Benefits

Whether you’re entitled to receive any money through the benefit system depends on your individual circumstances – what you’re doing at the moment (education, work, training or unemployment), if you’ve got any problems e.g. with your health, your parents/carers’ income etc. There is a huge range of benefits and an even bigger range of rules and regulations affecting entitlement. If you think you might be entitled to any benefits, please contact your local Job Centre Plus – which for young people living in Wigan is Brocol House, King Street – telephone number 01942 758000.

Examples of benefits you (or your parents/carers on your behalf) might be entitled to include:

Extended Child Benefit and Extended Child Tax Credit

If you are under 19 and in full time education, your parents or carers should still be entitled to receive Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit.

Job Seeker Allowance (JSA)

In general, young people aged 16/17 will not be entitled to claim JSA, except in certain circumstances.

For more details, contact your local Connexions Centre.

Budgeting loans

If you’ve been claiming income support or JSA for the last 26 weeks you may be able to apply for a budgeting loan to help with unexpected expenses.

Entitlement to a budgeting loan is dependent on your circumstances and also the likelihood that you will be able to repay the amount loaned. . For more advice, please contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Citizens Advice Bureau.

Crisis loans

If you’re in real financial crisis and over 16 you may be able to apply for a crisis loan. Crisis loans are interest free but are dependent on the condition that you to be likely to be able to repay the amount loaned. For more advice, please contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Citizens Advice Bureau.