Benefits

Benefits are money from the government for people who:

• Cannot find a job or are unable to work.
• Only work a few hours a week.
• Don't have enough money to live on.

If you are:

• 18 year olds or over, and
• Want to get benefits because you do not have a job and you are not at school or college.

You can find out which benefits you can get by going to your local Jobcentre Plus.

If you are:

• Under 18 years old, and
• You want to get benefits because you do not have a job and you are not at school or college

You should go to your local Connexions centre. They will be able to tell you which benefits you might be able to get. They will also be able to help you fill in forms to apply for benefits.

If you want to get benefits because you have a disability you can go to your Connexions personal adviser for advice and help with getting benefits.

If you want to find out more about benefits you can call one of these helplines:

Benefit Enquiry Line
If you have a disability you can call this helpline to find out which benefits you can get and how to apply for benefits.

Phone: 0800 882200
Email: Bel-Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Community Legal Service Helpline: Call this helpline if you want help and advice about:

• Money problems
• Benefits
• Help with jobs or housing if you don't have much money.

Phone: 0845 345 4 345  

Leicester Welfare Rights Advice Service
Call this helpline if you live in Leicester and you want help and advice on what benefits you could get.      
         
Phone: 0116 225 4888
Open: Monday to Thursday
1pm to 4pm

Leicestershire Welfare Rights Service
Call this help line if you live in Leicestershire and you want to find out if you can claim benefits. You can also call this helpline if you are having problems with your benefits.

Phone: 0116 275 9202

Types of benefits

Child Benefit and Tax Credits
This is money your parents get for things like food and bills. Your parents will usually get Child Benefit until you are 19.
Once you start a job or an apprenticeship where you get paid, your parents will stop getting Child Benefit and Child Tax credits.
If you have a child you can get Child Benefit and Child Tax credit to help pay for things like food and bills.

Child Trust Fund
This is money that the government gives to every child born after September 2002. The money is kept safe in a bank account until the child is 18. 

Disability Living Allowance

Housing Benefits

Incapacity Benefit

Income Support

Jobseeker's Allowance
This is a benefit for people who don't have a job. It is only paid to under 18s if you can prove that you are under ‘severe hardship’. If you think you might be able to get Jobseeker's Allowance you should talk to your Connexions personal adviser.