Benefits
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a payment you might be eligible for when you turn 18. It’s there to help people by giving them a monthly payment whilst they are looking for work or going into education. Although it’s a single payment, there are two parts to it:
- a payment for your living costs such as food and bills
- a payment for your rent which you must pay to your landlord (unless you have set up with Universal Credit to have them pay it directly to your landlord)
You might also get Universal Credit if you:
- are working but on low income
- are a single person
- you have a partner
- are a parent
- are a student with or without a disability
- are unable to work due to a health or learning needs
You get Universal Credit payment monthly unless you can show that you need it fortnightly to budget your money.
Ask your personal advisor (PA) for help to claim.
How we can help
It is important you receive up to date information about the different entitlements and criteria to access Universal Credit. You can ask for help from your personal advisor (PA).
It can take up to 5 weeks from the day of your claim to receive your first payment. We will support you while you wait for your first payment with the same weekly payment you would get from Universal Credit.
We cover these payments for you so that you do not have to take an advance payment. We advise you not to take an advance payment as you have to pay it back.
It is important you work with professionals to make your claim. We will not make these payments for more than 5 weeks unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Let your personal advisor (PA) know:
- when your Universal Credit claim has been processed and you are receiving their payments
- if you have not received Universal Credit payments within 5 weeks of your claim so we can help you
Find more information and make a claim on the GOV.UK pages about Universal Credit.
Disability, physical or mental health support
If you have a disability, long term physical or mental health condition you may get extra benefits. Your PA or social worker will talk to you about this.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment can help you with some of the extra costs if you have qualifying long term physical or mental health conditions or disability.
The amount you receive depends on how your condition affects you. Criteria can change, but this could include if you need help with:
- preparing or eating food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- engaging with other people
A health professional will assess you to work out if you are entitled to support and if you are, what level of help you can get. Speak to your PA or social worker who can help you to apply for this.
If you are receiving a package of support from adult social care, you may need to contribute towards the cost from your PIP. Your social worker will talk to you about assessments for contributions.
For those under 16, if you’re already receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and you are entitled to the PIP it will replace DLA when you are 16 or over.
Employment Support Allowance
You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.
ESA gives you:
- money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work
- support to get back into work if you’re able to
You can apply if you are employed, self-employed or unemployed.
For more information and claim on the GOV.UK page for Employment and Support Allowance.
Other help if you are disabled
Depending on your situation, aside from the above benefits, you could also get:
- Attendance Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Benefit (if you are disabled because of work)
- Constance Attendance Allowance (if you need daily care)
For more information see the GOV.UK page for financial help if you're disabled.
Asylum seekers
If you are an asylum seeker, you need to be aware of some terms.
No recourse to public funds (NRPF) means there is something about your situation that is stopping you from being able to get benefits or housing support.
If you are ‘subject to immigration control’ this may also stop you from being able to get benefits or housing. It may also mean that you cannot legally work.
Everyone’s situation is different. This means that controls vary.
We understand this can be a challenging and stressful time. Your PA is here for you and will help you. Your Pathway Plan will detail your support and plan for the possible outcomes of your asylum claim.
See the sections below for information about support we can give depending on your situation.
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Whilst you are 21 and you are waiting for a decision on your asylum claim we will help you.
Payments
You will receive payments equal to Universal Credit. We will pay this into your bank account or on a pre-paid card (if you do not have a bank account)
Accommodation
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) will pay for accommodation. This is assessed according to your needs. We will move you to different housing as you become independent.
Travel to college
If your travel is not covered by a bursary, we will pay for this for you.
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We will help you if you are 'without a decision' if:
- you have never had a decision
- you have an outstanding legal challenge that your solicitor lodged with the Home Office by your 21st birthday
If you follow Home Office rules, West Sussex County Council (WSCC) will pay for your place to live and your weekly payment until you turn 21 or when you finish your current education course - whichever happens later.
To get help when you are over 21, you must attend an accredited education course for at least 12 hours a week.
If you are without a decision, turning 21 and not in education you will have to leave your council-pain home. You will get 3 months' notice, in writing, before your 21st birthday, The letter will tell you when you must leave. Payments are subject to restrictions in the Immigration Act 2016.
Your PA can help you to apply for support while the Home Office look at your case, including any appeal. This is often called Section 95 support. It can help pay for somewhere to live and daily needs, or just for daily needs. You can see more on the NRFP network website about entitlement to ongoing asylum support.
Even though we cannot help you with somewhere to liveafter you are 21
Whilst the council’s duties to provide you with accommodation end when you are 21 (unless you are in education), you can still have a PA if you want. You can get help and advice through our helpline.
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Before you turn 21, the Home Office can detain you at any time. Your PA can help you prepare for this.
Your support from West Sussex County Council (WSCC) may end if you are refused asylum, become Appeal Rights Exhausted (ARE) before your 21st birthday and your solicitor has not lodged a further legal challenge with the Home Office. This depends on a Human Rights Assessment.
If your support is ending this means:
- you will not be able to claim housing benefit
- you may have to leave your college course
- you will get 3 months' notice to leave your WSCC funded home
If the outcome of the Human Rights Assessment shows that you cannot get support from WSCC, your PA will offer to refer you to the Home Office for help. This is called ‘Section 4 Support’ and will help with accommodation and finances when support from WSCC ends. You can read more information on GOV.UK about Section 4 support.
To get Section 4 support you will need to be considered ‘destitute’ when payments from WSCC end. You will also need to meet one or more of the following conditions:
- you are taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK
- you cannot leave the UK for medical reasons
- you cannot leave the UK because the Secretary of State says there is no viable route of return available
- you have applied for judicial review
- accommodation is necessary to avoid a breach of your human rights
If you get accepted for Section 4 Support, the Home Office may give you a place to live anywhere in the UK.
There is no guarantee that you will be accepted by Section 4. You may have to return to your country of origin.
Returning to your home country
You may be able to get help from the voluntary returns service to return to your home country.
You can also apply for financial support of up to £3,000, which you can use to find somewhere to live, find a job or start a business in your home country.
Find out if you can get this help at GOV.UK's page about help to return home.
Extra support
There may be voluntary organisations that can help you.
Your PA can help you look at these.
NRPF Network
The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) Network is a national network safeguarding the welfare of destitute families, adults and care leavers who are unable to access benefits due to their immigration status.
They have a tool that can help you by:
- explaining your rights and entitlements
- providing guidance to you and your Personal Advisor
Calculating benefit entitlements
You can use an independent, free and anonymous benefits calculator to check what you could be entitled to. This will give you an estimate of:
- what benefits you could get
- the amount of money you might get
- how your benefits will change if you start work or increase your hours
- how your benefits will change if your situation changes, for example, if you have a child or move in with your partner
TURN2US
TURN2US is a national charity that provide information to help people manage. They have a really useful benefit calculator so that you can work out exactly what you are entitled to. They also signpost you to a number of grants that you could get, depending on your circumstances.
Visit the TURN2US website (external link)entitledto
entitledto is a national company that supports individuals and organisations to understand what funding is available to them. This includes knowing what benefits you may be entitled to. They have a very useful benefit calculator that will tell you what you can claim for.
Visit the entitledto website (external link)