Benefits, tax credits and pensions

Benefits are essential to the welfare of many people.

As your circumstances change you should check to see whether you become entitled to extra help – don't miss out as some changes cannot be backdated.

General advice

• Direct Gov – Benefits and financial support
  Includes a link to an interactive benefits adviser which will calculate the benefits and tax credits to which you may be entitled.
  
• Advice Guide – Benefits
  Easy-to-follow help, from Citizens Advice.
  
• Department for Work and Pensions – services and benefits
  Information for working people, families, retirees and the disabled.

Local benefits advice

These local councils offer advice on Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit:

• Eastbourne – benefits advice
  Phone: 01323 415807
• Hastings – benefits advice
  Phone: 01424 451080
• Lewes – benefits advice
  Phone: 01273 471600
• Rother – benefits advice
  Phone: 01424 787740
• Wealden – benefits advice
  Phone: 01323 443500

Help for older people

• DirectGov – benefits and concessions for older people
  A useful beginners guide if you're about to retire
  
• Pension credit
  A guaranteed income for everyone aged 60 or more.
  
• Attendance Allowance
  A weekly payment for people aged 65 and over who become ill or disabled and need help to look after themselves.
  
• Age Concern – free benefits checks for older people
  You can ask Age Concern to arrange a home visit to help sort our what you are entitled to and help with the forms.
  
• Citizens Advice Bureau – benefits advice for the over-60s
  Clearly presented advice that you can navigate depending on your own circumstances.
  
• Managing your money – pensions
  Advice about types of pension schemes, pension tracing and forecasting
  
• Retirement
  Making the most of your new life after retirement.

Help with heating

• Keep Warm, Keep Well
  Households on benefits may qualify for grants towards heating and insulation.
  
• Green home
  For more energy saving tips and other grants.

Some specific benefits

• Tax credits
  Find out if you qualify, and how to claim.
  
• Income Support
  Paid to people with a low income. It can include help with costs, such as free prescriptions from your doctor and dental treatment. It is not paid to unemployed people or people in full-time work.
  
• Job Seeker's Allowance
  If you are paid National Insurance contributions you may be eligible for Job Seeker's Allowance at a fixed rate for up to 26 weeks.
  
• Council Tax
  Your local district or borough council can help you with council tax benefits. Follow the link above for contact details.
  
• Housing benefit
  This is also paid through your local district or borough council. Follow the link for contact details.
  
• Blind Allowance
  A special income tax allowance that reduces the amount of income that you have to pay tax on. You do not need to be totally blind to be able to claim but you will need to be certified as blind.
  
• Carer's Allowance
  (Formally know as invalid care allowance) is a weekly payment for people looking after a disabled person for at least 35 hours per week.
  
• Disability Living Allowance (Adults)
  A benefit for people under 65 who have a mental or physical impairment. It is split into two parts. The ‘care' component for people who need looking after, and the ‘mobility' component to help people to get around. If you are over 65 you may be able to claim attendance allowance instead.
  
• Disability Living Allowance (Children)
  For carers who have a child with severe physical, or mental illness, or disability who needs much more help or looking after than other children of the same age because of their illness or impairment.