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Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living. This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

Check benefits and financial support you can get

Answer a few questions to find out what support you might be able to get to help with living costs if you live in the UK. Check benefits and financial support you can get.

Scams

You may get calls, emails or messages that are pretending to be from a government service or an energy bill support scheme. If you get a message asking for your personal details (for example, bank details or passwords) this could be a scam. Report anything you think is suspicious.

Support available in England

This guide covers cost of living support available in England.

Benefits, tax and work

Find out what support is available to help increase your income. This includes the Cost of Living Payment, Universal Credit and Carer鈥檚 Allowance.

Living costs: bills, housing and health

Find out what support is available to help with bills and costs. This includes support with utility bills, support from your local council and Council Tax Reduction.

If you鈥檙e 60 or over

Find out what support is available if you鈥檙e 60 or over. This includes Pension Credit, discounted travel and how to check your State Pension.

If you鈥檙e disabled or have a health condition

Find out what support is available if you鈥檙e disabled or have a health condition. This includes disability benefits, the Disability Cost of Living Payment and support with prescriptions and health costs.

Childcare and maternity costs

Find out what support is available with childcare and maternity costs. This includes free childcare hours and free school meals.

Managing money, savings and debt

Find advice for managing money, including budgeting advice and debt support.

If you鈥檙e finding things difficult

Find support if money worries are impacting your mental health or you鈥檙e affected by domestic abuse.

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.

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).

Find out what support is available to help with bills and costs in England. This includes support with utility bills, support from your local council and Council Tax Reduction.

Support with utility bills

Help with energy bills

Find out what help you can get with energy bills.

Find out help you can get from your local council (Household Support Fund)

Find out about help you can get with essential costs. This includes food, energy and water bills.

Cheaper phone and broadband (鈥榮ocial tariffs鈥�)

If you鈥檙e getting certain benefits .

Help paying your water bill

.

Support with housing costs

Council Tax Reduction

If you鈥檙e on a low income or certain benefits you can check if you鈥檙e eligible to reduce your Council Tax.

Help paying rent (Discretionary Housing Payments)

If you need support with rent or housing costs you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment from your local council.

Housing cost help with Universal Credit

If you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit you can get help paying for housing (for example, rent and mortgage interest). Find out more about housing costs and Universal Credit.

Housing Benefit

If you鈥檙e in supported, sheltered or temporary housing you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Housing Benefit for help to pay your rent.

Other help you can get

Get help with NHS prescriptions and health costs

Answer a few questions to find out what help you can get to pay for health costs such as prescriptions, eye and dental care.

If you get Universal Credit or Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance

. This gives a discount on some rail tickets.

Find out what support is available if you鈥檙e 60 or over in England. This includes checking your eligibility for Pension Credit, discounted travel and how to check your State Pension.

Check your State Pension

Check your State Pension age to find the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension.

Check your State Pension to find out how much you could get, when you can get it and how to increase it.

If you鈥檙e over State Pension age

Pension Credit

If you鈥檙e over State Pension age and on a low income you can apply for Pension Credit for help with your living costs.

Housing Benefit

If you鈥檝e reached State Pension age or are in supported, sheltered or temporary housing you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Housing Benefit for help to pay your rent.

Support with travel costs

Older person鈥檚 bus pass

If you鈥檙e State Pension age or older you can apply for an older person鈥檚 bus pass to travel on the bus for free.

Senior Railcard

If you鈥檙e 60 or over you can to get a discount on the cost of rail tickets.

Other help you can get

Get help with NHS prescriptions and health costs

Answer a few questions to find out what help you can get to pay for health costs such as prescriptions, eye and dental care.

Free or discounted TV licence

If you鈥檙e 75 or over and, you or your partner, get Pension Credit you can get a free TV licence. If you鈥檙e in residential care or sheltered accommodation you can get a discounted TV licence. Check if you鈥檙e eligible for a free or discounted TV licence.

Find out what support is available if you鈥檙e disabled or have a health condition in England. This includes disability benefits, the Disability Cost of Living Payment and support with prescriptions and health costs.

Support you can get

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

If you have a long term health condition or disability and have difficulty doing everyday tasks or getting around you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for the Personal Independence Payment.

