Benefits Support
In this section you will find information about the support available for residents of Newport to help with accessing benefits and advice.
Carers Allowance
A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without help.
The term unpaid carer should not be confused with a care employee, who is paid to look after someone. An unpaid carer may or may not be receiving carers allowance. Many people do not recognise themselves as carers and see the support they provide as their duty.
Caring is rewarding but it can be difficult. It is important to recognise your own needs for support.
You have a right to information to support you in your caring role, which can include a carers assessment.
If you are an unpaid carer, you may be entitled to carer’s allowance. If you are getting certain other benefits, including a State Pension, then you may not be able to be paid Carer’s Allowance, although it may still be worth making a claim.
If you would prefer to talk to someone in person, or discuss your unpaid caring role, the Community Connectors have a Carers Cafe on the last Thursday of the month at The Riverfront, Kingsway – 10am – 12pm.
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/how-to-claim?adlt=strict
Citizens Advice Bureau
Newport Citizens Advice Bureau provide a free, confidential and impartial advice service on a wide variety of issues including benefits, debt, employment and discrimination. You may be facing a crisis, or just considering your options.
Advicelink Cymru offers quality assured advice on welfare benefits, debt, employment, education, housing, immigration and discrimination.’
Tel: 01633 222622
Advicelink Cymru: 0800 702 2020.
Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm
Pension Credit
Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you are over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. Pension Credit tops up:
- your weekly income to £227.10 if you’re single
- your joint weekly income to £346.50 if you have a partner
You may get extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs. If you have a severe disability you could get an extra £82.90 a week if you get any of the following:
- Attendance Allowance
- the middle or highest rate from the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Armed Forces Independence Payment:
- the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate
If you care for another adult you may be eligible for an extra £83.30 a week if you get any of the following:
- you get Carer’s Allowance
- you’ve claimed Carer’s Allowance but are not being paid because you already get another benefit paying a higher amount.
If you and your partner have both claimed or are getting Carer’s Allowance, you can both get this extra amount.
If you’re responsible for children or young people you may be eligible for Child Benefit which is:
- You could get an extra £26.05 for the eldest child and £17.25 a week for each additional child a week for each child or young person you are responsible for.
If you get Pension Credit, you can also get other help, such as:
- Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
- Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
- a Council Tax discount
- a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over
- help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments, if you get a certain type of Pension Credit
- help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
- a discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you’re moving house
https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit?adlt=strict
To make a claim https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim
Apply by phone (A friend or family member can call for you if you cannot use the phone.)
Pension Credit claim line : Telephone: 0800 99 1234 or Textphone: 0800 169 0133
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 99 1234
Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have both:
- a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
You can get PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
Telephone: 0800 917 2222
Textphone: 0800 917 7777
Webpage: www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claimhttp://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim
Statutory Sick Pay
You can get £118.75 per week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re too ill to work, paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. You can get more if your company has a sick pay scheme (or ‘occupational scheme’) – check your employment contract. To qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) you must:
- be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer
- earn an average of at least £123 per week
- have been ill for at least 4 days in a row (including non-working days)
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs, which is paid monthly into a bank account. You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or need help with your living costs.
You could be:
- out of work
- working (including self-employed or part time)
- unable to work, for example because of a health condition
To claim you must:
- live in the UK
- be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
- be under State Pension age
- have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments
You can use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you could get.
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm
Riverside Advice
Mathew Ford is the local Newport advisor and is based at The Hive, Stow Hill
Riverside Advice is a charity – the oldest welfare benefits advice charity in Cardiff – that provides free support with the following:
- Applying for benefits and challenging sanctions and discrepancies.
- Appealing benefit decisions all the way to tribunal.
- Completing benefit checks to ensure you are receiving everything that you are entitled to.
- Applying for white goods and furniture.
- Housing and rogue landlord advice.
- Debt and arrears advice, including, if there is no other option, applying for Debt Relief Orders or bankruptcy (Riverside Advice has a fund to pay for bankruptcy fees).
- Issuing Foodbank Vouchers and Fuel Vouchers.
Based at The Hive in Newport City Centre (10 Stow Hill, Newport. NP20 1JB) on a Tuesday afternoon from 14:00 and Fridays from 09:30 until closing.
Alternatively please email: all.info@riverside-advice.co.uk
Ongoing Support
Newport City Council do offer various drop in surgeries to chat with the Cost of Living Teams about your specific situation and how they can best support you. Please have a look at their Facebook page, that is regularly updated with information on these sessions.
Facebook: Newport City Council
Alternatively you can make an appointment with one of their team via this email address: costofliving@newport.gov.uk
