Unclaimed benefits

Anwara

Hi… everyone I’ve seen on itv that there are millions of unclaimed funds which is sitting in the governments bank. 

What I would like help with is what I may be entitled to equally yourselves. The MSE site has various links to entitlement sites inclusive of the Gov site. However it’s all a bit confusing

like myself I think was unemployed for 4 years and never claimed from the state or even thought about it.  20 years down the line fully employed paying massively into taxes am I entitled to anything I’ve missed out in the past???

elsien

Short answer, no.
Longer answer involves the words snowball, chance and hell. 

Devongardener

You can’t now claim a benefit you might have been entitled to 20 years ago.  You need to read up on the claims process, it’s extremely complex and time sensitive.  As far your current situation is concerned, you should check on one of  the benefit entitlement websites.

poppy12345

No one is automatically entitled to any benefits. You need to claim them yourself, they will not come to you. Paying your taxes has nothing to do with benefits entitlement. 

peteuk

I believe that the figure relates to those who are eligible but aren’t claiming rather than those that have not historically claimed.   Like PIP, where people are put off by the claim/assessment process.

Other benefits do allow a certain amount of back payment child benefit for example allows 3 months.

Jyana

Anwara said:

Hi… everyone I’ve seen on itv that there are millions of unclaimed funds which is sitting in the governments bank. 

What I would like help with is what I may be entitled to equally yourselves. The MSE site has various links to entitlement sites inclusive of the Gov site. However it’s all a bit confusing

like myself I think was unemployed for 4 years and never claimed from the state or even thought about it.  20 years down the line fully employed paying massively into taxes am I entitled to anything I’ve missed out in the past???

I'm not sure what programme or advert ITV are showing, but as far as I am aware there is no bank account holding unclaimed benefits that people haven't claimed years ago that's collecting interest for the government, DWP, or anyone else. If such a thing were even possible* money's so tight in the benefit system that they would have raided it a long time ago! 

*I don't know how they would even go about trying to work out how much to add to it each month. They have enough trouble sorting out who is entitled to what with those that are providing applications, personal info, & banking details as it is. Trying to do that on the fly for anyone and everyone that hasn't actually applied, the system just isn't built for that. 

Muttleythefrog

I think you might be conflating 2 issues. Is one not the idea people have old financial accounts sitting around with money in they've neglected to resolve or move. The other issue is backdating of benefit claims... forget it frankly...unless there is a special scheme set up for some special circumstances. A claim for Jobseekers Allowance 20 years ago is a non starter... you'd not be able to meet the criteria of claim for one (prove the jobseeking you did decades ago and sign your name to a document saying so at the time) and the benefit now does not exist. Could you claim Universal Credit for your jobseeking/unemployment 20 years ago... no. 

Anwara

Thanks all appreciate all the feedback.