A- Z of benefits
An A-Z list of benefits
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
(Statutory) Adoption Pay - a weekly payment you get from your employer to help take time off work when you adopt a child.
Age allowance - Veterans can have an age allowance if you are 65 or over and you get a war disablement pension of 40% or more.
Attendance Allowance - payment made to people who are over 65 with long term health problems (mental or physical) that present a care or supervisory need.
B
Bereavement benefits – Including Bereavement Payment (lump sum), Widowed Parent's Allowance, Bereavement Allowance (standard rate), and Age-related Bereavement Allowance. Bereavement benefits are benefits paid to widows, widowers or the surviving partner of a civil partnership. You can get a bereavement benefit if your husband, wife or civil partner died on or after 9 April 2001.
C
Carer's Allowance - You may be able to get Carer's Allowance if you are aged 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a person who gets either Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance.
Christmas Bonus – If you are in receipt of various benefits, you may be eligible for a tax free £10 Christmas bonus.
Clothing Allowance – Veterans may be entitled to this allowance if you are getting a war pension at the 20% rate or higher and are an amputee or your clothes wear out very quickly because of the conditions for which you are paid a war pension.
Cold Weather Payment - If you're on a low income, a Cold Weather Payment may be available to help you for each week of very cold weather in your area.
Comforts Allowance - Veterans are entitled to this allowance if you are getting War Pension Constant Attendance Allowance or Unemployability Supplement.
Community Care Grant - If you need financial help to live independently in the community or to ease exceptional pressure on you and your family you may be able to get a Community Care Grant. You don't have to pay it back.
D
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - is a tax-free benefit for children and adults who need help with personal care or have walking difficulties because they are physically or mentally disabled. A Care component or Mobility component can be paid to people with a disability to help with the increased cost of daily living due to their disability.
(Exceptionally Severe) Disablement Allowance - Veterans may be entitled to this allowance if you are in receipt of War Pensions Constant Attendance Allowance at one of the two highest rates. It is payable if you are in hospital.
E
Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance - Veterans may be entitled to this allowance if you are in receipt of War Pensions Constant Attendance Allowance at one of the two highest rates. It is payable if you are in hospital.
F
Funeral Payment – A one off payment to help with the costs of a funeral. Payable dependant on your circumstances, not the circumstances of the person who died.
G
H
Hospital Travel Costs - You may be able to get financial help from the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme if you're on a low income, need NHS treatment at a hospital, other NHS centre or private clinic and have been referred by an NHS hospital consultant.
I
Incapacity Benefit - If you can't work because of illness or disability which started before 27 October 2008, you may be able to get Incapacity Benefit. This is a weekly payment for people who become incapable of work while under State Pension age.
Income Support - If you can't be available for full-time work and don't have enough money to live on, you may be able to get Income Support benefit. Whether you qualify or not and how much you get depends on your circumstances. See Income Support Fact Sheet on the link on the right hand side of this page.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - You may be able to get 'Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (accidents)' if you are ill or disabled because of an accident or event that happened at work or in connection with work.
Invalidity Allowance - Payable with Invalidity Pension, the rates depend on age when incapacity began
J
Job Grant - a one-off tax-free payment when you or your partner or civil partner start work and stop getting benefits.
Jobseeker's Allowance & Contributions Based Job Seeker's Allowance - Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is the main benefit for people of working age who are out of work. See Jobseeker's Allowance Fact Sheet on the right hand side.
K
L
M
Maternity Allowance - may be available to help you take time off to have your baby. You must not be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay from any employer. You must also have been a registered self-employed person or have been employed in at least 26 weeks out of the 66 week period running into the week before the week your baby is due.
(Sure Start) Maternity Grant - If you're on a low income, the Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help towards costs of a new baby. The grant comes from the Social Fund and you don't have to repay it.
(Statutory) Maternity Pay - To help you to take time off work both before and after your baby is born, you may be able to get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). This is a weekly payment from your employer.
N
O
P
(Statutory) Paternity Pay - When your wife, partner or civil partner gives birth or adopts a child, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) money that's paid by your employer to help you take time off work.
Pension Credit – Guaranteed Pension Credit - guarantees everyone aged 60 and over an income of at least £130.00 a week if you are single, or £198.45 a week if you have a partner.
