Welfare and Benefits

Universal Credit is a new benefit to support you if you are working and are on a low income or you are out of work. It is a single monthly payment and replaces some of the benefits and tax credits you might be getting, including -

Housing Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Income related Employment and Support Allowance.

By combining your benefits into one simple payment, it makes it easier for you to manage your money and helps ensure you receive the right amount of financial aid. It also makes it easier to adjust your payments when your circumstances change.

Apply for Universal Credit (Opens in a new window)

Alternatively, you can contact them by telephone on 08003 285 644

Housing benefit

You could get Housing Benefit to help you pay your rent if you’re on a low income. Housing Benefit can pay for part or all of your rent. How much you get depends on your income and circumstances.

You can apply for Housing Benefit whether you are unemployed or working.

Cold weather Payment

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you are getting certain benefits. You will get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for 7 consecutive days.

Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born on or before 5 November 1953 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment'.

Find out more about Heating and Housing Benefits (Opens in a new window)

Personal Independent Payment (PIP) is a benefit you can get if you are aged 16 to 64 and have an illness or disability, it has replaced Disability Living Allowance.

The amount you get will depend on how your illness or disability affects your day to day living and not the actual condition itself. You can find out more about eligibility and how to claim by visiting the GOV.UK website using the link provided.

Apply for Personal Independent Payment (Opens in a new window)

Alternatively, If you need support to fill out your PIP claim, you can contact Hull and East Riding Citizen’s Advice by telephone on 03444 111 444

Attendance Allowance is a benefit you can get if you are 65 or over and have a disability. Like with Personal Independent Payment, the amount you get will depend on how your disability affects you on a day to day basis.

If you receive Attendance Allowance, your other benefits may increase to recognise that fact that you need extra support due to your support needs.

The Attendance Allowance does not take into account any mobility needs you may have.

Apply for Attendance Allowance (Opens in a new window)

If you are registered blind and are working you will be able to claim for Blind Person's Allowance. This is an extra amount of income that blind people can earn without having to pay tax on it.

Blind Person’s allowance is the same for everyone who is entitled to it, regardless of age or income.

More on Blind Person Allowance (Opens in a new window)

Alternatively, you can contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by telephone on 03002 003 301

If you need immediate financial help, you may be entitled to emergency support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or Hull City Council.

Household Support Fund

Hull City Council's Household Support Fund (HSF) is available to support those most in need this winter.

More information and how to apply to the Immediate Financial Help Fund (Opens in a new window)

Short Term Advances

This is an application to have an advance on your benefits, this may be when you have made a new claim and encounter a period of financial need. A short term advance will then be claimed back from your future benefits.

To make a claim you can call 0845 608 8545

Access GOV.UK for more information (Opens in a new window)

Budgeting Loan

You could get a budgeting loan to help pay for essential things such as -

rent
furniture
clothes
hire purchase debts.

These are one off payments and the smallest amount you can borrow is £100.

Budgeting loans are interest free so you only pay back what you borrow. You normally have to repay the loan within 104 weeks.

More information and how to apply (Opens in a new window)

Hardship Payments

Hardship payments are administered by the DWP and are reduced payments of Job seekers Allowance (income based) that are made to vulnerable people who have not followed the normal qualifying rules.

More information on Hardship Payments (Opens in a new window)

You can also call 0800 169 0190

If you have tried to apply to DWP for the above you can apply for one of the following.

Community Crisis Loans

Community Crisis Loans (CCL) are part of our local assistance scheme. CCLs are intended for applicants who are unable to meet their immediate short term needs either in a crisis in relation to some expenses or as a consequence of a disaster.

More information on Community Crisis Loans (Opens in a new window)

Community Support Grant

Community Support Grants (CSG) are part of the local assistance scheme. CSGs are intended to help vulnerable applicants live as independent a life as possible in the community. They can provide financial assistance for items such as -

furniture or furnishings
minor repairs and redecoration
white goods
certain traveling expenses
clothing

More information on Community Support Grant (Opens in a new window)

If you are in need of food there are a number of services that may be able to assist you.

Hull Food bank

To access Hull Food bank a voucher must be obtained from Citizens Advice first, between 9am and 12 noon. You will be assessed by an advisor and you are not guaranteed a food parcel or voucher.

For more information access Citizens Advice (Opens in a new window)

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army can provide you support with food parcels, a hot meal and clothing. The Wilson Centre may be able to provide you with a letter of referral. Food parcels and hot meals are limited and a possession of a referral letter does not guarantee assistance.

More information support from the Salvation Army (Opens in a new window)

Open Doors

A letter of referral is required to request a food parcel. Open doors provide support for the below -

asylum seekers
refugees
migrant workers

Open Doors hold a weekly drop in session every Thursday between 10am and 2pm, or you can call 01482 342 567.

More information about Open Doors Hull (Opens in a new window)

British Red Cross

The British Red Cross can help people in crisis in a number of different ways.

More information about the British Red Cross (Opens in a new window)

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice can give you general advice if you need immediate help. Citizens Advice can provide you with information on the following -

debt
housing
benefit
employment
immigration
family law

Help Through Crisis is a Citizens Advice project which aims to help vulnerable people who are facing a hardship crisis, such as a financial crisis or needing advice to solve a problem on benefits and housing.

To make a referral or find out more, email - adminhull@hull-eastridingcab.org.uk (Opens in a new window)

More information visit Citizens Advice (Opens in a new window)

Discretionary Housing Payment

Discretionary Housing Payments help people who need extra help with their rent when Housing Benefit or the housing cost element of Universal Credit does not meet the full value of their rent (or to secure a tenancy). If you are suffering severe financial hardship as a result, or your tenancy is at risk you may be able to get a discretionary payment to help towards these payments.

More information on DHP (Opens in a new window)

Free School Meals

You may be able to claim free school meals for primary and secondary schools.

More information on Free School meals (Opens in a new window)

To help you find out what benefits you maybe able to claim, we have developed a benefits calculator. This online tool will ask you a series of questions regarding your current circumstances and from the answers you give, will work out what benefits you could claim. This is a guide only and all benefits claims are decided by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Access the benefits calculator (Opens in a new window)