MILLIONS of households are missing out on almost £6,700 a year in Universal Credit, new figures reveal.
More than 1.6million people are missing out on the benefit, with a total of £11.1billion unclaimed, according to Policy in Practice.
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The benefit is paid monthly to households struggling with their living costs.
You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or are unable to work.
It is worth £400.14 a month for people who are single and aged over 25.
But couples who are 25 or over can get £628.10 a month.
Those who are single and under 25 can get £316.98 a month or £497.55 if they are in a couple.
The news comes as the latest figures reveal that unclaimed benefits have hit a record high.
Around £19billion worth of benefits were unclaimed in 2023 but this rose to £23billion in 2024.
As a result, the average household could be £3,203 a year better off if they claimed all of the benefits they are entitled to.
But some could be owed even more money.
Around 2,571,000 people are missing out on Council Tax Support, which could boost their budgets by £1,286 each.
Despite efforts to boost the take-up of Pension Credit, £1.6billion was unclaimed last year.
As a result, 761,000 pensioners could be owed £2,121 a year.
Meanwhile, Carer’s Allowance is also significantly underclaimed, with 553,000 eligible households losing out on £4,252 a year.
In total, £2.3billion was unclaimed last year.
Families are also missing out on £1.4billion in Child Benefit, with 742,000 households eligible for an average of £1,998 annually.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Deven Ghelani, director and founder of Policy in Practice, said: “The scale of unclaimed support in Britain is still staggering.
“But this isn’t a failure of the public. It’s a failure of a social security system that is still too complex, too fragmented and too passive.”
How can I boost my Universal Credit claim?
Use a benefits calculator
You can apply for Universal Credit if you live in the UK, are aged over 18 but under the State Pension age and if you have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.
If you think you may be eligible but don’t know where to start then you can use a benefits calculator.
This free online tool can help you figure out if you are entitled to the benefit and how much you could get.
The calculator will also show you if your benefits will be affected if you start a new job or up your working hours.
They can also give you an idea of how much your benefits payments could rise or fall if you have a child or more in with your partner.
There are several tools available including Policy in Practice’s Better Off Calculator, entitledto and Turn2us.
You will need information about your savings, income, other benefits you receive and outgoings such as rent or mortgages and your council tax bill.
Get help to apply
You could also get help to apply for the benefit from Citizens Advice or Age UK.
They will be able to point you in the direction of any benefits you may be eligible for and answer any of your questions.
To find your nearest centre visit advicelocal.uk/find-an-adviser.
Prepare your supporting documents
When you apply for Universal Credit you need to send in any supporting evidence.
If you need to provide evidence of a health condition then contact your GP and get any recent medical letters or reports from your GP, consultant or mental health team.
If you have a carer or social worker then ask them for a written statement explaining how they help you.
Send in evidence with your application as soon as possible.
Don’t ignore a migration letter
Thousands of people are being moved from legacy benefits including ESA, income support or tax credits in a process called managed migration.
The move is compulsory and if you don’t act by the deadline in your letter then your benefits could stop.
If you receive a migration letter then you need to act quickly.
You have three months to claim Universal Credit before your legacy benefits end and you could lose them.
You should ask for help if you are struggling to apply online, complete ID checks or don’t have internet access.
Check your payments
Once you have received Universal Credit you should check your payment to make sure it is correct.
Check you are getting all of the elements you qualify for.
If something is missing or wrong, raise it immediately through your Universal Credit journal or get help from an adviser.
You could also overturn your payment on appeal, especially if you get the right support.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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