Claim The Benefits You Are Entitled To

Check What You’re Entitled To

Choose one of the online Benefits Calculator Tools below or alternatively talk to an Adviser:

Prioritise And Reduce Bills

View the ASKLiON Prioritise And Reduce Bills page for more information on other schemes available.

If you would like to speak to someone there are many FREE and CONFIDENTIAL support services available across Nottingham. Please visit the ASKLiON where to find money help & advice page for your local advice services. 

Find out about the types of council tax discounts Nottingham City offers to support our residents. To find out the discounts and exemptions available please visit the Nottingham City Council Tax Webpage. For enquiries or questions contact us at 0115 718 1777.

If you are considering claiming Universal Credit then you may want to get advice before making your claim.

If you are on existing benefits and make a Universal credit claim you cannot return to the existing benefit system. As well as the financial considerations there are differences in the way the benefits are paid and the levels of debt recovery from your benefit, which are higher than the existing benefit system.

If you are in any doubt about whether Universal Credit is right for you then seek advice before making your claim.

To Apply for universal credit online and for more information please visit the official gov website

Benefits Advances & Hardship Payments

If you don’t have enough to live on while you wait for your first payment you may be able to get an advance of your first Universal Credit payment. Visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances

If you don’t have enough to live on while you wait for your first payment you may be able to get an advance of your first Universal Credit payment. Visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-advances

Scam alert for Universal Credit!

Greater Manchester Police have warned about a scam where people are pretending to offer people low cost government loans - and using the details to apply for Universal Credit.

Officers in the region say Trading Standards have been made aware of the scam which is targeting people in the North West.

As a result they have urged people to 'never give personal or financial information to anyone you do not know.'

A post shared by a number of GMP Twitter accounts says: "Trading Standards have been made aware of a scam being operated across the UK, and appears to be particularly prevalent in the North West of England."

It adds: "The scam is targeted at anyone of working age. Never give personal or financial information to anyone you do not know".

THE GUARDIAN

SCAM ALERT - Watch out for Universal Credit scammers

According to BBC News, benefit claimants are being targeted by scammers promising a low-cost loan or even a grant from the government.

What they don’t tell you is that the money you’ll receive is actually an advance for Universal Credit. After the fraudsters have taken their cut of your advance, victims are left to pay back the total amount after their Universal Credit payments begin. One scammer took £1,000 as their “fee” from a payment of £1,525.

According to the DWP, 10% of new Universal Credit claims could be fraudulent. Victims have included vulnerable people such as  those who are out of work, homeless or have drug dependency issues.

How to spot a Universal Credit scammer

Victims described being approached by someone who says they work for Jobcentre Plus. They could be smartly dressed and even have a badge or ID to “prove” they are acting on behalf of the Jobcentre. They promised one victim she’d receive a grant from the government that didn’t need to be paid back.

To apply for a Universal Credit advance on your behalf, they will ask for ID such as your driving licence or passport, your bank card or details of your accounts and could even ask to take a photo of you.

One victim reported that the first sign that she had been scammed was when her tax credits were stopped. When she called up to ask about it, she was told she couldn’t claim tax credits and Universal Credit at the same time. Repayments started to be taken from her benefits as soon as her UC payments started.

Childcare Calculator Tool:

Childcare Choices - Help Paying For Your Childcare

Government help with childcare costs for parents. Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support. More information is available via the Childcare Choices GOV Website.

Help With Childcare Costs

For information on free childcare, free early education, tax free childcare, childcare vouchers, employer schemes and more please visit the ASKLiON Help with Childcare Costs page. Below are shortcuts to the most popular schemes available:

• Free Childcare for 2-Year-Olds

• Free Childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds

• Free Early Education for 3 & 4-year-olds

Support & Benefits For Children

There are a number of benefits for school aged children from free school meals, transport and uniform allowance, to find out more please visit the Nottingham City GOV Website.

NHS Healthy Start Scheme

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks. For More information please visit the Healthy Start Website.

The Household Support Fund provides support to vulnerable residents in the following ways:

• Free School Meal Vouchers
• Supermarket Vouchers
• Energy Vouchers
• Food Bank Support
• Social Eating Projects Support
• Care Leaver Support
• Asylum / Refugee Support
• Mobile Food Supermarket Support

Further information on the support that is available and how to apply please visit the Nottingham Council Houshold Support Fund Webpage