Benefits information

This page provides essential information to help you identify the benefits you may be entitled to based on your circumstances. It also offers tools to calculate your benefits, guidance on resolving benefit issues, and advice on avoiding potential benefit problems.

What benefits can I receive?

Below are some common situations and the benefits you may be eligible for:

In Urgent Financial Need or Crisis

• Budgeting loans, funeral and maternity grants from the Social Fund by the DWP
• Repayable 'short term benefit advances' for those waiting for a benefit payment and in financial need.
• See help with urgent and one-off needs by the Council and others on our Debt and Money Advice page.
• Found out about grants you could get from turn2us

Bereaved 

You may be entitled to...

• Bereavement Support Payment  
• Funeral Payments 

Caring for someone

You may be entitled to:

• Carer's Allowance
• Extra amount in means tested benefits like Universal Credit

See also the useful Carersuk website

Responsible for a child 

You may be entitled to:

• Child Benefit
• Guardian's Allowance
• Healthy Start Scheme and Welfare Food
• Free school meals
• Extra amount(s) in means tested benefits like Universal Credit

Disabled 

You may be entitled to:

• Attendance Allowance
• Cold Weather Payment
• Disability Living Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Personal Independence Payment
• War Disablement Pension
• Extra amounts in means tested benefits like Universal Credit

Incapable of work 

You may be entitled to:

• Universal Credit
• New-Style Employment and Support Allowance
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Extra amount(s) in means tested benefits like Universal Credit

Managing on a low income 

You may be entitled to...

• Cold Weather Payment
• Universal Credit

Also see our Debt and money advice page for help and advice

Need help with paying housing costs (rent or mortgage) or Council Tax

You may be entitled to...

• Council Tax Support
• Universal credit
• Housing Benefit
• Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) Scheme 

Need help with NHS costs

• Online eligibility checking tool to see if you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions, NHS dental treatment and other NHS health costs such as sight tests
• NHS Low Income Scheme for help with the cost of NHS prescriptions, NHS dental treatment and more
• Maternity exemption certificate for free NHS prescriptions (this is valid until your child is one, and can also be used to prove your entitlement to free NHS dental treatment)

An older person - of pension age 

You may be entitled to...

• Cold Weather Payment
• Pension Credit
• State Pension
• Winter Fuel Payment
• Attendance Allowance

See also benefits for older people from AgeUK

Pregnant 

You may be entitled to...

• Healthy Start food vouchers and vitamins
• Maternity Allowance
• Shared Parental Pay
• Sure Start Maternity Grant
• Statutory Maternity Pay 

See also know your rights from Maternity Action

Unemployed and looking for work 

You may be entitled to...

• Universal Credit
• New Style Jobseeker's Allowance

Online benefit calculators 

Visit our page check your benefits online to get an estimate of the benefits you may be able to claim. Some provide a comparison between benefits

Dealing with and avoiding benefit problems 

• If you have a benefit overpayment, see guides from the Government and turn2us
• What happens to benefits if I or a family member goes into prison?
  Your Universal Credit, Jobseekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support may be cut if you do not comply with work related requirements
• See Advice Now guides to help deal with various benefit problems
• See How do I challenge a benefits decision? by Citizens Advice

Where can I go for further information and advice? 

Visit Benefit advice services in Newcastle and benefit offices
Visit the government webpage on benefits 
Visit the Citizens Advice webpages on benefits