Making It Easier for People to Apply for Their Benefits
The complexity of the benefits system is one of the main reasons so much of the support available in the UK goes unclaimed every year.
Our benefits calculator assesses eligibility across 68 benefits, grants and discounts (see our benefits coverage), then shows each person only the ones they actually qualify for. For each one we display the amount they could receive, how to apply, how long the application process takes, the information they need, and how soon the money arrives in their bank account if the claim is successful.
People who complete our calculator are eligible for an average of 10 benefits, each with its own provider, its own eligibility rules and its own evidence to gather. Each application takes around an hour to complete. Ten hours of form-filling is a hard ask of someone who is working long hours, unwell, caring for a relative, or worried about money.
We have launched two new features to help people take action, track their progress, and get all their benefits.
1. Personalised action plan
We now highlight the additional benefits people are eligible for and how to claim them.
We move the benefits already in payment out of the way, leaving a shorter list of what is still to claim and the order to claim it in. The shorter page is quicker to read, easier to understand, and keeps attention on the decision that matters: which benefit to claim.
People can edit the benefits they already receive at any point, and the plan refreshes around the change. Someone who started a Universal Credit claim last week updates it, and their plan shows the next actions to take.
2. Personalised next steps
We give people next steps shaped by their own circumstances: what applies to them, the actions to take, and where to find support.
Guidance for their circumstances. We tailor the content for people who have children, have a health condition or disability, care for someone, or are approaching retirement. These are the situations where customers are more vulnerable and entitlement is most complex, and where the right guidance makes the biggest difference.
The actions to take. We guide people through their Universal Credit application, updating their circumstances, and managing their benefits over time. This makes sure their award stays up to date as their income, housing or household changes.
Where to find support. We point people to free and independent welfare and debt advice services.
See it for yourself
You can check the new results page on our calculator. Get in touch if you want to explore how to add income maximisation to your own proposition.
