How to access benefits and other financial help | Tenant news

Did you know that nearly £23 billion of government benefits and discounts went unclaimed last year? That’s around eight million households in the UK missing out on getting £2,700 a year in support, according to Policy in Practice.

The government offers a range of benefits and discounts to help with living costs, but many go unclaimed because people simply aren’t aware of them, assume they’re not eligible, or they have found the system too difficult to navigate.

The good news is there are now lots of services designed to help people gain access to benefits they might be eligible for, including at Habinteg.

Rent Assist Team

Our Rent Assist team can refer any Habinteg tenant, whether disabled or non-disabled, to Disability Rights UK for a full benefits entitlement check. Disability Rights UK’s specialist advice team will ensure that you’re receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to.

The service is available to all Habinteg tenants, regardless of employment status or whether you’re in rent arrears.

Please call 0300 365 3100 and ask for the Rent Assist team if you’d like a free referral.

Government website

The UK Government’s website provides a list of all available benefits and financial support for low-income households.

Another helpful website is Money Helper - a government-backed service that provides free, impartial financial guidance. It has a webpage with a range of information on what benefits you might be entitled to and what to do if you have an issue with your benefits.

Online benefits calculators

Online benefits calculators are quick and easy digital tools that give an overview of what benefits you might be eligible for.

Check out calculators at Policy in Practice , Turn2Us or Entitled to. It's worth remembering that while benefits calculators can be useful, they can’t always consider a person’s detailed circumstances.

Universal Credit

If you want advice around claiming Universal Credit (UC), Citizens Advice can provide support through its Help to Claim phoneline (0800 144 8 444). Its advisers can help you with the early stages of your Universal Credit claim.

If you can’t hear or speak on the phone,you can use a text relay or British Sign Language (BSL) video call service to speak with Citizens Advice about your application. To use this service, call Relay UK, by dialling 18001 and then 0800 144 8 444.

Important things to know

Universal Credit is replacing a total of six benefits for working age households by the end of March 2026. These legacy benefits will no longer exist after March 2026.

If you’re moving over to Universal Credit soon, you should know that:

• People receiving disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) don’t need to reapply for them as they’re not affected by the move to UC.
  
  
• If you receive a discount on your council tax, your eligibility for the discount is not affected, but it’s a good idea for you to check with your local authority in case there have been any administration issues caused by the move to UC.
  
  
• If you have receive a council tax reduction (CTR), the move to UC could create an admin issue that means that your existing reduction does not continue. So it’s a good idea for you to check with your local authority once you’ve claimed UC to see if you need to make a new claim.

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