The benefits people miss
PIP and Universal Credit take most of the attention, but a large share of unclaimed money in the UK sits in the smaller benefits — Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Carer's Allowance. They are often the easiest to claim and the least contested.
Which benefit do you need?
Short descriptions to help you find the right page. If you are not sure, the checker takes about two minutes.
Council Tax Reduction
Not a national benefit — each council runs its own scheme, so entitlement varies by postcode. Can reduce your council tax bill by up to 100%. Massively under-claimed, and often the quickest win available.
How the schemes work →Carer's Allowance
£86.45 a week for people caring at least 35 hours a week for someone receiving a disability benefit. It also brings National Insurance credits towards your State Pension, and can carry an underlying entitlement that unlocks more UC.
Carer's Allowance in full →Attendance Allowance
The pension-age equivalent of PIP — but with no mobility component, no assessment in most cases, and a far higher award rate than PIP. If a parent or relative needs daily help, this is the one to look at first.
Extra money, very little paperwork →Pension Credit
Tops up the income of pensioners. It is also the gateway to a long list of extras — free TV licence over 75, help with heating, and the Winter Fuel Payment in most cases.
Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit →Child Benefit
£27.05 a week for your eldest child, £17.90 for each additional child. It also protects your National Insurance record while you are not working, and can be claimed regardless of income — subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Rates, the charge, and NI credits →Disability Living Allowance for children
Disability benefit for children under 16. Unlike PIP it has a care component and a mobility component, and the care component is broadly structured so that more children qualify than under adult rules.
DLA for children →Bereavement Support Payment
A lump sum of up to £3,500, plus up to 18 monthly payments of £350, for a surviving spouse or civil partner. Claim within 21 months of the death — the deadline is strict.
Who qualifies and how to claim →Employment and Support Allowance
New income-related ESA claims are closed. New-style ESA continues for people with sufficient National Insurance contributions, and can be claimed alongside Universal Credit to top it up.
New-style ESA explained →Benefits and your immigration status
Which benefits are public funds and which are not, who is subject to No Recourse to Public Funds, the habitual residence and right to reside tests, couples where only one partner is eligible, and how to apply to have an NRPF condition lifted.
Public funds and NRPF explained →Passporting matters as much as the benefit itself. Claiming one benefit often unlocks others, and sometimes unlocks things that are not benefits at all — a free TV licence, the Warm Home Discount, a disabled person's bus pass, blue badge entitlement, council tax disregards, and help with NHS costs. When we look at a claim we check what it passportes into, because the secondary entitlements are often worth more than the primary one.
Quick comparison
| Benefit | Typical weekly value | Means-tested? | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance Allowance | £76.70 / £114.60 | No | Open |
| Carer's Allowance | £86.45 | Yes, earnings tested | Open |
| Child Benefit | £27.05 + £17.90 | No, but taxed | Open |
| Council Tax Reduction | Varies | Yes | Open, council-specific |
| DLA (child) | £29.20–£114.60 | No | Open for under 16s |
| Pension Credit | Top-up to £238.00 | Yes | Open |
| Bereavement Support Payment | £350/month | No | Open |
| New-style ESA | From £95.55 | No | Open with NI record |
Not sure which one applies?
We can review your household circumstances and identify every benefit you are entitled to — and every benefit you are currently missing.
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