Financial help from the Government

You might be entitled to receive additional financial help from the Government and you do not even know about that. 

We can help you find out if you are eligible for any of the available benefits and we will help you get it.

List of Benefits 

You may be entitled to receive the following:

• Tax Credits
• Child Benefit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit 
• Council Tax Reduction
• Maternity Allowance
• Universal Credit

Carefully look through benefits and allowances listed below and contact us if you think you are entitled to any financial help from the Government.  

Request a call back or contact us if you have further questions.

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Tax Credits are the benefits you get from the government in the situations when you work, but get low income or/and have got at least one child.

There are two elements:

1. Child Tax Credit - is paid to you if you are responsible for at least one child who normally lives with you. You don't have to be working to claim Child Tax Credit;

2. Working Tax Credit is based on the hours you work and the income you earn. You can claim whether you're an employee or a self-employed person. But unpaid work doesn't count for Working Tax Credit.

How much do you get?

The amount of tax credits you get depends on:

• how many children you have living with you

• if you live with someone as a couple

• whether you work - and how many hours you work

• if you pay for childcare

• if you or any child living with you has a disability;

• the amount of income you earn - the lower your income, the more tax credits you can get.

What are the current income limits for getting tax credits?

Whether you can get tax credits, and how much you can get, depends on your own circumstances.

As a very rough guide, if your annual income is not above one of the following 'limits', you can probably get tax credits:

• if you have one child it is £26,000

• if you have two children it is £32,600

• if you're single without children it is £13,100

• if you’re in a couple without children it is £18,000

These are the limits for getting tax credits in the current tax year - ending on 5 April 2015.

You're not likely to get anything if your income is above these amounts. But it's important to know that: 

• these income limits don't apply to everyone - for example if you have more children, pay for childcare, have a disability, or your child has a disability, the income limit for you could be higher

• you need to make a claim to get a definite answer to how much you are entitled to.     

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If you are responsible for a child/children under 16 (or under 20 – if they still in education/training) you can claim Child Benefit.  

What you will get?

There are two Child Benefit rates: eldest or only child £20.50 per week; additional children £13.55 per week.

Who can get Child Benefit?

1. if you are permanently living in UK;

2. if you are a national of European Economic Area (EEA) and work in UK or get certain UK benefits (e.g. State Pension);

3. if you just arrived to the UK and you have permission to live in the UK. 

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You can get Pension Credit is you are over 65-66 years old.  This is an income-related benefits made up of 2 parts – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

Guarantee Credit tops us your weekly income if it is below £148.35 (for single) and £226.50 (for couples).

Savings Credit is an extra payment for people who saved some money towards their retirement, eg a pension.You don’t pay tax on Pension Credit.

What you will get?

To qualify for Guarantee Credit:

• you must live in Great Britain

• you or your partner must have reached Pension Credit qualifying age.

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You may be able to get Income Support if you meet all the specific conditions including:

• you have no income or a low income

• you’re working less than 16 hours a week

• you haven’t signed on as unemployed

The actual amount you get depends on your circumstances, but if you qualify and have no income you’ll get at least £56.80 a week.

You can claim Child Tax Credit if you claim Income Support and have children.

To qualify for Income Support you must be all of the following:

• between 16 and pension age

• pregnant, or a carer, or a lone parent with a child under 5 or, in some cases, unable to work because you’re sick or disabled

• you have no income or a low income

• working less than 16 hours a week (and your partner works no more than 24 hours a week)

• living in UK.

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You could get Housing Benefit to help you pay your rent if you’re on a low income.

Housing Benefit can pay for part or all of your rent. How much you get depends on your income and circumstances.

You can apply for Housing Benefit whether you’re unemployed or working.

You may get help with all or part of your rent. There’s no set amount of Housing Benefit and what you get will depend on whether you rent privately or from a council.

Council and social housing rent

How much you get depends on:

• your ‘eligible’ rent

• if you have a spare room

• your household income - including benefits, pensions and savings (over £6,000)

Who isn’t eligible

Usually you won’t get Housing Benefit if:

• your savings are over £16,000 - unless you get Guarantee credit of Pension Credit

• you live in the home of a close relative

• you’re a full-time student - unless you’re disabled or have children

• you’re an asylum seeker or sponsored to be in the UK

• circumstances - eg age of people in the house, if someone has a disability.

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Apply to your council to get money off your Council Tax bill if you’re on a low income or claiming benefits.

You can apply for Council Tax Reduction whether you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working.

What you’ll get

You can get up to 100% reduction, depending on:

• where you live

• your circumstances (eg income, number of children)

• your household income - this includes things like savings, pension, your partner’s income

• if your children live with you

• if other adults live with you.

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If you pregnant or just had a baby you may be eligible to receive Maternity Allowance.

Maternity Allowance is usually paid to you if you cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay.

Statutory Maternity Pay is paid by your employer if you work for the same employer for a reasonable time.

You can claim Maternity Allowance as soon as you’ve been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due.

What you'll get

The amount you can get depends upon your circumstances.

You could get either:

£138.18 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less) for up to 39 weeks

£27 a week for up to 14 weeks (if your baby is due on or after 27 July 2014)

Maternity Allowance is paid every 2 or 4 weeks.

You can claim Maternity Allowance once you’ve been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due. 

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Universal Credit is replacing certain benefits in parts of the UK. You may be able to claim if you’re on a low income or out of work.

You don’t need to do anything if you’re already claiming any benefits - you’ll be told when Universal Credit will affect you.

Work while you claim Universal Credit

There are no limits to the number of hours you can work a week if you receive Universal Credit. Your payment will reduce gradually as you earn more and you won’t lose all your benefits at once if you’re on a low income.

Your Claimant Commitment

You’ll have to sign a ‘Claimant Commitment’ if you want to get Universal Credit.

This is an agreement that you’ll complete certain tasks in order to claim Universal Credit.

What you agree to do will depend on things such as your health, your responsibilities at home and how much help you need to get work or increase your income.

How you’ll be paid

Universal Credit is paid differently to current benefits. It’ll be paid once a month, usually into your bank account.

Any help you get with your rent will be included with your Universal Credit payment and you’ll then pay your landlord yourself.

If you’re claiming other benefits

Universal Credit is replacing:

1. Jobseeker’s Allowance
2. Housing Benefit
3. Working Tax Credit
4. Child Tax Credit
5. Employment and Support Allowance
6. Income Support

Please contact us to find out whether or not you are eligible.  

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