Pension Credit – Savings Pension Credit - for people aged 65 or over who have modest savings and capital or retirement income. This credit provides extra money of up to £20.40 if you are single, or £27.03 a week if you have a partner.
(State) Pension Over 80 - Over 80 Pension is a non-contributory pension for people aged 80 or over with little or no State Pension.
(War Disablement) Pension - You may be able to claim War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme if you have been injured or disabled as a result of service in Her Majesty's (HM) Armed Forces, you are no longer serving in HM Armed Forces and the claimed condition arose before 6 April 2005.
(Widow's) Pension - payable to childless widows aged 45 or over when their husband died. This pension is payable to widows whose late husband died before 9/4/2001. Widow's Pension is also payable to widows with children when their Widowed Mother's Allowance ends.
See Pension Credit Fact Sheet on the right hand side.
Poole Community Transport Service - The scheme, run by the council and charity Poole Council Voluntary Service, offers accessible door-to-door transport for people with special transport and access needs.
Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefits Scheme - Tax-free benefits for people suffering from industrial diseases attributable to employment which ended before 5th July 1948. Rates payable depend on the level of disablement.
Q
R
S
Severe Disablement Allowance - You cannot make a new claim for Severe Disablement Allowance. But if you had been getting the allowance before April 2001, you will continue to receive it.
Social Fund - The Social Fund provides lump sum payments, grants and loans. Loans and Community Care Grants from the Social Fund are discretionary and not for a standard amount. You may be able to get help from the Social Fund for important costs that are hard to pay for out of your regular income. See Social Fund Fact Sheet on the right hand side.
State Pension (Over 80) - Over 80 Pension is a non-contributory pension for people aged 80 or over with little or no State Pension.
Statutory Adoption Pay - a weekly payment you get from your employer to help take time off work when you adopt a child.
Statutory Maternity Pay - To help you to take time off work both before and after your baby is born, you may be able to get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). This is a weekly payment from your employer.
Sure Start Maternity Grant - If you're on a low income, the Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help towards costs of a new baby. The grant comes from the Social Fund and you don't have to repay it.
State Pension (Basic) - The State Pension age is currently 65 for men and 60 for women. The State Pension age for women will increase gradually from 2010, so that by 2020 it will be 65.
Statutory Paternity Pay - When your wife, partner or civil partner gives birth or adopts a child, you may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) money that's paid by your employer to help you take time off work.
Statutory Sick Pay - If you're an employee and unable to work because you're ill you may be able to get Statutory Sick Pay. It is paid by your employer and can be paid for up to 28 weeks.
T
Travel Concessions (for hospital visits) - Some low income patients and parents of child patients attending hospital for NHS treatment may qualify for help with travel costs to and from hospital. You should check with the hospital before travelling if you are unsure about eligibility.
Travel Concessions (over 60) - Everyone aged 60 or over who is resident in England is entitled to free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England using a National Bus Pass. Off-peak travel is when you travel any time between 9.30am and 11.00 pm, Monday to Friday, and at any time on weekends and public holidays.
(Poole Community) Transport Service - The scheme, run by the council and charity Poole Council Voluntary Service, offers accessible door-to-door transport for people with special transport and access needs.
U
Unemployability Supplement - To qualify, veterans must be getting a war pension at the 60% rate or higher; you must be under 65 when you make your claim and your accepted condition must be so serious that you cannot work.
V
W
War Disablement Pension - You may be able to claim War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme if you have been injured or disabled as a result of service in Her Majesty's (HM) Armed Forces, you are no longer serving in HM Armed Forces and the claimed condition arose before 6 April 2005.
Widow's Pension - payable to childless widows aged 45 or over when their husband died. This pension is payable to widows whose late husband died before 9/4/2001. Widow's Pension is also payable to widows with children when their Widowed Mother's Allowance ends.
Widowed Mother's Allowance - Widowed Mother's Allowance is payable from widowhood, provided this was before 9/4/2001, to a widow who is pregnant or has children. Payment depends on the widows late husband having paid sufficient National Insurance Contributions.
Winter Fuel Payments – an annual payment to help people aged 60 and over with the costs of keeping warm in winter. The Winter Fuel Payment Helpline can be contacted on 08459 15 15 15 (0845 601 5613 for textphone users).
Workmen's Compensation & Supplementation – Compensation is paid by your employer. Supplementation payable to a person who is in receipt of Workmen's Compensation for a disease or accident which happened at work before 5 July 1948.