Over £24.1 billion in advantages went unclaimed in 2025. Discover out what assist is being missed, who’s dropping out, and easy methods to test in case you’re entitled to cash that might assist along with your payments
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Over £24 billion in monetary assist is sitting there, ready to be claimed, and thousands and thousands of us aren’t placing our palms up for it.
That’s not free change down the again of the couch; it’s cash that may very well be paying payments, shopping for meals, or easing the strain at house.
The most recent Lacking Out 2025 report has crunched the numbers, and the findings are eye-watering. Let’s lower via the coverage communicate and speak straight: in case you’re not claiming what you’re entitled to, you’re principally giving the federal government a free go to maintain your cash.
What’s going unclaimed?
The report exhibits £24.1 billion of economic assist was left unclaimed this 12 months, which is a document excessive. That’s up from £19 billion in 2023 and £23 billion in 2024.
It’s not only one group lacking out both:
- Over 7 million households are affected.
- That features 1.7 million working age households.
- And 750,000 pensioners.
The shift to Common Credit score is an enormous driver right here. A lot of households aren’t certain what they’re entitled to when their advantages change over, and it means cash isn’t reaching them. On the flip facet, focused pushes to get extra pensioners on Pension Credit score are working, however too many are nonetheless slipping via the cracks.
Right here’s the breakdown of what assist is being left unclaimed this 12 months.
- Common Credit score (UC): £7.5 billion
- Housing Profit (working-age claimants): £4.3 billion
- Pension Credit score: £2.7 billion
- Council Tax Assist: £2.1 billion
- Jobseeker’s Allowance & Employment Assist Allowance (income-based): £1.6 billion
- Youngster Profit (non-claimants): £1.4 billion
- Carer’s Allowance: £1.0 billion
- Different smaller advantages (Discretionary schemes, Attendance Allowance, and many others.): £3.5 billion mixed
This exhibits simply how unfold out the issue is. It’s not solely the massive headline ones like UC or Pension Credit score, even issues as widespread as Youngster Profit and Council Tax Assist are being missed.
How one can test in case you’re lacking out
If there’s £24 billion mendacity round, how do you ensure you get your slice?
- Run a advantages test – Use an internet calculator (just like the one on Turn2us or entitledto) to see what you’re entitled to. It takes ten minutes and may very well be price 1000’s.
- Don’t ignore letters about Common Credit score – For those who’re transferring over from older advantages, don’t bin the brown envelopes. Lacking a step may imply lacking cash.
- Verify Pension Credit score in case you’re over State Pension age – Even in case you’ve obtained financial savings or a small pension, you can nonetheless qualify — and it may possibly unlock different perks like free TV licences and council tax assist.
- Ask your council about native schemes – Past nationwide advantages, there are hardship funds, discretionary housing funds, and cost-of-living grants. Councils don’t at all times shout about them.
- Get recommendation in case you’re not sure – Residents Recommendation, StepChange, or your native welfare rights workforce can all make it easier to make sense of the jargon.
High tip:
Don’t let pleasure, paperwork or procrastination cease you from getting what’s yours. If there’s assist on the market, seize it.
Why aren’t folks claiming?
You’d suppose with the price of dwelling what it’s, folks would seize each little bit of assist going. So why aren’t they?
- Complicated guidelines – profit letters may as effectively be written in Klingon typically.
- Stigma – some folks nonetheless really feel embarrassed about claiming.
- Ignorance – loads don’t even know they’re eligible.
That’s not a “them” drawback both. Any one among us may very well be lacking out. For those who’ve had a change in work, lease, children, or well being, your scenario may need shifted, and so has what you can declare.
Don’t go away money on the desk
Consider it this fashion: in case you stroll right into a pub and somebody stated, “There’s £24 billion behind the bar, first come, first served,” you wouldn’t sit there nursing your half pint. You’d be up faster than you possibly can say “two for one”.
That cash exists. It’s actual. And it’s meant to assist folks such as you and me. The federal government units apart the funds, but when we don’t declare them, they don’t get spent.
So do your self a favour: run a test, ask the awkward questions, and see what’s ready for you. As a result of in occasions like these, strolling away from free assist isn’t frugal, it’s simply daft.
Naomi is aware of the burden of dwelling on little or no and have become debt free by following her personal cash saving suggestions and tips. She is an skilled on saving cash on the grocery store and facet hustles.
