Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is a tax free benefit for people aged 65 or over who are physically or mentally disabled and require help with their personal care or require supervision to remain safe. Attendance Allowance is not means tested, there are no national insurance tests and is paid in addition to any other benefits.
Bereavement Allowance
Bereavement Allowance is payable if you were aged 45 or over when your spouse /civil partner died and is payable for 52 weeks following their death. Bereavement Allowance cannot be paid above state pension age. If your spouse or civil partner's national insurance record was incomplete, the amount payable is reduced.
Budgeting Loans
Budgeting Loans are paid through social fund. You have to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit and been in receipt of the qualifying benefit for 26 weeks before the decision in regards to the loan and you application must be for certain categories.
Carer's Allowance
Carers Allowance is paid to carers who are regularly caring for 35 hours or more per week for a severely disabled person. It is not means tested and the person being cared for has to be in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit and there is an earnings limit whereby if earnings are above £102.00 per week there is no entitlement.
Child Benefit
You can get child benefit if you are responsible for a child or young person and it is not means tested unless you are a higher rate taxpayer.
Child Tax Credits
You can claim child tax credits if you are at least 16 years old and are responsible for a child or qualifying young person who normally lives with you and your income is low enough for child tax credits to be paid. Check your circumstances on the calculator.
Council Tax Reduction
Council Tax is a domestic property based tax paid to the local authority to help pay for the services it provides. Council Tax Reduction can be claimed if your income is low enough for help.
Disability Living Allowance
For new claimants personal independent payment (PIP) has replaced disability living allowance. However, disability living allowance is claimed for children less than 16 years of age.
If you are an adult and currently receive disability living allowance you will at some point be reassessed for personal independent payment unless you have reached the age of 65.
If you receive disability living allowance and your condition deteriorates if you request the claim to be reviewed then it will be assessed as a new PIP claim unless you are over the age 65 and in these cases only the care part can be looked at and increased.
Employment and Support Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is paid to people whose ability to work is limited because ill health or disability. Your eligibility for this benefit is tested under the work capability assessment. Employment and support allowance has two elements, contributory ESA and income related depending on your circumstances.
Guardian's Allowance
This is a tax free benefit for anyone looking after effectively orphans. It does not depend on your income or savings or whether you have paid national insurance contributions and it can be paid along with child benefit.
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit can help people pay their rent if their income is low enough when assessed.