Other benefits

If you’re on a low income or means-tested benefits like Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you could be entitled to Council Tax Support (sometimes called Council Tax Reduction). This is a benefit paid by your local council to help with the cost of paying for your Council Tax.

If you live alone you might also be entitled to a 25% discount on your Council Tax bill.

If you or a family member has a disability you may be entitled to disability benefits. There are different disability benefits depending on the age of the disabled person.

• Children under the age of 16 could be entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) if they have a disability that means they have problems with mobility and / or personal care tasks over and above those of a child of a similar age who does not have a disability. It doesn’t matter if the child hasn’t got a diagnosis yet, as the benefit is assessed on how the disability affects them.
• Adults over 16 under pension age could be entitled to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) if they have a disability that means their ability to get around and / or ability to carry out certain day to day activities is impaired because of their disability.
• Adults over pension age could be entitled to Attendance Allowance if they have a disability that means they have problems with personal care tasks such as dressing or washing, or need supervision to keep them safe and have had those problems for at least six months. If someone is over pension age and already getting Personal Independence Payments (PIP) they can continue to receive this rather than having to claim Attendance Allowance instead.
• There are special rules for people who have a terminal illness which means they could be entitled to disability benefits sooner.

If you’re on a low income you may be entitled to Universal Credit if you (or your partner) are under pension age. Universal Credit has replaced a number of other means-tested benefits for working age people and will continue to do so for the immediate future.

If you’re on a low income and over pension age you may be entitled to Pension Credit to help with your day-to-day living expenses and / or Housing Benefit to help with the cost of rent.

• You must have reached state pension age. If you have a partner, you both need to have reached state pension age.
• You have a low income or minimum savings.

• Guarantee Credit, which makes up your weekly income to a minimum amount
• Savings Credit is a top-up for those with a modest income / savings and who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016.