Benefits guides

Understanding UK benefits and support

The UK benefits system supports people on low incomes, those who are out of work, families with children, and people with health conditions or disabilities. Universal Credit has replaced most of the older working-age benefits and is paid monthly, with the amount based on your income, savings, housing costs and circumstances. Other support sits outside it — Child Benefit for families, support for carers, and help with council tax — and you can often receive more than one type at once. Because entitlement depends on your exact situation, two households on the same salary can qualify for very different amounts.

It's worth checking what you're entitled to even if you think you earn too much: some support is not means-tested, and thresholds change. If you claim Child Benefit and you or your partner are a higher earner, the High Income Child Benefit Charge can claw some of it back through the tax system, so it pays to understand how that interacts with your salary. Our guides below explain who qualifies for the main benefits, how they're worked out, and how they fit alongside the tax you pay.