Check what benefits you can get

There’s only one tool you can use - it’s called ‘Support for migrant families’. 

The tool can tell you if you’re eligible for benefits and what help you can get from social services and immigration advisers.

You can only use the Support for migrant families tool if you have 'no recourse to public funds' - this means you can't claim most benefits. The tool is particularly useful if you're responsible for children under 18.  

Your results will be more accurate if you know your immigration status. 

Use the Support for migrant families tool.

You might be able to get disability benefits if:

• you have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around

• you can’t work because you’re sick or disabled

It usually doesn’t matter how much you earn, if you have savings or how much National Insurance you’ve paid.

Check what benefits to claim if you’re sick or disabled.

You can check your State Pension age on GOV.UK.

If you’ve been paying National Insurance contributions, you might get a State Pension. Check how State Pensions work.

If you’re sick or disabled

You might be able to get Pension Age Disability Payment or Attendance Allowance if you have difficulty with everyday tasks and getting around.

Check if you can get Pension Age Disability Payment or Attendance Allowance.

If you have a low amount of income and savings 

You might be able to get Pension Credit - even if you own your own home or have a small private pension. 

Claiming Pension Credit can give you access to other help like money off council tax, healthcare and energy.

Check if you can claim Pension Credit. 

If you’re struggling to pay your rent, you should check if you can claim Housing Benefit.  

If you’re 80 or over

If you don’t get a basic State Pension or your basic State Pension is less than £85 a week, you could get extra money - this is called a ‘category D pension’.

You can only get a category D pension if you’ve lived in the UK for at least 10 years of the past 20 years.

Check if you can get a category D pension on GOV.UK.

You might get ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) if:

• you’re over 18 and under State Pension age

• you've worked and paid Class 1 National Insurance in the last 2 to 3 years 

You can claim new style JSA on its own or with Universal Credit. 

Check if you can get new style JSA.

If you already get contribution-based JSA, check if you can add income-based JSA.

If you care for a disabled person for at least 35 hours a week, check if you can get Carer’s Allowance.

Carer Support Payment is replacing Carer’s Allowance in Scotland. It’s available in different parts of Scotland at different times. Check if you can claim Carer Support Payment where you live.

If you can’t get Carer’s Allowance

You might be able to get Carer’s Credit if you care for a disabled person for at least 20 hours a week. Check if you can get Carer’s Credit on GOV.UK.

If you work and you’re having a child, you might be able to get:

• maternity pay, if you’re pregnant or you gave birth recently - check if you can get maternity benefits

• adoption pay, if you’re adopting - check if you can get adoption pay on GOV.UK

• paternity pay, if your partner’s pregnant or adopting - check if you can get paternity pay on GOV.UK

If you live in Scotland and you or your partner are having a child and receive a qualifying benefit, you might be able to get:

• a Pregnancy and Baby Payment to help with the costs of having a baby - check if you can get a Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment

• a prepaid card to buy certain foods when pregnant - check if you can get Best Start Foods.

You might get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for: 

• a child under 16

• a child under 20 who is still in education or training

It doesn’t matter if you work or have savings and investments. 

Check if you can get Child Benefit.

If you live in Scotland

If you’re responsible for a child and on a low income you might be able to get the Scottish Child Payment. It’s a payment made every 4 weeks by Social Security Scotland.

Check if you can get the Scottish Child Payment.

If you’re responsible for a child whose parents have died

You might get Guardian’s Allowance if you already get Child Benefit.

Check if you can get Guardian’s Allowance on GOV.UK.

If you get Working Tax Credits 

You can add Child Tax Credits to your claim. Child Tax Credits give you access to other help - like free school meals.

Check if you can get Child Tax Credits.

If you’re finding things difficult, you should contact your local council’s child services. They might be able to give you money to afford essentials and give you access to counselling and care. You can find your local council on GOV.UK. 

You might also be able to get Universal Credit if:

• you’re a carer 

• you’re a single parent or you’re the only person responsible for children in your household

• you can’t work or have difficulty working because you’re sick or disabled

• you’re not in contact with your parents and you’re not in care

If you’re responsible for a child under 18, you might be able to get Child Benefit.

You should talk to an adviser about what benefits you can get.

You might be able to get bereavement benefits, depending on when your partner died.

Check if you can get bereavement benefits.