Benefits advice or help with a benefits appeal

Benefits advice

If you need advice on a benefit issue, we can:

• Give you information on what benefits you might be entitled to and how to claim them.
• Check that you are getting the right amount of benefit.
• Advise you on what will happen if your circumstances change.
• Give advice on how to ask for a reconsideration of a decision, or appeal against it.

Contact us for more information.

Benefits appeals

If you've recently had a benefit claim turned down and are appealing against this, we can help you with specialist advice and support. We can help you prepare your case and attend the tribunal hearing with you.

Contact us to ask for help with your benefits appeal.

Who is eligible

All services are confidential and free of charge if you live in County Durham.

Help checking you're getting the right benefits

If you want to check if you are getting the right benefits, you can also use one of the benefit calculators available on Gov.uk: Benefits calculators.

Using a calculator will give you an idea of:

• the benefits you could get
• how much your benefit payments could be
• how your benefits will be affected if you start work or increase your hours
• how your benefits will be affected if your circumstances change - for example, if you have a child or move in with your partner

Before you start

You'll need accurate information about your:

• savings
• income, including your partner's (from payslips etc)
• existing benefits and pensions (including anyone living with you)
• outgoings (such as rent, mortgage, childcare payments)
• Council Tax bill

You may find it useful to have this information to hand when using the calculator.

You cannot use the calculators if you're under 18, and they will not give accurate results if you are:

• a prisoner
• a student
• not a British or Irish citizen
• on strike
• living outside the UK
• living permanently in residential care or a nursing home