Advice and benefits

Welfare benefits are payments made by the Government to individuals or families in order to provide a level of income appropriate to their needs.

There are a wide range of benefits available which can assist:

• families
• people with ill health or disabilities
• people who are unemployed or on low incomes
• people who have been bereaved and pensioners

Nationally, welfare benefits totalling £2.3 billion go unclaimed every year. Often people assume that they are getting everything they are entitled to, or their savings are too high for them to be entitled, or that further benefits may reduce the amount they already receive elsewhere.

However these assumptions are often wrong and many benefits can be paid, regardless of existing income and can even lead to an increase in the benefit level currently paid.

Where can I get advice?

The Welfare Benefits Project is here to help you claim any welfare benefits you are entitled to.

For more information on what they do and how to contact them, please see 'Welfare benefit advice'.  You can also view their quarterly 'Welfare benefits newsletter'.

There is also good advice and information on the DirectGov website under 'Money, tax and benefits'.