15,000 people could be £7,000 better off after 10-minute check – are you missing out on extra support?
Britons are being urged to check their benefits entitlement
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Britons are being urged to carry out a quick check as billions of pounds in benefits goes unclaimed.
Nationally, it’s estimated £19billion of annual income is still not being claimed.
A staggering £109million was found via free online benefits calculators last year, according to figures from Christians Against Poverty (CAP).
Tens of thousands of people may be £7,000 a year better off after checking their entitlements on a free online benefits calculator, new figures show.
Britons are being urged to use a benefits calculator online to check they aren't missing out on support
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The CAP benefits calculator, provided in partnership with fellow anti-poverty charity Turn2Us, was used more than 170,000 times last year, of which 15,000 found they were entitled to extra income worth £579 per month on average.
The charity is urging people to do a free, ten-minute benefits check using the tool, to see if they are entitled to more income.
Lisa used the calculator last year and discovered she was entitled to around £250 in extra support each month.
She is now getting £3,000 a year in Universal Credit to supplement her salary, meaning she can pay bills and avoid falling into debt.
Lisa said: “I am working. Most of the time, when you’re working, you don’t get anything.
“That is what I thought. But then I thought it was only going to take a couple of minutes, and it didn’t cost anything to try it, so just out of curiosity, I did it.
“Then I heard back and was told I would be entitled to around £250 extra a month!”
Lisa filled in the forms online via the Government website and was told she would be entitled to Universal Credit.
Lisa said: “With the cost of living going up, it has made a huge difference.
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“I can pay my bills. It has kept me out of debt. It has taken a lot of pressure off.”
CAP’s Director of External Affairs, Gareth McNab is calling for further awareness about the benefits going unclaimed.
He said: “It’s horrific to think that there is £19billion each year sitting in Whitehall that should be in people’s pockets - there are no good reasons to withhold that vital support, and every effort should be made to connect everyone with their entitlements.
“The benefits calculator on Christians Against Poverty’s website is an incredible, free tool that is helping thousands of people find millions of pounds of vital extra money at a time when prices are through the roof, and many are struggling to cope with the ever-increasing cost of living.”
Mr McNab said he was “urging everyone” to check whether they are entitled to support and encourage their friends and family to do so too, via a free and independent benefits calculator.
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