This time of year can always be can be an uphill struggle for a lot of us. Maybe things have just gone a bit wrong and you are now facing a big change in your life, this could be redundancy, separation or illness, just one of the many hurdles that we are all faced with throughout our lives.

Why not check that you are getting all the benefits that you are entitled to receive. Many people are unaware that they can still receive Housing and Council Tax Benefit, along with other benefits and tax credits, whilst they are working. Housing Benefit now fully disregards Child Benefit and this means that you will be at least £20 per week better off.

There are also many incentives that are being offered by the Jobcentre to try and help people back to work. If you are thinking about returning to work but are not sure if you can afford to take the job Swan’s Welfare Benefit Officers can do a better off calculation for you so that you can decide what you want to do.

Not sure what to do? Why not phone your Benefit Officers at Swan and they will do their best to help. We can be contacted on 0300 303 2500

Or you could check the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website or www.direct.gov.uk/benefitsadviser

See Also:

• Be careful with using credit cards to pay the rent
• Watch out for loan sharks
• Benefit changes