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Benefits & tax credits

Get help discovering which benefits you are entitled to - and how to claim them.

Second job - Universal credit
Hi all, I'm a single mum working full time and receiving Universal credit. I'm struggling to keep up with the costs of things now and thinking about getting a second job. Will I get penalised harder on my Universal credit for it being a second job, or do I just lose out on the higher tax? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Migration protection UC
So I have been on UC for two years. I receive migration protection as I transferred over from tax credits. I'm currently in the process of buying my council house and I know I'll lose the housing element but what I can earn rate will go up but does anyone know will I lose the migration protection? If I do it's Gona be a…
Universal credit unfair closure
I wonder if anyone has had this experience and how they dealt with it. I am paid UC on the 9th of the month. I logged in on the 9th as I did not receive this months payment to find that my account has been closed. It appeared that I had some actions in the journal to complete between the 12th and 21st (in between payment…
Would A Backdated SDP be protected under UC transitional protection?
Hi. It's me again. BACKGROUND: I had my SDP removed from me in August 24th due to "We noted that Miss Blah was due a review of her living arrangements. We stopped her SDP entitlement to prevent any possible overpayments and issued an LTF1 form to Miss Blah." (Even though that last sentence is a lie. I had to phone them up…
Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction Eligibility Inquiry
Hello, I'm reaching out on behalf of my grandparents regarding their eligibility for Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, and any other available financial support. Given their circumstances, I want to ensure they are receiving all the help they are entitled to. Background Information: * My grandparents are 75 and 81…
Universal Credit saving limit
Hi i’m hoping someone can help me. I’m going through a difficult time and really need some advice. I’m going through a difficult divorce and applied for legal aid which I qualified for being on UC. In the financial disclosure, I stated that I have £21k in “saving” although not all of this is saving as such as my landlord…
ESA moving to UC credit card debt
Edit: Forgot to add, the credit card is in my mums name, as I couldn’t get one, so she said I could put it on hers. Does that make a difference? I can show if needed it is my debts, not hers. I am looking for some advice really on what is the best thing to do, as I don’t want to get into trouble and not sure of the rules.…
Carer's Allowance and tax liability
My wife is 59, retired, and receives a private pension. This pension is just larger than the personal allowance for tax. So, she pays a small amount of tax every month, the pension is payed net. She is also a carer for her mother and receives carer's allowance every 4 weeks. We know this is a taxable benefit but this seems…
National Insurance/Universal Credit/Savibgs
Hi I am 19 and fortunate to have a child trust fund over £16,000 this means I’m not entitled to UC Im wondering, as I’m not working either as I am doing short courses online whilst I volunteer for the national trust and hoping for an apprenticeship. How do I make NI contributions? Or dosnt it matter at this stage? Just…
Benefit help, splitting up
Hi I’d like some guidance, I’m at the point of splitting up with my partner and unsure how to proceed. We currently have a property with a mortgage, if we sold it we’d probably have around 50k each. We currently don’t claim any benefits. If we did split would the 50k be seen as savings for the purposes of UC? Thanks for…
Housing Benefit Overpayment
The council are claiming I have been overpaid, as they were unaware someone was claiming carers allowance for me during 2019-2022 period. I am pretty sure that they did know, as my carer is also a joint tenant at our address, also claiming HB, at which we have lived since 2014. However, he did move out in Jan 2019, but…
Can I Complete My PIP Review in 4 Days?
My PIP review form must be sent on Wednesday, Feb 26, to meet the March 3 DWP deadline. This leaves me with only four days (not including today) to complete it, and I'm feeling quite stressed about it. I already suffer from severe anxiety, and I haven't been able to focus on the PIP review until now due to multiple other…
ESA
Hi I've recently migrated from income based ESA (support group) to universal credit but received a letter today to say I'm being put on contribution based new style ESA and this will be deducted from my UC. I've never been on contribution based ESA and haven't worked for quite a few years now. I rang ESA to try and…
Tax credits, notice to pay letter from HMRC
Last week out of the blue, I received a letter from HMRC relating to an overpayment of tax credits dating back to 2004, yes 21 years ago. I am at a loss as to what to do. I don't have any records dating back that far. My son was 6 years old in 2004, he is now 27. Can they force me to pay what is a four figure sum when I…
ESA / UC - fit note requested
This discussion was created from comments split from: Fit Note and UC50 form..
UC application done, but an application glitch could cause the applicant to lose money!
UC application done, but an application glitch could cause the applicant to lose money! Thank you for all the help from everyone on this forum. The UC application has been completed online, with all questions answered. The claimant is in receipt of: * ESA income * PIP (Higher Mobility and Higher Care) * Severe Disability…
UC overpayment, work and PAYE
I started work july24 and was overpaid universal credit during the first 4 months of working.Due to having not worked before July24 I presumed (as my work earnings)would be below the tax threshold this tax year I wouldn't be paying tax on my wages...However I have been paying PAYE on my wages...Would the tax allowance…
Inheritance & UC
Hello, I will be getting some inheritance and ha e been worried now about the issue thus will cause with my universal credit payments. Obviously after 16k one is no longer entitled to UC. My house has been needing a new roof and rendering due to damp issues, wind damage and deterioration and I've been trying to save for…
ESA support group and need SMI
Hi I was wondering if anyone could help. I’ve just been told I wlll be in the ESA support group as I’ve been off work since 2023 and my work are dismissing me on health grounds. I am living alone (divorced) with no children and have a high mortgage of £1400 a month (it’s a one bedroom house in London so can’t even rent a…
ESA to UC
So I applied for UC as I was migrated over from the support group ESA and told to claim UC. I got my first statement today and it's deducted by nearly £500. After ringing around all morning, I've been told I'm only getting some UC as they've moved me over to New Style ESA?! I thought when I applied for UC the ESA would…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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