We are committed to tackling poverty and encouraging benefit take-up.
Are you eligible for benefits?
Due to the complexity of the benefits system, inability to access relevant information, or difficulties associated with the process of claiming, significant numbers of people fail to claim the benefits to which they would be entitled and many billions of pounds worth of benefits remain unclaimed each year.
It is always better to make the effort to find out, rather than to do nothing and run the risk of being one of the people who continue to miss out.
For further information, please contact the Benefit Take Up Group:
- Housing and Council Tax Benefit, Telephone: 01563 554400
- The Pension Service, Telephone: 0845 606 0265
- The Carers Centre, Telephone: 01563 571533
- Citizens Advice Bureau, Telephone: 01563 553479 (Kilmarnock) or 01290 429500 (Cumnock)
Find out about the different types of benefits:
Financial advice services
For details of other organisations who can help you please visit financial advice services.
Benefit cap rules
The cap on the maximum amount of benefit which can be paid to working age claimants is currently £350 for single claimants and £500 for couples and lone parents.
From Autumn 2016 the benefit cap will be set at £257.69 a week if you are a single person and 384.62 a week if you are a couple or have children.
Benefits included in the calculation
All benefits including child benefit and housing benefit are included. Disability benefits and anyone entitled to Working Tax Credit are not included in the calculation.
If your benefit entitlement exceeds the cap figure
If your benefit entitlement exceeds the cap figure the Housing Benefit element of your payment will be reduced and you will receive the reduced amount of benefits. Any shortfall in the amount allowed for Housing Benefit will need to be paid to your rent from your overall entitlement.