Mom reveals how she reclaimed £5,686 in lacking advantages - and the way others can too

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Tens of millions of persons are lacking out on help typically price hundreds of kilos a 12 months, as the dimensions of unclaimed welfare advantages is revealed.

A number of essential advantages can be found within the UK to satisfy numerous wants. The complicated nature of the welfare system means those that are eligible for sure advantages can typically miss out.

In 2023-2024, there was £23 billion of help unclaimed, in response to analysis by Coverage in Observe. The vast majority of that is common credit score, which is essentially the most generally claimed profit within the UK for these on a low earnings.

Newly launched statistics from anti-poverty charity Turn2Us present that £9.6 billion has gone unclaimed in common credit score alone over the previous 12 months.

Single mother-of-three Esther came upon she was lacking out on a number of advantages regardless of being entitled after utilizing the charity’s entitlement calculator.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/52/esther-turn2us-feature-unclaimed-benefits.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/52/esther-turn2us-feature-unclaimed-benefits.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/52/esther-turn2us-feature-unclaimed-benefits.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Single mother-of-three Esther found out she was missing out on several benefits despite being entitled to them" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Single mother-of-three Esther came upon she was lacking out on a number of advantages regardless of being entitled to them (Turn2Us) She stated: “The calculator uncovered help I didn’t know I may get, issues like Incapacity Residing Allowance (DLA) for my youngsters, council tax discount [or support], and the well being and carer parts inside common credit score.

“Altogether it was price hundreds as soon as backdated, however the true distinction wasn’t the quantity, it was stability. I didn’t should work each waking hour simply to maintain up. I may warmth the home, sort things after they broke, and truly be current for my youngsters.”

The 37-year-old has two twin sons with complicated wants. This qualifies her for additional entitlements that she didn't beforehand know she was eligible for.

After discovering this out, Esther was capable of obtain the carer’s ingredient of common credit score backdated three years, in addition to an entire discount of her council tax.

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Altogether, the three additional advantages she was capable of declare would add as much as a median of £400 a month, or £4,800 a 12 months. And since Esther has two youngsters with complicated disabilities, each obtain DLA individually, which might increase this quantity to a median of £5,686.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/30/esther-turn2us-feature-2.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/30/esther-turn2us-feature-2.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/30/esther-turn2us-feature-2.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Esther was able to receive the carer’s element of universal credit backdated three years, as well as a complete reduction of her council tax" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Esther was capable of obtain the carer’s ingredient of common credit score backdated three years, in addition to an entire discount of her council tax (Turn2Us) “There’s no disgrace in needing help,” stated Esther, who advises individuals “to not wait, as a result of in my story I waited till it was at disaster level, and it doesn’t should be that”.

The profit subsequent most missed out on after common credit score is council tax help, which is much less well-known. This can be a low cost on council tax that's granted by native authorities to eligible households of their space who apply.

Round £3.4 million price of council tax help went unclaimed in 2023-2024, with greater than 2.2 million households lacking out.

The low cost can see the month-to-month cost decreased by as much as 100 per cent, which means it's effectively price individuals making use of. Eligibility will usually be based mostly on elements like earnings, advantages obtained and financial savings.

Anna Stevenson, advantages skilled at Turn2us, stated: “Lots of people miss out on council tax help just because they’re not conscious it exists. It’s not all the time marketed clearly, and the data may be buried or appear complicated.

“For households already stretched skinny, it’s simple to imagine there’s no additional assist out there. Nevertheless, many are entitled to help that might make an actual distinction to their family funds.”

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/25/esther-turn2us-feature-3.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/25/esther-turn2us-feature-3.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&trim=0%2C850%2C0%2C1390&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/08/20/15/25/esther-turn2us-feature-3.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&trim=0%2C850%2C0%2C1390&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="‘There’s no shame in needing support,’ said Esther" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

‘There’s no disgrace in needing help,’ stated Esther (Turn2Us) To seek out out if they're lacking out on any help they're entitled to, individuals can use the advantages calculator from Turn2Us, which can ask a couple of questions in confidence.

A spokesperson for the Native Authorities Affiliation, which represents councils throughout England, stated: “Councils present a variety of help to people who find themselves struggling to satisfy their council tax funds. It's critical that anybody who's unable to afford their payments, or who's vulnerable to monetary hardship, contacts their council as quickly as doable to entry assist.

“Excessive numbers are claiming a reduction on their council tax, which is including additional strain on this already underfunded important native security web. The federal government wants to make sure councils have the total quantity of funding required to supply council tax help to those that want it. In any other case, it's nearly inevitable that payments will proceed to be compelled up for individuals who can least afford to pay.”

A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Native Authorities spokesperson stated: “Councils are required to place schemes in place to assist these on low incomes with their council tax payments, and anybody at the moment experiencing difficulties paying their invoice can profit from a variety of reductions and exemptions.

“We're decided to provide working households extra safety, which is why, via our Plan for Change, we're consulting on methods to modernise the billing course of to make it fairer and easier, in addition to defending individuals in opposition to extreme hikes.”