Benefits & tax credits

Its about helping people get their entitlement! Not about benefits policy! This board is here for help and support for those on or looking to claim benefits, not for judgement. Its ONLY focus is helping people with their money. It's here to help people find out what they are entitled to under the current system, and to…

MoneySavingExpert insert: Huge thanks to Fran for compiling this list some time ago. The MSE article and forum links are up to date but links to other sites may be broken. Back to Fran's original post: ---- The following links may prove useful in looking for information about Benefits and Jobseeking. MSE Attendance…

Wednesday 19th November 2025 Good morning. I’m interested on people’s thoughts concerning joint bank accounts for family members who care for elderly and disabled people. I have a family member (77yo) who lives abroad who, several years ago, shared a joint bank account with her aunt (100yo) at the time. The sharing of a…

Just want to get some advice/thoughts on the above? Partner receives enhanced daily living already and not due for a review until 2030, he will be of pension age when this is due and his problems will not change, just get worse as he gets older. He has now been told by his gp not to drive and has been referred to the sleep…

I saw that and uploaded my capital, I also wrote in my journal and sent them copies of my capital by post. I thought they opened on the weekends? Has anyone experienced this? How comes it's not in my journal as completed?

I have recently lost my job and am currently weighing up whether or not I should go on Universal Credit to help with bills at home. I currently have £17,246 saved in a Moneybox LISA and I have a high credit score. I am worried that if I take U.C my credit score will tank and I will struggle to buy a place of my own.

Hi, I've just received this message in my journal. I wasn't expecting this. Not sure why they want to go so far back. Does this mean a monthly statement for all of that time? When it says overpayment, does this mean I owe them money? Feeling quite stressed by this. Thanks in advance for any help.

Hi all, I recently had to resign from my job as my employer had stopped paying me (currently owes me £6k) which I'm using ACAS for to get back (eventually!!). I put in a JSA claim but they rejected it as I was self employed during the period they checked my NI And I hadn't enough cat1 at that time???? Even though I've paid…

Inherited SIPP, £78k inheritance and losing Universal Credit – how should I manage it? Hi everyone, I'm hoping for some advice on how best to manage my inheritance and my late father's SIPP. There are quite a few different aspects to this, so I'll try to explain everything clearly. My circumstances I'm 63 this year and…

I seem to have one of these UC reviews again my last one was around late 2024 is this usual to have two reviews within this period, anyways I’m not too fussed as I’m guessing it’s just regular thing they do but I’m a little concerned regarding a payment I received into my account from a friend, it was a rather large…

So after a long and stressful process, my wife was finally awarded PIP at the tribunal hearing. The hearing took place on 7th September. In the same week we received a letter from HMCTS confirming the decision. But it's now almost four weeks and we've yet to hear from DWP about the payments. My wife will be due at least a…

This is a topic that has been discussed a few times on this forum, and there is currently a thread on rightsnet that some may be interested in following: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/22070/ The relevant guidance is in ADM H1050 which states income becomes capital if it has not been spent by the end of the…

Morning all, sorry if this is the wrong place for this but my 86 year old relative is very upset and kind of desperate for help. Her husband (my uncle) died a month or so ago and she is now left trying to sort out her life and finances without his help. Before his death they managed fairly well from a financial standpoint…

Advice needed. I am currently in a care home for my short term care, but my short term care has now ended, but my social worker extended it for another 8 weeks but she is coming again in 6 weeks time to review me, but I asked her if I could stay here as I got use of the staff and the place, but got told no, because of…

Im asking on behalf of a friend. She is experiencing severe mental health difficulties and has been asked to complete a standard Universal Credit review, but feels unable to go through with it. Her parents have said they will support her financially and help look after her. She no longer wants to claim Universal Credit.…

Hi, I'm claiming ESA, UC and PIP. I've decided to take early retirement. I was speaking to CAB about a different benefits query. She indicated that she thought I may be an additional support case as I don't get pursued to look for or to prepare to go back to work. In the five years I've had these benefits, I've only had to…

Hi, it said they will either phone me or send me a journal message. I was hoping that this would be the end of it. I hope they're not going to request bank statements, I was in the Jobcentre last week providing those. I'm neurodivergent and get really stressed by things like this. Are there likely to be further steps?…

I received the letter about legacy benefits ending and that I have to sign on to Universal Credit via managed migration a few weeks ago. I have been on Income Support and then ESA for the better part of 20 years (since 2005) because I've been on mental health medication, but in that time I have been volunteering at charity…

Good afternoon, help needed my son split from his fiance early 2024 . He asked to use my adress for his banking and every thing else .I say yes like any good parents would . He never moved in . Went on his way to live from one place to another :no fixed abode . I am living on my own well almost got a little dog for…

Hi, I am currently claiming for UC as I'm looking for work after returning to the UK after time abroad. I was made redundant over a year ago and I did make a claim after that, but I cancelled it afterward as I realised I exceeded the capital limit of £16k. That said, because I used a different email address to make that…

Scenario Husband works full time Wife stays at home to look after disabled son. In receipt of CA and DLA What is the maximum husband could earn to get UC?

I'm on Universal Credit and considering taking my TFL pension. My pension is low — below £3,000 a year. Paid every 4 weeks (13 payments a year). I understand it will be taken pound for pound against my UC allowance. So my total money stays the same — it just comes from two places instead of one: UC pays part, TFL pension…