Latest news with #JobcentrePlus
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Six ways to get the most out of your Universal Credit claim – including £1,900 in boosted cash
HOUSEHOLDS on Universal Credit could be missing out on extra free cash to cover the cost of living. Those on the benefit qualify for extra support that can be worth hundreds of extra pounds. 1 From help via the Household Support Fund (HSF) to a one-off payment for new parents, here's all the help you can get. Household Support Fund - £1,000 The Household Support Fund is a giant pot of cash worth £742million that's been shared between councils in England. Local authorities then have to decide how to distribute their share of the fund, whether that be through direct payments, vouchers or more. Eligibility criteria varies from area to area too, however in lots of cases you'll receive help if you're on benefits like Universal Credit. For example, residents in Portsmouth on Universal Credit struggling to afford essentials can apply for payments worth up to £1,000. Households in Calderdale can also get two awards worth £85 each between now and March 31, 2026. Find out what help is on offer in your area by speaking to your local council. You can find your local council via Discounted transport and help with job applications - £150 Those on Universal Credit can get a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card, cutting public transport costs by 50%. The card is free but you'll need to have been claiming Universal Credit for up to 12 months to apply. Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence You can apply for one of the cards at your local JobCentre which you can find via There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare One-off maternity payment - £500 New mums on Universal Credit can bag themselves £500 in free cash through the Sure Start Maternity Grant. The money is designed to help you cover the costs of having a child and paid to those in England and Wales. You usually qualify if you're pregnant with your first child or are expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already. Find out more about the grant here - Council tax support - £190 You might be able to get a council tax reduction if you're on benefits including Universal Credit. In some cases, your monthly bill might be slashed by 100%. Each council runs its own scheme so there's no set rule across England. You can find out more via and enter your postcode to find your local council. The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2025/26 is £2,280 a year. Divided by 12 months of the year, that means you could save £190 a month based on a 100% discount. Help to Start - £25 Help to Save is a special savings account for those on Universal Credit who earned £1 or more in their last assessment period. The Government gives you a tax-free 50% bonus on whatever you save. You can save between £1 and £50 into a Help to Save account each month and keep one open for up to four years. Bonuses are paid at the end of the second and fourth year and are worth up to £1,200 in total. Per month that's £25. Healthy Start - £36 The Healthy Start scheme provides prepaid cards to buy essentials like milk, fruit, and vegetables. It's for families expecting a baby or that already have children under four and on certain benefits like Universal Credit. You could get up to £442 a year, depending on your circumstances, equating to around £36 a month. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for. .
Scottish Sun
10-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
All the benefits that could be STOPPED over easy holiday mistake including Universal Credit and PIP
We reveal below how you can check if you're eligible for benefits TRIP UP All the benefits that could be STOPPED over easy holiday mistake including Universal Credit and PIP Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SIMPLE holiday error could see a host of benefits including Universal Credit and PIP stopped. You may even have to pay back any overpaid money and in a worse case scenario an up to £5,000 penalty too. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A number of benefits can be stopped if you don't report going abroad Credit: Alamy Going abroad is classed as a change in circumstances which must be reported to the office that pays your benefits. If you do not, it may be reduced or stopped and you could be told to pay back any overpaid amounts. If you are found to have deliberately not reported going abroad, it is classed as benefit fraud and you could be taken to court or asked to pay a penalty of between £350 and £5,000. However, at which point you have to report going abroad varies based on the benefit you are receiving. For example, you don't have to report going abroad if you're on Attendance Allowance (AA) and going away for less than four weeks. If you do need to report going abroad, you need to tell your local Jobcentre Plus or the office that pays your benefit. This is the full list of benefits where you may have to report going abroad this summer: Universal Credit Jobseeker's Allowance PIP Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Attendance Allowance Carer's Allowance Pension Credit Housing Benefit Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) Maternity Allowance Child Benefit Guardian's Allowance Here are the rules on reporting going abroad for the major benefits. Universal Credit If you're on Universal Credit, you can stay abroad for one month and carry on receiving payments. You still have to tell your work coach you're going away and have to carry on meeting the conditions of your claim. For example, if you are in the intensive work group and have to spend a minimum amount of hours per week looking for a job, you have to continue doing this. There are exceptions to the one-month rule though - such as if a "close relative" dies while you are abroad and it is not deemed reasonable for you to return to the UK. Meanwhile, you can carry on claiming Universal Credit for up to six months if you have gone abroad for medical