The benefits system provides practical help and financial support if you are unemployed and looking for work. It also provides you with additional income when your earnings are low, if you are bringing up children, are retired, care for someone, are ill or have a disability.
Significant changes are being made to the benefits and tax credits system over the next few years.
Who pays benefits?
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) manages most benefits through Jobcentre Plus offices. Benefits and entitlements for pensioners are dealt with through a network of pension centres which provide a face-to-face service for those who need additional help and support. You’ll also often deal with other agencies or government departments, such as your local council or HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
How to claim benefit
The government has a range of benefits to provide opportunities and support. These are handled by various departments and agencies. If you are entitled to any of these benefits, you will need to claim them from the right place.
Many of the benefits now are made online or via the telephone, and you can often access computers via your local library or within the Jobcentre Plus offices.
The different types of benefit
Benefits are available for people of working age, for pensioners, for families and children, and for disabled people and their carers. Each of these areas is handled by different departments or parts of departments. Making a claim from the right area will make sure you get your benefit as quickly as possible.
Benefits are divided into four groups:
- benefits for people of working age
- benefits for people who have retired or who are planning to retire
- benefits for families and children
- benefits for disabled people and carers
Benefits are available for those who qualify in the following groups:
- Low income earners
- Bereaved next of kin
- Retired people
- Carers
- Employed or looking for work
- Expecting or bringing up children
- Ill or injured
- Disabled
Who to ask about your benefit
Jobcentre Plus will help you with any questions you have about your benefits situation.
To find your local pensions office, use the link below.
For information on benefits administered by HMRC, such as tax credits, contact your local Tax Office.
Changes that affect your benefit
Make sure you are always getting what you are entitled to – know what changes affect your benefits.
If you get benefits and your circumstances change, tell your local Jobcentre Plus office or benefits office as soon as possible. If you tell them of any changes quickly, you’ll get any increase or new benefit faster. For some changes your payments may be reduced.
Changes you need to report
You must report any change in your circumstances to your local Jobcentre Plus office as soon as it happens, whether or not you think the change is directly related to your benefits.
Some examples of the changes you need to report include:
- getting married or moving in with a partner or civil partner
- moving house
- getting a new job
- getting a pay rise
- taking in a lodger
- no longer being sick or ill
- moving abroad.
Benefit fraud
If you deliberately fail to report a change in your personal circumstances, you are treated as having committed benefit fraud. If you’re prosecuted for benefit fraud you could be fined or get a prison sentence.
How to appeal against a benefits decision
How you appeal a benefit decision depends on:
- the type of benefit you applied for
- the date the decision was made
Benefit|What to do next|
Housing Benefit|Contact your local council
Tax Credits|Ask for a mandatory reconsideration
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)|Follow the PIP appeals process
Child Benefit|Ask for a mandatory reconsideration
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs)|Contact Student Finance England
Universal Credit|Follow the Universal Credit appeals process
Budgeting Loans|Write to your local Jobcentre Plus and ask for a review
Council Tax Reduction|Contact your local council
Council Tax Reduction|Ask your local council for their appeals and complaints procedure|
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit|Contact your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit centre
Constant Attendance Allowance|Contact your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit centre or the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency if you get a war pension
Guardian’s Allowance|Ask for a mandatory reconsideration
Vaccine Damage Payment|Contact the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit
Compensation Recovery Scheme|Contact the Compensation Recovery Unit
Other benefits
You must check the date on your decision letter if you’re appealing a decision about:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Maternity Allowance
- Winter Fuel Payment
- Child Maintenance
- Sure Start Maternity Grant
- Disability premium (Income Support)
- Funeral Payments
- Attendance Allowance (AA)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
There are different ways to appeal if your decision was made:
- before 28 October 2013 (you’ll appeal using the GL24 form)
- on or after 28 October 2013
Click on link https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit/overview for further details
Deadlines
You have one month:
- after getting a decision to ask for it to be explained, reconsidered or to appeal
- after getting a reconsidered decision to start an appeal.
A late appeal may be accepted if you have special circumstances that prevented you appealing in time, but not if more than 13 months have passed.
More information is available on the website below.
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