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Making Sense of Benefits: Your Guide to UK Entitlements
A practical course to help you understand the main UK benefits system, check what you or someone you care for might be entitled to, and learn how to make a claim with confidence.
150 min5 modulesBeginner friendly
Start this free courseFree to take. This course does not use any Learning Credits.
What you’ll be able to do
By the end of this course, you will be able to identify the main types of UK benefits, assess your own potential entitlements, and follow the basic steps to make a claim or seek further help.
Course outline
A clear route from first principles to practical confidence
- 01
Module 1: The Big Picture – How UK Benefits Work
- What are benefits and who are they for?
- Key terms explained: means-tested, contributory, and universal
- How the system is organised: DWP, HMRC, and local councils
- 02
Module 2: Benefits for People of Working Age
- Universal Credit: what it covers and how it works
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, and other local support
- 03
Module 3: Benefits for Families, Carers, and Older People
- Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, and help with childcare costs
- Carer’s Allowance and support for unpaid carers
- State Pension, Pension Credit, and help with heating costs
- 04
Module 4: How to Check What You Can Get and Make a Claim
- Using the government’s benefits calculator and other free tools
- Step-by-step: making a claim for Universal Credit or Pension Credit
- What to do if your claim is turned down: mandatory reconsideration and appeals
- 05
Module 5: Getting Help and Avoiding Common Pitfalls
- Where to get free help: Citizens Advice, local councils, and specialist charities
- Common mistakes when applying and how to avoid them
- Staying safe: recognising benefit scams and who to trust
