Benefits and help when going back to work

When you return to work after being on benefit, some of your benefits will carry on for a short while. Find out more, including the benefits and support you may be able to get once you're working.

Universal Credit

You may still be able to claim Universal Credit if you and/or your partner are employed. The amount you can get depends on your circumstances, including your income and how many children you have.

A benefits calculator can help you check if you can get Universal Credit or other benefits.

Help with housing costs

If you were getting a Support for Mortgage Interest loan while you were out of work, you may carry on getting this. This is if you have been getting income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support for at least 26 weeks continuously before starting work. You may then continue to get the following benefit or loan for up to four weeks:

If you're on a low wage and your housing costs are below a certain level, you may continue to get Housing Benefit after this time.

If you are a homeowner and have to reclaim benefit you may not have to wait until you get help again with your mortgage costs. Contact your Jobs and Benefits Office to find out more.

Tax credits

A tax credit is a payment that you receive regularly. Despite the name, it isn't a credit against your tax bill.

If you've got children you could get tax credits, but you don't need to have children to claim. You may also qualify if you are working and on a low income.

If you work and pay childcare you may be able to get extra tax credits to help with the costs.

Travel to Interview Scheme

If you’re unemployed or under written notice of redundancy, the Travel to Interview Scheme may help you with the cost of travelling to job interviews.

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

What to do next

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

What to do next

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

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For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

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For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

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For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

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For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

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Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

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For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

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For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

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For queries about:

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

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For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

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For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

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For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

What to do next

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

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For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

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For queries or advice about rates, email:
rating@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about property valuation, email:
valuation@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about land registry, email:
CustomerInformation.LandRegistration@finance-ni.gov.uk

For mapping queries, email:
Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk

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If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

What to do next

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.