Financial advice and help from the Royal Borough

  • Council Tax Benefit for residents on a low income, who need help with Council Tax payments
  • Council Tax Discounts for residents who are full time students, adults with severe mental impairment, people in care or in hospital, care workers and carers, and convicted prisoners or those on remand
  • Housing Benefit for people with low incomes who need help with rent payments.
  • Leisure Pass discounts are available for residents aged 60 and over, studying full time, registered disabled or receiving Income Support, Pension Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • the Purple Badge Scheme is available for disabled residents who wish to park in the borough

Benefits available from the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the National Health Service

Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance is for people over 65 who need help with personal care due to an illness or disability. Income and savings do not affect this benefit. More details are available from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) website or the Government services website Gov.uk

Bereavement Benefits

Bereavement Benefits are various types of financial support offered to those who have lost a husband, wife or civil partner and include the Bereavement Allowance, the Bereavement Payment and the Widowed Parent’s Allowance. More details on the Gov.uk website.

Carer’s Allowance

Carer's Allowance is for people of low income who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone receiving a qualifying benefit (such as DLA). More details on the CAB Advice Guide website or the Gov.uk website.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is paid to parents (regardless of income or savings) for children up to age 16. There are extensions available for those under 20 in relevant full-time education or training, or those working for an approved body. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website or the Gov.uk website.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance is for adults or children with disabilities who need help with getting around or personal care. Income and savings do not affect this benefit. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website or the Gov.uk website.

Employment and Support Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance is for people who are unable to work owing to illness or disability, or who do not receive Statutory Sick Pay. This can depend on National Insurance contributions (there are exceptions for some people under 25) or the level of income received. On 27 October 2008, Incapacity Benefit was replaced by Employment and Support Allowance for new claimants. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website.

Help with health costs

Help with health costs are available to those entitled to free or discounted dental or eye care, free prescriptions, free travel costs and free wigs and fabric supports. For more information, visit the NHS website.

Income Support

Income Support is for anyone from age 16 to 60 who has a low income, although not payable to those in full-time work or those expected to find work. It can also help mortgage payments. Over-60s can claim Pension Credit (see below). More details on the CAB Advice Guide website.

Independent Living Funds

Independent Living Funds (ILF) provide financial support for severely disabled people to enable them to live independently in their own homes.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is for people who are disabled as a result of a disease or deafness caused by work. More details can be found on the DWP website.

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

Jobseeker’s Allowance has two forms of benefit for people of working age. Contribution-based JSA is payable to working age people in the first six months of unemployment and is dependent on a person’s National Insurance contributions. Income-based JSA does not depend on National Insurance contributions but on a person’s income and savings. Someone receiving this JSA can also get help with mortgage payments. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website.

Maternity Allowance

Maternity Allowance is for people who cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay (paid by employers), for instance for the self-employed or those who have recently changed jobs. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit is designed to guarantee every person over 60 an income of at least £124 (£189 for a couple). More details on the CAB Advice Guide website or the Pension Service website.

Severe Disablement Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance is only available to those who applied for this before April 2001, who have not been able to work more than 28 weeks in a row owing to ill health or disability. More details on the Gov.uk website.

Social Fund

On 1 April 2013, reforms to the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP’s) Social Fund come into effect. The Social Fund is designed to help with living costs that are not covered by your regular benefit payments. Read about the changes here.

Tax Credit

Tax Credit is for people with children (Child Tax Credit) or who are on low income (Working Tax Credit), and are means-tested. Child Tax Credit can rise with the number of children. More details on the CAB Advice Guide website or the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs website.

Vehicle Tax exemption

Vehicle Tax exemption is available to those who receive a higher rate for the mobility part of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). See the Gov.uk website.


Other grants, discounts and exemptions

Campden Charities

Campden Charities is a local charity that exists solely to give away money to local people. Applicants must have lived in Kensington (North of Fulham Road only) for two years.

Congestion Charge exemption

Congestion Charge exemption is available for Blue Badge holders living in London. Up to two vehicles can be registered per holder. More details on the Transport for London website.

Freedom Pass

Freedom Pass allows those over 60 or with an eligible disability to travel in London for free. Residents within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea who are over 60 can obtain their pass from the Post Office, while those with an eligible disability should contact the Council on 020 7361 2390/3108 or email accessible.transport@rbkc.gov.uk

Free TV Licence

TV Licence for over 75s is free and there are discounts for those in residential care, or who are blind or severely sight impaired.

Green Deal

You can make energy-saving improvements to your home without having to pay all the costs up front through the Green Deal. Energy-saving improvements include: insulation, draught proofing and double glazing. These could reduce your energy bills. The Council's Greener Housing pages also provide energy saving advice.

Home improvement grants

Staying First provides help and advice with grants for home owners and private sector tenants.

Warmzone

Warmzone is a not-for-profit organisation that provides advice on energy saving for homeowners and tenants as well as discounts and grants for insulation and heating installations for your home.


Advice centres

The Citizens Advice Bureau offers independent advice. There are two offices within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea:

 

Staying First provides free and independent housing advice to private tenants and owner-occupiers who live in the Royal Borough. It also provides advice to TMO tenants who are referred by their income officer due to rent arrears.


The North Kensington Law Centre offers free legal advice and representation for individuals and small community groups, specialising in housing, immigration, employment, education, welfare benefits and discrimination law.

 

The Nucleus Legal Advice Centre offers advice on welfare benefits, immigration, debt and housing.


The World's End Neighbourhood Advice Centre provides advice and representation on benefits, housing, immigration, nationality and debt.