all or part of your rent. There’s no set amount of Housing Benefit and what you get will depend on whether you rent privately or from a council.

How to apply?

You can either apply:

• Through your local council.
• As part of a Pension Credit claim (if you’re eligible for this).

Universal Credit has now replaced Housing Benefit (see above) for new claims for help with housing costs.

A housing payment can help you pay rent to a private landlord; rent and some service charges if you rent from a housing association or local authority; or interest payments on your mortgage and some service charges if you or your partner own the property you live in.

Who can claim?

You may be able to claim if you are on a low income and need help with paying your rent or mortgage.

How much?

The amount you will receive will depend on several factors, including number of people in the household, rent or mortgage payment costs, and the local housing allowance.

Who can claim?

You can apply for a DHP if you currently get Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit and need more financial support with housing costs.

What can you use it for?

You may get a DHP to cover housing costs for:

• A rent shortfall.
• Rent deposits.
• Rent in advance if you need to move home.

DHPs cannot cover council tax, even if you get Local Council Tax Support (also know as Council Tax Reduction – see below).

How to apply?

Each council decides how their application process will work.

Your council will look at your circumstances to see whether you are eligible for a DHP. They will decide:

• Whether to give you a DHP.
• How much you will be paid.
• How long you will receive the payment.

Contact your Local Council to apply.

Scotland

The application system is different in Scotland. Find out how to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment in Scotland.

Council Tax Reduction is a benefit to help people who are on a low income or claiming certain benefits to pay their Council Tax bill.

Who can claim?

• Single people or if you are the only adult in the home.
• People with a low income.
• People in education or training.
• If you, or people you live with, have a learning disability or severe mental impairment.
• If you, or the people you live with, are disabled.
• If you are a live-in carer.

If you, or family members, meet eligibility you/they will be considered a ‘disregarded person’. You need to apply for a Council Tax discount or an exemption, even if you’re disregarded.

To check if you are eligible you need to contact your Local Council.

How much?

• If you’re the only adult in your home, you may get a 25% discount on your council tax bill.
• If you are a live-in carer, you may get a 25% discount on your council tax bill.
• If you have a disability, your bill may be reduced to the next lowest Council Tax band. For example, if your property is in Band D, you’ll pay the Band C rate. If your home is already in the lowest band (Band A), you’ll get a 17% discount on your Council Tax bill instead.
• If everyone in your household is counted as ‘disregarded’ you may get a 50% discount on your bill.
• If you are in full-time education you may get up to 100% discount on your bill.

Rachel Carluke, Family Information Officer

[email protected]

First published: March 2023

Last reviewed: April 2025

Next review due: November 2025