Welfare Benefits

• 01. Introduction

• There are many different benefits available, depending on your needs and your circumstances. But you may not know what you are entitled to, or how to apply for a benefit, or what to do if you think you have been unfairly turned down for a benefit. This...

• 02. What benefits and tax credits are available?

• All basic benefits generally fall into one of three groups. Each group has different ways of qualifying, although there can be some overlap between them. For example, you can claim Jobseekers Allowance either because your income is low or if you have paid...

• 03. Who can claim?

• Benefits and tax credits are there to support people in need. There are many types of benefit for different types of need. Here we outline the types of benefit that you can get, depending on your need. If you think that you might be able to get any of the...

• 04. Where to claim?

• Different agencies and authorities are responsible for different benefits. You must get in touch with the right one to apply for each benefit. See ' Further help ' for their phone numbers and other details. Department for Work and Pensions This...

• 05. How to claim?

• You must fill in a claim form before you can claim any benefit or tax credit. For many types of benefit, you will have to provide a lot of personal information about yourself, your family and your finances. It can take a long time and a lot of effort to fill...

• 06. If you want to challenge a benefit decision

• If you disagree with a Social Security decision (perhaps because you think you have been wrongly turned down for a benefit or not paid at the correct rate), you need to contact the agency that made the decision and tell them in writing that you want them to...

• 07. If you want to challenge a tax credit decision

• After the initial decision has been made on your claim for tax credit, it can be revised if your circumstances change. Remember that if you do not report some changes in time, it could lead to a penalty fine or to you losing tax credit. You can also ask...

• 08. How do I appeal against a decision?

• You can appeal against an initial decision or one that has been changed following a revision or supersession. The usual time limit for making an appeal is one month from when the decision was made for social security benefits and 30 days for tax credits. ...

• 09. If you think you've been badly treated

• You may be unhappy with an agency that's been dealing with your benefits, not because it has turned down a claim, but because you think you've been treated unfairly or that you've been given bad advice. You can complain first about the agency by writing to...

• 10. The Human Rights Act

• If you are unhappy about how you or your family is treated in the benefit and appeal system, you may be able to challenge the rules on benefits themselves (rather than the actual decision that has been taken, or the way your case has been handled). The...

• 11. Further Help

• Citizens Advice Your local Citizens Advice Bureau is listed in the phone book The website of Citizens Advice Advice UK (formerly Federation of Independent Advice Centres phone: 020 7407 4070 ...