treatment. You can report going away on holiday by signing in via your Universal Credit account. Jobseeker's Allowance If you are on New Style or income-based JSA you must report if you are leaving Great Britain for any length of time. You can let the Government know you are going away by calling the JSA helpline on 0800 169 0310. You can also write to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your JSA. You can find your nearest office by using its online branch locator. PIP and DLA You have to tell the DWP if you are on Personal Independence payments (PIP) Or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and going away for more than four weeks. You have to tell the Government the date you are leaving the country, how long you are going away for and which country you plan to visit. You also need to tell the DWP why you plan to go abroad. You can call the Disability Service Centre on 0800 121 4433 to inform them you are going away if you are on PIP or DLA. Attendance Allowance Like with PIP and DLA, you have to tell the DWP if you plan to go abroad for more than four weeks and are on AA. You can claim AA for up to 13 weeks while abroad, or 26 weeks if you're going away for medical treatment. Carer's Allowance If you are on Carer's Allowance, you can go away for up to four weeks over a six-month period while still receiving the benefit. But you still have to report this or risk having to pay back your entitlement or paying a fine. You can report going away via the Government's website or by calling the Carer's Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297. Pension Credit You can claim Pension Credit for up to four weeks if you are abroad. This is extended to eight weeks if the absence is due to the death of your partner or a child. However, you still need to report going abroad. You can do this via the Government's website or by calling the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 731 0469. Housing Benefit You can usually only carry on claiming Housing Benefit for up to four weeks if you go abroad. Like with Pension Credit, you can carry on receiving it for eight weeks if you have to go abroad because a close relative has died. But you should contact the Benefits Service on 020 7364 5000 to let them know you're going away. You might also be able to via your local council's website. You can find your local council by using the Government's online locator tool. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
The Sun
10-06-2025
- The Sun
All the benefits that could be STOPPED over easy holiday mistake including Universal Credit and PIP
A SIMPLE holiday error could see a host of benefits including Universal Credit and PIP stopped. You may even have to pay back any overpaid money and in a worse case scenario an up to £5,000 penalty too. 1 Going abroad is classed as a change in circumstances which must be reported to the office that pays your benefits. If you do not, it may be reduced or stopped and you could be told to pay back any overpaid amounts. If you are found to have deliberately not reported going abroad, it is classed as benefit fraud and you could be taken to court or asked to pay a penalty of between £350 and £5,000. However, at which point you have to report going abroad varies based on the benefit you are receiving. For example, you don't have to report going abroad if you're on Attendance Allowance (AA) and going away for less than four weeks. If you do need to report going abroad, you need to tell your local Jobcentre Plus or the office that pays your benefit. This is the full list of benefits where you may have to report going abroad this summer: Universal Credit Jobseeker's Allowance PIP Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Attendance Allowance Carer's Allowance Pension Credit Housing Benefit Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) Maternity Allowance Child Benefit Guardian's Allowance Here are the rules on reporting going abroad for the major benefits. Universal Credit If you're on Universal Credit, you can stay abroad for one month and carry on receiving payments. You still have to tell your work coach you're going away and have to carry on meeting the conditions of your claim. For example, if you are in the intensive work group and have to spend a minimum amount of hours per week looking for a job, you have to continue doing this. There are exceptions to the one-month rule though - such as if a "close relative" dies while you are abroad and it is not deemed reasonable for you to return to the UK. Meanwhile, you can carry on claiming Universal Credit for up to six months if you have gone abroad for medical treatment. You can report going away on holiday by signing in via your Universal Credit account. Jobseeker's Allowance If you are on New Style or income-based JSA you must report if you are leaving Great Britain for any length of time. You can let the Government know you are going away by calling the JSA helpline on 0800 169 0310. You can also write to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your JSA. You can find your nearest office by using its online branch locator. PIP and DLA You have to tell the DWP if you are on Personal Independence payments (PIP) Or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and going away for more than four weeks. You have to tell the Government the date you are leaving the country, how long you are going away for and which country you plan to visit. You also need to tell the DWP why you plan to go abroad. You can call the Disability Service Centre on 0800 121 4433 to inform them you are going away if you are on PIP or DLA. Attendance Allowance Like with PIP and DLA, you have to tell the DWP if you plan to go abroad for more than four weeks and are on AA. You can claim AA for up to 13 weeks while abroad, or 26 weeks if you're going away for medical treatment. Carer's Allowance If you are on Carer's Allowance, you can go away for up to four weeks over a six-month period while still receiving the benefit. But you still have to report this or risk having to pay back your