Make your money go further checklist - draft2

Use a free benefits calculator to find out what you could be entitled to.

The benefits system can be complicated, but we have advice providers across the city who can help. If you are turned down for a benefit, seek advice on whether to challenge the decision. Many benefit decisions are overturned, and advice providers can offer support with challenges.

If your benefit award is partially successful, seek advice before challenging as this can lead to awards being reduced as well as increasing or staying the same.

Find out what other support is available.

Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £218.15 a week for single pensioners or £332.95 for couples. It is a tax-free payment for those who have reached State Pension age and live in Great Britain. The average Pension Credit payment is over £67.00 per week – equating to an average of £3,500 per year.

Around a third of eligible pensioners don’t claim Pension Credit – often because they don't know they can or that they need to.

Find out more about Pension Credit.

Whether you have toddlers or teens, check the Government’s Childcare Choices website to find out how you can save money on your childcare.

Over one million families are missing out on up to £2,000 a year per child – or £4,000 if their child is disabled – to put towards the cost of childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability. The money can help towards the cost of holiday clubs, before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, and other approved childcare schemes.

The government contributes 20% of childcare costs by topping up a Tax-Free Childcare account. For every £8 you pay into an account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year.

Children aged two will have access to 15 hours of free childcare from April 2024, followed by children aged from nine months from September 2024. All children under school age will have access to the expanded 30 hours of free childcare from September 2025. For more information have a look at Money Saving Expert’s eight need-to-knows about tax-free childcare.

If Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn't cover all your rent, check to see if you can make a claim for a discretionary housing payment.

Sunderland residents who are on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits may be eligible for Council Tax Support.

For working-aged people this could pay up to 91.5% of your council tax bill, and for pension-age people this could be up to 100% support. Council Tax Support is calculated using different factors including you age, your income, any savings you might have and anyone else who lives with you. Apply for Council Tax Support.

As well as Council Tax Support, there are other exemptions and discounts that might apply to you, for example if you live alone, or are a carer. Find out more about the exemptions and discounts.

Check if you or your family may be entitled to benefits for those experiencing illness or disability. This could include:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (for adults under state retirement age)
• Attendance Allowance (for those over state retirement age), and
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (for children under 16, for new claims)

These benefits are not means tested. The assessment considers the way that your health conditions affect your daily living and mobility needs.

Receiving these benefits may increase entitlement to other benefits such as Pension Credit and Council Tax Support.

Seek advice if you are already claiming a disability benefit such as DLA for adults, as your award will stop if you claim PIP instead.

If you’re too unwell to work, you may be entitled to New Style Employment and Support Allowance and/or Universal Credit with Limited Capability for Work or Work Related Activity.

If you or any member of your household is disabled, you may qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax. The benefits system can be complicated but we have advice providers across the city who can help. Find out more about the support that is available.

If you are a carer, you may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance and/or an extra amount called the ‘carer element’ within Universal Credit.

This could mean £76.75 a week in Carer's Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and you, the person you care for and the type of care you provide meets the criteria.

Carers who meet criteria (and are not caring for a spouse, partner or child) are not counted as living in a property for the purposes of calculating Council Tax. If you’re eligible, you can ask to be "disregarded" which may result in a discount being applied to your account.

Find out more information about Carer's Allowance including how it works and eligibility.

You can also find out more about benefits and financial support if you're caring for someone.

Find out more about the support available in Sunderland.

There are several ways that people may be able to reduce their energy costs and better manage fuel bills. This includes free help and advice from several agencies as well as applying for support from a range of schemes or switching energy providers. Find out more information about reducing energy costs.

If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to apply to them for a non-repayable hardship grant to help pay it off. Find out whether you qualify and how to apply.

If you can’t get a grant from your supplier, you might be able to get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust Individuals and Families Fund which offers grants of up to £1,500. These grants are available to anyone, you don’t have to be a British Gas customer. If you get advice, this will help your chances of a successful grant application.

Find out more about the help and support that's available to you.

Find information about where to get help with food in your area, including local foodbanks and the Bread and Butter Thing.

If you are at least ten weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old, you might be able to get a pre-paid Healthy Start card which you can use to buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula.

If you are eligible, you can apply online, by phone or by email. Find out more about how to apply.

If you or your child receive certain benefits, you can apply for free school meals from Year 3 and above. Find out more about free school meals.

Check if your child is eligible for free holiday provision through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (Wear Here 4) running during school holidays.

If you’re in debt, seek advice early rather than let things spiral out of control. In Sunderland we have local advice providers who can offer support as well as the Money Adviser Network for support via telephone or online. Find out more about the support available.

There are many ways that Northumbrian Water can help you, from payment plans, low income discounts to advice on saving water which can help lower your energy bills too. Find out more about the financial support from Northumbrian Water.

If you have a low income, the NHS Low Income Scheme could help you pay for:

• NHS prescription charges
• NHS dental treatment charges
• the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses
• the cost of travelling to receive NHS treatment
• NHS wigs and fabric supports (check with your hospital for their arrangements for supplying NHS wigs)
• Have your dryer serviced regularly by a qualified engineer

How much help you get depends on your weekly income and necessary outgoings, plus any savings or investments you have at the time you apply. Find out more about help with health costs.

Check if you could get a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child. This known as a Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband. They’re delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price.

There are four million people eligible in the UK, but only a small proportion are on these special, long-lasting cheap deals.

Find out more about the providers available in Sunderland.

Help to Save is a government savings scheme open to people receiving benefits including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. Savers can get a bonus of 50p for every £1 they save over 4 years.

You can save between £1 and £50 each calendar month and do not have to pay money in every month. Someone saving £2,400 – the maximum amount that can be deposited over four years – would receive a £1,200 bonus from the Government, paid directly into their bank account.