The UK government provides financial support to people in a variety of circumstances and for a wide range of disabilities and medical conditions.

While there are over 30 benefits that you can claim as a UK resident, the four discussed below are the four that we can help you apply for.

Personal Independence Payment

If you require extra assistance because of an illness, disability, or mental health condition, you could qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The great part about this benefit is that you don’t need to have worked and paid National Insurance to qualify and it doesn’t matter what your income is, if you have any savings, or if you’re currently working.

To be eligible for PIP, you must be between the age of 16 and your State Pension age. You can check your State Pension age here. You won’t be able to claim PIP once you reach State Pension age, but you’ll continue to get PIP if you were receiving the benefit before you reached State Pension age, unless your circumstances change.

You can claim PIP whether you receive help from another person or not.

There are a few other requirements that you would need to fulfil to apply for PIP. These include that you find it hard to carry out everyday tasks or get around because of a physical or mental condition, and that you have found these things hard for at least three months and expect it to continue for another nine months. Check here for a free assessment to see if you could qualify for PIP.

Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit that can be claimed by parents of a disabled child. DLA isn’t just for children who are physically disabled, it can be granted for a wide range of medical conditions including behavioural and mental health conditions as well as learning disabilities and developmental delay. In other words, you may be able to claim DLA even if you wouldn’t describe your child as ‘disabled’.

You can claim for DLA if your child requires a lot more care, supervision, and attention than a child of the same age who isn’t disabled. You can also claim this benefit if your child has difficulty walking or getting around outdoors in unfamiliar places.

To claim for DLA, your child must fall into the disabled category for at least three months, and you must expect it to last six months or more. You don’t technically need a formal diagnosis from a doctor or healthcare professional to apply, but this can certainly help your application.

Your child would need to be under the age of 16 to claim DLA. If they are older than 16, you would need to claim PIP. Check here for a free assessment to see if you could qualify for DLA.

Employment Support Allowance

To qualify for Employment Support Allowance (ESA), you must have difficulty working because you are either sick or disabled. This is also referred to as having a limited capability for work. You can claim for ESA while receiving other benefits like PIP, but you can’t usually get ESA while receiving Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or Income Support.

To apply for the ESA benefit, you need to be over the age of 16 and be under your State Pension age. You can only do a limited amount of work while you receive ESA. You’ll usually need to have met National Insurance conditions for two tax years. You can check your National Insurance record here.

Attendance Allowance

To claim Attendance Allowance, you’ll need to have reached State Pension age and have a disability or illness that makes it difficult for you to care for yourself. Attendance Allowance doesn’t depend on how much money you receive from other sources, and it doesn’t matter how much you have in savings either.

Attendance Allowance won’t affect your state pension and you can claim it even if you are still working and earning an income. Check here for a free assessment to see if you could qualify for Attendance Allowance.

There’s nothing simple about claiming for these benefits. The process includes filling out lengthy and complex application forms as well as needing all kinds of other paperwork to support your claim. Speak to one of our benefits experts who can assist you with your application and present it in the best light to ensure you receive your benefit. We do this all free of charge until you actually receive your benefit. Visit our website to find out more.