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Benefits

This page looks at the way obtaining benefits can add to your income and help you cope with debt.

Debt can often start to creep up on you due to changing circumstances such as old age, reducing work hours, injury or illness.

The temptation is often there to borrow money to replace reduced or lost income, but in so doing the long term means availability of income to service borrowing is risky. Those with a poor credit history can often take on expensive loans they can ill afford and are best without, yet an increasing number of people borrow when they are entitled to income for state sources.

Remember just £20 a week in benefits can mean over £1,000 a year, far betters than borrowing £500 and having to pay back £1,000 in capital and interest.

By looking at your eligibility for benefits can help provide some extra cash on a regular (usually weekly) basis which can reverse or stem the flow of negative cash flow. It is reported that around 1 billion pounds of benefits remain unclaimed especially by the elderly.

These are some typical conditions under which you may be entitled to benefit

• Unemployed (Job Seekers allowance)

• Reduction of working hours (Income Support)

• Illness for the long term (Invalidity Benefit or Disability Living Allowance)

• Aged 60 or above (Pension Credit)

• Have someone you look after (Attendance Allowance)

The key to getting benefits is simple

• Narrow the options down to what "might" you be entitled to if any.

• Then find out which agency handles the allocation of benefits

• Contact the agencies and enquire if you are eligible or ask for an application form. The web sites below will help you trace the agencies or you use the Yellow Pages or Thomson pages for telephone contacts. Or contact www.adviceguide.org.uk

• If you unsure or unable to contact agencies get a friend or relative to do it for you, the same friend can also perhaps help in filling in the forms and making the claim.

Benefit agencies are nowadays very cautious of fraudulent claims so the forms and any interviews you may need are likely to be daunting and in themselves enough to deter you from claiming. Make sure you are eligible for benefit before taking the time and trouble in claiming.

If you believe yourself entitled make sure you know why and have suitable evident to support your claim if needed. If you are turned down review the reasons for rejection and appeal. The agency will tell you the appeal process when they tell you about a rejection.

Useful web sites

http://www.advicenow.org.uk/ Different agencies and authorities are responsible for different benefits. You must get in touch with the right one to apply for each benefit. This explains which agency is responsible for which benefit.

DWP - Benefits and Services AZ  This AZ of benefits and services gives you information about DWP benefits and services. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/index.asp

Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance are two of the most important social security benefits in the UK www.benefitsnow.co.uk/

Developed by Citizens Advice, you can get information specific to all four UK countries - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/