Celebrating one year of our benefits calculator.
At CAP, we’re celebrating a very special birthday… our benefits calculator (in collaboration with Turn2us) has just turned one!
This represents a whole year of offering people a free, quick and simple way to see if they’re entitled to any extra financial support, especially in a time where the cost of living is still incredibly high.
As we hit one year, we really wanted to spread the news to help even more people who might be struggling, for whom a little bit of extra financial support could transform their situation.
The impact of a year
Since launching this benefits calculator last year, we’ve been doing all we can to spread the word so more people can find out what they’re entitled to.
You may have heard about our benefits calculator recently on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours, or Christian media such as UCB – in fact, over 14,000 have found extra income as a result. As the cost of living has continued to rise, this has been a vital lifeline for many, including Joanne, who says:
My rent increased, which put a hole in my finances. My friend sent me a link to the benefits calculator, and it said I would potentially be eligible for something, so I applied on the Government website. It is a massive help. I was quite shocked, because they don’t really say that you can get this help. It’s a brilliant thing and I wish I had known about it sooner.
– Joanne, who used the Turn2us benefits calculator and found she was entitled to some extra income
Are you missing out?
Since launching the benefits calculator a year ago, we’ve already seen over £90 million extra income identified by people across the UK, and we’re on track to see this hit £100 million by the end of the month. Could you be one of the people who could be claiming an extra amount per month and just doesn’t know it yet?
There’s still £19 billion* in unclaimed benefits available to millions of UK households. At a time where 16% of the UK population can’t afford their bills, and 7 in 10 people we support can’t afford winter clothing for their families, it’s worth a quick check to see if you could get a bit of extra cash this winter.
Please note: You may still be entitled to something if you work, so it’s definitely worth a quick check to find out!
Lisa is just one example of someone who didn’t think she’d be entitled to anything because she works. Curiosity got the better of her, and within a few minutes, she was surprised to discover she was entitled to Universal Credit. This really helped her stay afloat while battling ill-health. She says:
‘I am working, most of the time when you’re working you don’t get anything. That is what I thought. But then I thought it’s only going to take a couple of minutes so just out of curiosity I did it.
I was told I would be entitled to around £250 extra a month! I went on to the government website and filled in all the forms online and they told me I would be entitled to Universal Credit.
With the cost of living going up, it has made a huge difference. I can pay my bills. It has kept me out of debt. It has taken a lot of pressure off.’
‘I am working, most of the time when you’re working you don’t get anything. That is what I thought. But I was told I would be entitled to around £250 extra a month! With the cost of living going up, it has made a huge difference. I can pay my bills. It has kept me out of debt. It has taken a lot of pressure off.’
– Lisa, for whom the benefits calculator offered a lifeline in a time of ill-health
Give the benefits calculator a try today
With our user-friendly benefits calculator, you can find out if you’re entitled to any extra income in just ten minutes. It’s both free and easy to use. Plus, the average monthly benefit amount people are entitled to is £521. Surely it’s worth a quick check to see what you could claim?
Do yourself a favour today and give the benefits calculator a try. You never know, you might find you’re eligible for some extra support that’ll help you get by, especially while the cost of living is still so high.
*Policy in Practice report, April 2023
