A-Z of Benefits

If you have school-aged children, you might be able to access financial support with back-to-school costs.

The Benefit Cap is a limit to the total amount in some benefits that working-age people can get.

Planned changes to the benefits system. This guide is updated every two months.

Guide to Benefits Overpayments, what they are, why they happen and what you should do if you have been overpaid.

If you are recently bereaved, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

Bereavement Support Payment is paid to widows, widowers, surviving civil partners or cohabiting partners.

Best Start Foods is a Scottish government scheme to help pregnant people and young children afford healthy food.

The Best Start Grant is a set of grants offered to support people living in Scotland to help with the expenses of having a young child.

If you are bringing up a child, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

Your options if you think a Budgeting Loan decision is wrong.

A Budgeting Loan is extra money on top of your benefits to help pay for certain essentials.You have to pay back a Budgeting Loan.

When you or a member of your family go to live in a care home, the benefits you get may change.

There are special rules about being able to get benefits when you are aged 16 or 17 and you are a ‘care leaver’. Read our guide to benefits for care leavers.

If you are a carer for someone who has an illness or disability, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

Carer Support Payment is money for people in Scotland who provide regular care to someone who has a disability.

As a carer, you have the right to have your own needs assessed by your local council.

If you are disabled or are a carer you may be entitled to help with transport costs.

Carer's Allowance is money for people who provide regular care to someone who has a disability.

Carer's Credits helps carers fill gaps in their national insurance record to help them qualify for the State Pension and other benefits.

Discover the steps you can take if you are unhappy with a benefit decision.

Your options if you think a Budgeting Loan decision is wrong.

If you think a Child Benefit or Guardian's Allowance decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

Find out more about Challenging a Council Tax Support decision.

If you think a Housing Benefit decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

You may be able to have a decision about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changed. Options for challenging a PIP decision.

This guide takes you through your options if you think an Employment and Support Allowance decision is wrong.

If you think a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

Child Benefit is money paid to parents or other people who are responsible for bringing up a child.

Child Disability Payment is a Scottish benefit for children with disabilities.

Read our guide to the help that is available with childcare costs if you are working, studying or starting to work or study.

Benefits are payments from the government to certain people on low incomes, or to meet specific needs. Read our guide to find out more about them and how to claim.

A Cold Weather Payment is money to help with fuel costs when the weather is very cold.

This guide explains how to complain about your benefit claim - and when you should use a different process to get the outcome you want.

Struggling to pay bills and other everyday costs of living? Find out what help may be available to you through benefits, grants and other sources of support.

Council Tax discounts don’t depend on your income or savings. Council Tax discounts depend on who lives in your home.

Council Tax Support provides help for people on low incomes with their Council Tax bill.

Find help available through benefits, grants and debt advice services.

If you think a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for people with disabilities.

Disability Living Allowance is money for children who have care needs or mobility needs (difficulty getting around).

You may be able to get a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local authority for work to your home.

If you have an illness or a disability, you may need help to continue living at home. These services can be provided by your local council.

If you are disabled or are a carer you may be entitled to help with transport costs.

If you are ill, injured or are disabled, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

The Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) provides grants to people in Wales. Grants do not need to be paid back.

Discretionary Housing Payment is a extra payment which can help towards housing costs.

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is extra money for students aged 16-19 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You might find yourself caught short of money and need help with essentials like food or paying your bills. Please look at the range of support options we discuss in this guide.

Employment and Support Allowance is money for people who have illnesses or disabilities that make it hard for them to work.

This guide takes you through your options if you think an Employment and Support Allowance decision is wrong.

Find out more about Permitted Work under Employment and Support Allowance.

Struggling with Energy and Water Bills If you are struggling with energy and/or water bills, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, find out about the help you can get.

The EU Settled Status scheme is the scheme to protect EEA citizens' rights in the UK now the UK has left the European Union.

If you are worried about being evicted from your home, you should seek advice from a housing expert as soon as possible.

If you are expecting a child through birth or adoption, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

If you appeal against a benefit decision a First Tier Tribunal will deal with your appeal. This guide goes through the process of what happens after your appeal is received.

