To work out your entitlement we need to know whether you are single or in a couple, how many children under 20 you have (if in doubt see when to include children), how much your Council Tax bill\Domestic Rates is (after any disability and/or single person discounts)and your housing status. If you don’t know your Council Tax bill then you can find it out using our local council finder.

If you are a full-time student, in hospital/residential care, a prisoner or on strike, living abroad or not a British or Irish citizen our estimate may not be correct. If you fall into one of these categories please see groups not included in the calculator.

This calculator provides estimates of your potential benefits entitlement, based on the information you supply. You can get more individual advice about this from your local Citizens Advice bureau and other welfare rights organisations.

Benefit and tax credit rates change every April. Please select which rates you would like us to use. More information is also available on the date rate changes take effect.