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.

Attendance Allowance

If you鈥檙e of State Pension age and have a physical or mental health condition you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Attendance 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.

Universal Credit if you鈥檙e disabled

If you have a health condition or disability that prevents you from working and you鈥檙e on Universal Credit check if you鈥檙e eligible for a disability Universal Credit payment.

Disability Living Allowance for children

If you look after a disabled child you can check if you鈥檙e eligible for Disability Living 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.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Find out if you can get a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council if you鈥檙e disabled and need to make changes to your home such as:

• widening doors
• installing ramps or grab rails
• improving access around your home

Discounted TV licence if you鈥檙e registered blind

If you鈥檙e registered blind you can apply for a discount on your TV licence.

Support with travel costs

Disabled person鈥檚 bus pass

If you鈥檙e disabled you can check your eligibility for an disabled person鈥檚 bus pass to travel on the bus for free.

Disabled Person鈥檚 Railcard

If you鈥檙e disabled you can to get a discount on the cost of rail tickets.

Get help with NHS prescriptions and health costs

Answer a few questions to find out what help you could get to pay for health costs such as prescriptions, eye and dental care.

Find out what support is available with childcare and maternity costs in England. This includes free childcare hours and free school meals.

Support you can get

Child Benefit

If you鈥檙e responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training) you can get help with child-related costs. Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Child Benefit.

Tax-Free Childcare

If you need help with the costs of childcare, check if you鈥檙e eligible for Tax-Free Childcare.

Free childcare for 2 to 4-year-olds if you鈥檙e working

If you鈥檙e working and your child is aged 2 to 4, check if you鈥檙e eligible for free childcare.

15 hours free childcare a week for 3 to 4-year-olds

All 3 to 4-year-olds can get free childcare. Find out about 15 hours free childcare a week.

Free childcare for 2-year-olds

If you get certain benefits and your child is 2 years old, check if you鈥檙e eligible for free childcare.

Universal Credit and childcare

If you鈥檙e getting Universal Credit you can claim back some of your childcare costs. Find out about support available with childcare if you鈥檙e on Universal Credit.

Support with food and milk for your child

Free school meals

Your child may be able to get free school meals. Check if your child is eligible for free school meals on your council鈥檚 website.

Healthy Start (food and milk for your child)

If you鈥檙e more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 and you鈥檙e getting certain benefits you can get help to buy healthy food and milk. .

Support with maternity costs

Maternity Allowance

You may be eligible for Maternity Allowance, if:

• you鈥檙e employed but cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
• you鈥檙e self-employed
• you鈥檝e recently stopped working

Check if you鈥檙e eligible for Maternity Allowance.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

If you or your partner get certain benefits and you鈥檙e having a child check if you鈥檙e eligible for a Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Support with travel costs

Home to school transport

Find out if your child is eligible for help with the cost of home to school transport.

Family and Friends Railcard

If you travel by rail with your children .

Find advice for managing your money. This includes budgeting advice and debt support.

Money and pensions advice

If you need help with your money and pension choices you can .

How to budget

to help to understand what you鈥檙e earning and spending and where you might be able to cut costs.

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).

Dealing with your debts

Answer a few questions to find what options are available if you cannot pay your debts.

Find support if money worries are impacting your mental health or you鈥檙e affected by domestic abuse.

Talk to a GP if money problems are affecting your mental health and wellbeing.

Support with mental health

Get urgent help with mental health

.

Support with money and mental health

, including organising your finances, claiming benefits and looking after your mental health when you鈥檙e worried about money.

Samaritans

Call the Samaritans to talk to a trained volunteer anonymously for free, confidential support 24 hours a day.

There are also other ways to .

Shout 85285 (text support)

You can text a trained volunteer anonymously for free, confidential support 24 hours a day.

Support if you鈥檙e affected by domestic abuse

Refuge

If you鈥檙e a woman or child who has experienced domestic abuse for support.

Men鈥檚 Advice Line

If you鈥檙e a man who has experienced domestic abuse contact the for confidential advice, non-judgmental support and practical information.

There are also other ways to .

Galop

If you鈥檙e LGBT+ and experiencing abuse or violence for support.