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We are committed to tackling poverty, encouraging benefit take-up and helping you maximise your income entitlement to benefits.

Are you eligible for benefits?

The benefits system is complex and we recognise that people may have difficulty in accessing relevant information or have difficulty with the process of claiming. Significant numbers of people fail to claim the financial support to which they would be entitled and many billions of pounds worth of benefits remain unclaimed each year.

It is always better to take some time and make the effort to find out, rather than to do nothing and risk being one of the people who continue to miss out. For further information and advice please contact:

Types of benefits

Find out about the different types of benefits:

Other discounts and payments

Find out about other discounts and exemptions:

Benefit cap rules

The cap on the maximum amount of weekly benefit which can be paid to working age claimants is currently £257.69 for single claimants and £384.62 for couples and lone parents.

From 1 April 2023 the benefit cap will be set at £283.71 per week if you are a single person and £423.46 per 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.

Contact Information

 

Revenues and Benefits
Civic Centre North
John Dickie Street
Kilmarnock
East Ayrshire
KA1 1HW
Telephone (Option 3): 01563 554400