The Flexible Support Fund, available across the UK through your local Jobcentre/Jobs and Benefits Office advisor or work coach, may be able to help you with extra costs associated with getting into and starting work.

If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old and live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you could get Healthy Start Vouchers to help buy some basic foods.

Best Start Foods is a Scottish government scheme to help pregnant people and young children afford healthy food.

If you are struggling to afford enough food to eat, you may be able to get help from a food bank.

The guide covers people who are approved foster carers for either a local authority or a registered charity.

The DWP applies strict rules to stop fraud. If you have been accused of fraud, check what you need to do next.

Schools must provide some pupils with a free midday meal. This page explains who qualifies for this and how to apply.

Find out more about the definition of a full-time student for benefit purposes and whether you can claim any benefits.

Funerals can be expensive but help may be available if you can't afford to pay.

If you need help to pay for a funeral, you may be eligible for help through a Funeral Payment.

A Funeral Support Payment can help cover funeral costs for people who need to pay for a funeral and who live in Scotland and receive certain benefits.

Looking for work or working? See what help you may be able to get through national and local employment services and schemes.

If you look after a child who is not your own you may be entitled to Guardian's Allowance.

If you think a Child Benefit or Guardian's Allowance decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

Many benefits require you to satisfy, or be exempt from, the Habitual Residence Test.

Hardship Payments are reduced-rate payments of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC) that are made in limited circumstances, including if you have been sanctioned.

Find out more about how to get help with health costs.

If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old and live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you could get Healthy Start Vouchers to help buy some basic foods.

When you or someone in your family go into or come out of hospital, the benefits you get may change.

Housing Benefit is money to help you with your housing costs if you are on a low income. It can help with rent and some service charges.

Housing Benefit is money to help you with your housing costs if you are on a low income. It can help with rent and some service charges.

If you think a Housing Benefit decision is wrong, you may be able to get it changed.

If you are struggling with housing costs, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

This guide covers what you can do if you cannot heat your home.

The information in this section can apply to you if you are a European national or a national of another country.

Find out if your, your partner's or your child's immigration status excludes you from benefits. 

If you are in work but on a low income, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

Income Support helps people who do not have enough to live on. It is only available for certain groups of people.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is for people who are disabled because of an accident at work, or who have certain diseases caused by their work.

Payments for young people in Scotland moving into work.

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is for people who are not in full time work, and can and want to work.

Jobseeker's Allowance can be stopped or reduced if you don't follow your Jobseeker's agreement.

A legacy benefit is a benefit which is being replaced by Universal Credit. There are six legacy benefits.

Maternity Allowance is a weekly payment for some women who are pregnant or have recently given birth..

A Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help with the costs of having a new baby.

Statutory Maternity Pay is a weekly payment for women who are on maternity leave from work.

If you are finding it difficult to pay your mortgage, there might be help available.

National insurance is a tax on your earnings. This guide covers some basic information about NIC.

Information about the rules which make sure you can only be paid one earnings replacement benefit at a time..

Guide to Benefits Overpayments, what they are, why they happen and what you should do if you have been overpaid.

Information on tax credit overpayments and what to do if you think you have been overpaid.

Read our guide to overpayments under the Universal Credit system and what to do about them.

Find out more about the definition of a part-time student for benefit purposes and whether you can claim any benefits.

If your partner is having a child or you are adopting, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay.

The Payment Exception Service is a way to pay benefits to people who cannot use bank, building society, credit union or Post Office card accounts.

If you are an older person, find out what help may be available to you from benefits, grants and other resources.

Basic State Pension is money paid to people who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016.

New State Pension is money paid to people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.

State Pension age is the earliest age at which you can get your State Pension. The age for men and women is changing. Read this guide to find out more.

Pension Credit is extra money for low income pensioners to bring their weekly income up to a minimum amount.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is money for people who have extra care or mobility needs as a result of a disability.

A guide for claiming Personal Independence Payment, the different stages of the claim process and what to expect.

Other help you can get when you're getting Personal Independence Payment.

