Benefits
The more money you have coming in, the less likely you are to
have trouble with your payments. Make sure that you are claiming
all the benefits you are entitled to.
Benefits and Tax Credits
Get a full benefits
check
Contact your
local Jobcentre Plus
office for benefits advice and ask them to do a full benefits check
for you.
If you have lost your job
the key benefits are Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance. You
can make a telephone claim on 0800 055 6688. You can also
claim online. You can also
claim these benefits if you are laid off in some circumstances.
If you are in work make sure
that you are claiming all your Tax Credits:
- Working Tax Credit - people without children
can claim and people with children can claim it - it is a benefits
top up for people on low incomes
- Child Tax Credit - income based benefit for
people with children, who earn less than 40,000 (April 2011)
- Childcare Tax credit - income based help with
childcare costs for working parents
-
Child Benefit - universal non means tested
Call the Tax Credit Helpline
for more advice 0845 300 3900 and to make a claim.
The Tax Office has a quick
online questionnaire which will help you check if you qualify for
tax credits.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/overview/quick-questionnaire.htm
Further information can be
found at http://www.entitledto.co.uk
Housing
Help with
rent: If you pay rent you may be entitled to housing
benefit. That is a means-tested benefit administered by your local
council. Please contact your local authority housing benefit office
for advice on how to make a claim.
Help with
mortgages: The Government is introducing new schemes to
help with mortgages. Further information can be found at:
Usdaw Member
benefits
As an Usdaw member you are
also entitled to:
- Cash
benefits: including sickness grant, permanent disability grant,
maternity/paternity benefit, death grant and dispute benefit.
- Legal Plus
service: free advice and representation on pay, conditions of
employment, grievances and disciplinaries. Also free legal
assistance for any accident in the UK and much more.
- Health and
safety: free advice on health and safety issues.
- Pensions: free
advice on pensions issues.
- Membership
services: special membership offers by well known
companies.
- Leaflets and
booklets: access to a full library of useful resources.
- Managing your money: five basic rules to
managing your money and debt.
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