Money matters

Universal Credit (UC) is a single payment each month from the government to help with living costs.  

UC has replaced Housing Benefit, ESA, JSA, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Income Support for most people.  

Once you have signed up, you can manage your UC online. 

You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, working (including self-employed and part-time) out of work or you cannot work (for example because of a health condition). 

To claim for UC you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17), be under state pension age and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments. 

Visit the government website for more information on eligibility if you are an EU, EEA or Swiss Citizen, live with your partner, are in the armed forces or you’re studying or in training.  

You can use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you could get. 

You can apply to claim UC by visiting the government website.  

If you are unable to apply online, call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644, or speak to one of our Financial Inclusion Officers on 0800 028 0350. 

Have your documents and information to hand: 

• Bank account, building society or credit union details, including the back account you want the payments to go into 

• Email address 

• National insurance number 

• Housing cost information - for example rent and service charges 

• Income information - for example payslips 

• Savings and investment information 

• Any childcare costs 

• ID 

• A fit note (if you are on sick leave) 

Applying online: 

• The UC claim form is online so make sure you have good internet access, an email address and a mobile phone number.  

• Set aside 30 minutes to an hour to complete the claim. You’ll be asked to make an account so you can save your form and come back to it if you need to. 

• Save your form frequently – if you’re inactive for 30 minutes, you’ll be logged out automatically. 

• Keep your login details. 

• If you’re living as a couple, both of you will need to apply and your claims will be linked together. 

Every April, you’ll need to let the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) know whether your rent and service charges have changed. Look out for a 'to-do' on your online portal.  

We will always write to you informing you of any changes and you can check your rent and service charges on your MyPCH account at any time.  

This is a benefit can help you with extra living costs if you have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition.  

To see if you would be eligible for PIP, visit the government website. 

If you are eligible, you can apply for PIP online or call the PIP New Claims phone line on 0800 917 2222. 

You may be eligible for a council tax reduction. Contact your local council to see if you would qualify for this. 

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.  If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you. 

Visit your energy supplier’s website or contact them directly to see if you could be eligible.  

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re receiving certain benefits. You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll receive these automatically. 

Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income. It can also help with housing costs including rent or service charges. 

To see if you would be eligible for Pension Credit, use the government’s online calculator. 

If you are eligible, and have already applied for your state pension, you can use the government's online service to apply for Pension Credit.  

If you are unable to apply online, call the DWP on 0800 99 1234. 

Housing Benefit will help towards the cost of your rent.  

To see if you would be eligible for Housing Benefit, you can use a benefits calculator. 

If you are eligible, you can apply for Housing Benefit as part of your Pension Credit application or through your local council. 

If you were born before 23 September 1953, you could get help towards your heating bills.  

Most people will get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible and will receive a letter in October or November saying how much they will receive.  

If you didn’t receive a letter but think you’re eligible, you can check if you need to make a claim. 

If you are unable to check online, call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160. 

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.  If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you. 

Visit your energy supplier’s website or contact them directly to see if you could be eligible.  

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re receiving certain benefits. You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days. 

If you’re eligible, you’ll receive these automatically. 

Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. 

You can apply for Attendance Allowance online or via post. 

• Use a budget planner. Money Helper offer a free online budget planner which will give you a breakdown of your finances and offer personalised tips to help you make the most of your money.  

• Use a bill prioritiser. Money Helper also offer a free online bill prioritiser to show you which bills to tackle first if you are worried. 

• You might qualify for a Help to Save account from the Government if you receive Universal Credit and are working. The Help to Save account provides a bonus for those who regularly save over a 2 to 4-year period. Putting money back each month for emergencies might help to prevent the need for debt if you need to replace any essential appliances like your cooker or furniture items such as beds. 

• Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) Plymouth - 08082787910. Plymouth CAB also run several advice drop-in services at various locations across the city. Check out their calendar on their website. 

• Advice Plymouth also hold a drop-in Service at Ernest English House. More information about this service can be found on their website. 

• StepChange - 08001381111. Information can be found on their website. 

• National Debtline - 0808 808 4000. Information can be found on their website. 

• Requests to share your bank account details or verify a password 

• Companies with vague details including a PO Box or mobile number or unusual email addresses 

• Companies that call you repeatedly and stay on the phone for a long time 

• Offers that come out of the blue 

• Trends on social media  

• ‘Too good to be true’ offers and deals 

• Imagery or design that looks familiar but doesn’t feel quite right 

• Companies asking you to pay a fee before they provide you with their services 

• Language designed to create a sense of urgency or panic. 

• If someone comes to your door, ask to check their ID. Don’t let anyone in if you don’t want to and call the company on their official number to confirm their identity. 

• Do some research – search the phone number or company online to check who they are. There are a lot of forums where people will share if they’ve been contacted by this scammer too.  

• Never give banking or personal details to anyone you don’t know or trust. 

• Never send money to anyone you don’t know or trust, whether in the UK or abroad. 

Report any scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. 

More information about fraud can also be found on the government website.