entitlement or paying a fine. You can report going away via the Government's website or by calling the Carer's Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297. Pension Credit You can claim Pension Credit for up to four weeks if you are abroad. This is extended to eight weeks if the absence is due to the death of your partner or a child. However, you still need to report going abroad. You can do this via the Government's website or by calling the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 731 0469. Housing Benefit You can usually only carry on claiming Housing Benefit for up to four weeks if you go abroad. Like with Pension Credit, you can carry on receiving it for eight weeks if you have to go abroad because a close relative has died. But you should contact the Benefits Service on 020 7364 5000 to let them know you're going away. You might also be able to via your local council's website. You can find your local council by using the Government's online locator tool. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 'important and urgent' issue of getting our young people into work
ONE of the challenges we face as a region is the growing number of young people not in work, education or training (so called NEETs) in the north east and Cumbria. It's an important and urgent issue, and one I discussed on a recent visit to Carlisle Jobcentre Plus. Unlocking the talent of our young people is key to our country's future. As part of its Get Britain Working plan, the biggest reform to employment support in a generation, the Government has raised the National Living Wage, improved working conditions through landmark employment legislation and begun to create jobs in high potential areas, such as clean energy industries, advanced manufacturing and defence. A central element of this plan is the new 'Youth Guarantee', which will support thousands of 18 to 21-year-olds into education, employment or training. Teesside, over in the north east, is one of eight trailblazer areas for the Youth Guarantee Scheme. This means it is a pilot for new approaches which, if successful, will be rolled out across the country. But that doesn't mean there's a lack of support for young people here in Carlisle and north Cumbria. Far from it. For example, the government is providing support to employers to take on young apprentices, including funding training costs for small businesses for apprentices aged 16-18, and removing National Insurance contributions for employers of apprentices under 25. A reformed Skills Levy will help ensure that a more skilled and adaptable workforce goes hand-in-hand with greater opportunity. On my recent visit to Carlisle Jobcentre Plus I saw for myself the tailored support available to 16–24 year-olds in their Youth Hub. Through partnerships with organisations like the Cumbria Youth Alliance, it provides access to careers advice, employability coaching, and connections to local services. Help is on hand for essential skills such as CV writing, interview preparation and job searches, as well as access to training opportunities. But if these efforts are going to be successful, we need young people to meet us halfway. If someone on benefits refuses to take up the support offered by a work coach without good reason, there will be benefits sanctions. This isn't about creating a blame culture; it's about fairness. Those who can work should work, so we are able to support those who genuinely can't. By working together, the government, employers, and young people can build an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive, whether they live in the north east, Cumbria, or beyond.
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Big change to services for Universal Credit households this weekend – check how you're affected
The public has been encouraged to check their local Job Centre's opening times PLEASE HOLD Big change to services for Universal Credit households this weekend – check how you're affected Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOUSEHOLDS on Universal Credit and other benefits are being warned of a big change coming on Monday. Jobcentre Plus offices and phone lines are closed on bank holidays so will be shut on Monday May 25. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Offices and phone lines will be closed on Monday Credit: Alamy Jobcentre Plus offices and the National Jobcentre Enquiry Line are usually closed on weekends too. Phone lines and offices are expected to reopen on Tuesday, May 26. Some branches may be open on Saturdays so it's worth checking your nearest branches opening hours. Jobcentre Plus branches provide a range of services helping jobseekers, long-term sick or disabled people find employment or claim benefits. The government-funded employment agency and social security office, is found in most cities and towns. It was was formed when the Employment Service merged with the Benefits Agency. It was renamed to Jobcentre Plus in 2002 and is part of the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions). The bank holiday on Monday will also see benefit payment dates altered. This is because payments are usually made the first working day before a bank holiday. Remember, if you are paid early you'll need to make the money last longer as you'll have to wait extra days until your next payment. If you are expecting an early payment and don't get it double check the dates you are usually paid and contact your bank. If you need further help or assistance you must contact the DWP. How does work affect Universal Credit? Complaints about unpaid benefits can be filed with the DWP. You can go to for more information. OTHER BENEFIT CHANGES The Government hikes benefit payments every year to keep up with the cost of food and other essentials. Benefit payments have recently risen for millions, including for those on Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance. How much yours could rise by depends on your personal circumstances. We've got a full breakdown of benefit increases here. You can also see the new rates for the 2025/26 year via
