Who to contact to make a claim

You can read through this information sheet, or go directly to the sections you want to read by clicking on these links:

• Links to the claim form or telephone number you need
• Free mobile calls to benefits claim lines
• Changes to Department for Work and Pensions telephone services opening hours from 1 October 2012
• Help to claim benefits or tax credits

Links to the claim form or telephone number you need

• Benefits for families

Child Benefit, Guardian's Allowance, Maternity Allowance, Statutory Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay, Sure Start Maternity Grant

• Housing-related benefits

Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit

• Benefits for people over 60 or who have reached State Retirement age 

Pension Credit, State Retirement Pension, Winter Fuel Payment

• Bereavement benefits 

Bereavement Allowance, Bereavement Payment, Funeral Payment, Widowed Parent's Allowance

• Benefits for people who are sick, have disabilities or are carers 

Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits, Statutory Sick Pay

• Out of work benefits 

Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance

• Social Fund and local welfare provision payments 

Budgeting Loan, Cold Weather Payment, Funeral Payment, local welfare provision, Sure Start Maternity Grant, Winter Fuel Payment

• Tax credits 

Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit 

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Free mobile calls to benefits claim lines

Six of the biggest mobile phone network companies - O2, Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone - no longer charge their customers for calls to many of the Department of Work and Pensions 0800 benefits claim lines.

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Department for Work and Pensions telephone services opening hours from 1 October 2012

The following Department for Work and Pensions telephone services will be available between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm from 1 October 2012. 

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/Attendance Allowance (AA) Helpline (link opens in a new window)
• Benefit Enquiry line (BEL) (link opens in a new window)
• Regional Pension Centres (link opens in a new window)  
• National Pension Centre (link opens in a new window)
• Future Pension Centre

Help to claim benefits or tax credits

An experienced welfare benefits adviser can help you work out if you qualify for a certain benefit, and they should also be able to help you fill in a claim form. You can use the Find an Adviser tool to find a local one.

In some cases, a social worker can help you make a claim for benefits. You can contact a social worker through your local council (link opens in a new window). 

The Government has also set up a number of helplines to help with certain benefits: 

Benefit Enquiry Line, 0800 882 200, can help with benefits you may be entitled to if you are a carer or have a disability. Tax Credits helpline, 0845 300 3900, can help with any Tax Credit questions.

The Government's website Gov.UK has more information about benefits and where to get further help (link opens in a new window).

Information about benefits must be available in formats such as large print, braille or audio tapes, and in languages that you can understand. Contact your local benefits office if you need information that has been translated.

If you need an interpreter to help you talk to someone in a government department or your local council, they should provide this. However, you will need to contact the benefits office directly to find out about getting this help.

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Last updated: 5 April 2013