Cost of living support
Benefits, tax and work
Find out what support is available in England to help increase your income. This includes the Cost of Living Payment, Universal Credit and Carer鈥檚 Allowance.
Find out about cost of living , and .
Payments and benefits
Cost of Living Payment
If you鈥檙e on certain benefits or tax credits check if you鈥檙e eligible for the Cost of Living Payment.
Universal Credit
Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit to get a regular payment to help with living costs if:
- you鈥檙e on a low income
- you鈥檙e out of work
- you cannot work
Carer鈥檚 Allowance
If you care for someone who gets certain benefits at least 35 hours a week check if you鈥檙e eligible for Carer鈥檚 Allowance.
New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work or if you need support to get back into work you can apply for Employment and Support Allowance.
New Style Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance (JSA)
If you need help when you鈥檙e looking for work check if you鈥檙e eligible for New Style Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance.
Access to Work
If you have a physical or mental health condition or disability you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Access to Work. This gives help to get or stay in work.
Reduce your tax bill
Marriage Allowance
If you鈥檙e married or in a civil partnership you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Marriage Allowance. This lets you transfer some of your personal tax allowance to your partner if you do not pay Income Tax.
Tax relief on work-related expenses
Check if you can claim tax relief on things you need to buy for your job.
Other help you can get
National Minimum Wage and Living Wage calculator for workers
If you鈥檙e employed, you can use this calculator to check if you鈥檙e getting the minimum wage.
Budgeting Loan
Check if you鈥檙e eligible for a Budgeting Loan or Budgeting Advance if you鈥檝e been getting one or more of these benefits for the past 6 months:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
You could get a Budgeting Advance even if you鈥檝e not been getting one of these benefits for the past 6 months if you鈥檙e on Universal Credit and need the money to help you start a new job or stay in work.
Help to Save
If you get certain benefits and you鈥檙e on a low income you can get a bonus on your savings. Check if you鈥檙e eligible for support with savings (Help to Save).