Guides
Plain-English answers to the questions families ask us
Every guide is written in ordinary language, dated, and reviewed by a named member of our team. If you'd rather just talk to someone, call us on 0800 000 0000.
Pillar guide · Attendance Allowance
Who can claim Attendance Allowance, and what does it involve?
A complete walkthrough of who it is for, what the form asks, and the mistakes we see most often.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit: the questions families ask us most
What counts as income, what savings mean, and why so many eligible people never claim.
Council Tax
Council Tax reductions for older people
Discounts, reductions and disregards — and which ones are worth asking your council about.
Helping a parent
Starting the conversation with a parent about money
How to raise it without it feeling like an intrusion, and what to have ready.
Attendance Allowance
Describing care needs accurately on a benefits form
Why understating a typical day is the most common and most costly mistake.
Applying
What happens after you submit an application
Timescales, what the decision letter looks like, and what to do if it is not what you hoped.
Practical
What to have to hand before you ring us
Short answer: nothing. Longer answer: these few things make the call quicker.
Reading isn't the same as knowing
Our guides explain the general picture. A conversation tells you what may apply to your own circumstances.