A guide to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) test, what the activities are and what you can score points for

You may be able to have a decision about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changed.

To get most benefits you have to be present in the UK and pass tests regarding your residency. This guide explains more about this.

If you are a prisoner, on remand or on release, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you and your family.

If your partner is in prison you may be eligible for benefits to help you financially. 

This guide tells you what benefits you can get if you are on release from prison.

Check what benefits you can get if you are a prisoner on remand.

Check how to manage your benefits if you're a prisoner serving a sentence.

Being made redundant can feel stressful and frightening. Here are a few simple steps you can follow.

In most cases you will be able to claim benefits if you have refugee leave or other leave to be in the UK because the UK government has accepted it is not safe for you to be in the country where you used to live.

If you are a migrant to the UK, find out what help might be available to you.

Child Disability Payment is a Scottish benefit for children with disabilities.

The Scottish Child Payment is a payment for families with children living in Scotland.

The Scottish Welfare Fund can give grants to people on low incomes living in Scotland.

If you or your partner are working, or thinking of starting work, as a self employed person you might qualify for welfare benefits to top up your income.

A Severe Disability Premium is an extra amount that is included in some means-tested benefits to help with the cost of disability.

If you and your partner are expecting a child, you can choose to share some of your parental leave and pay.

A Short-Term Benefit Advance is paid as a loan, which has to be paid back out of your future benefit payments.

State Pension age is the earliest age at which you can get your State Pension. The age for men and women is changing. Read this guide to find out more.

New State Pension is money paid to people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.

If you adopt a child you may qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay during your adoption leave from work.

Statutory Maternity Pay is a weekly payment for women who are on maternity leave from work.

If your partner is having a child or you are adopting, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay.

Statutory Sick Pay is money paid to you by your employer if you are sick and unable to work.

Students in universities and colleges of higher education may be able to get help with tuition fees, the costs of their course and their living expenses by getting student support in the form of student grants (including bursaries) or loans from the Government.

If you are in higher or further education, find out what help may be available to you through benefits, grants or other financial support.

Welfare supplementary payment if you're affected by the benefit cap. 

Support for Mortgage Interest Loan helps towards paying the interest payments on your mortgage.

A Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help with the costs of having a new baby.

Find out how surplus earnings rule can affect your Universal Credit.

If you are terminally ill or someone you know is, there may be benefits, grants or other support available to you. 

If you are disabled or are a carer you may be entitled to help with transport costs.

Find out more about the help that may be available to pay for TV licensing, telephone and broadband costs, depending on your situation.

Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of working-age who are on a low income.

This guide will walk you through making a Universal Credit claim.

Read our guide to when to start your Universal Credit claim. 

Find out what work capability assessment is and what activities are relevant to it. 

You can request an Advance Payment of Universal Credit to help you through the five week wait for your first payment.

Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element can help with rent and some service charges.

This guide explains the rules relating to income and capital for Universal Credit (UC).

Read our guide to Universal Credit Sanctions.

Read our guide to overpayments under the Universal Credit system and what to do about them.

Transitional Protection tops up your Universal Credit. It is only available to certain groups.

The War Pensions Scheme provides financial help for people with an illness or injury caused by service in the UK Armed Forces before 6 April 2005.

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills over winter, find out about the help you can get.

If you are struggling to pay water bills, find out about the various schemes and grants that may be available to help towards the cost of water.

Widowed Parent's Allowance is a benefit for people who were bereaved before 6 April 2017 and have a dependent child.

A Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off, tax-free payment made to households with someone over pension age.

Looking for work or working? See what help may be available to you through national and local employment services and schemes.

If you are unemployed (or working less than 16 hours a week) and are looking for work, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.

Information about help available if you are in work but on a low income, facing redundancy, or looking for work.

The Work Capability Assessment is used to decide whether or not you are fit for work for ESA and Universal Credit.

Benefit entitlement can depend on how many hours of paid work you do per week.

The Young Carer Grant is money for young carers who live in Scotland.

If you are aged under 18, there may be extra rules to meet to get benefits.

If you are a young person, in some circumstances, there may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you.