Research from Policy in Practice indicates that seven million households in the UK are not taking advantage of approximately £24 billion in unclaimed benefits and social tariffs. The study highlights awareness, complexity, and stigma as significant barriers preventing people from claiming these entitlements.
The analysis includes various types of benefits across England, Scotland, and Wales, such as universal credit, pension credit, free school meals, council tax support, and social tariffs from essential services like energy and water. The UK government has responded by launching public campaigns to raise awareness and introducing the free Help to Claim service to assist individuals with the application process.
One example involves Andrea Paterson from London, who encouraged her mother to apply for attendance allowance for her father. Following their successful application, they received £110 per week, which reportedly helped ease financial concerns and supported their household needs, especially after the loss of winter fuel payments.
Policy in Practice’s forecast indicates that £24.1 billion in benefits may remain unclaimed in 2025-26. This is an increase from an earlier estimate of £23 billion for 2024-25 and £19 billion the year before. The organization emphasizes that many individuals may not be aware of their eligibility or may find the application process too complex.
The report also notes some positive trends, such as an increase in older individuals claiming pension credit and improvements in local authorities reaching eligible students for free school meals.
Current government spending on social security in England, Scotland, and Wales is projected to be £316.1 billion in 2025-26, comprising 10.6% of GDP. Despite concerns about high benefit expenditure, advocates argue that complexities in the claiming process should be addressed to ensure support reaches those in need.
For those who suspect they might be eligible for benefits, applying is advised, particularly for pension credit, as it can facilitate access to further financial aid.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yv0e9yjexo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss