Welfare & Benefits
We provide practical support for individuals and families who are struggling to understand or navigate the UK welfare system.
Our support focuses on helping people understand benefit processes, overcome language and digital barriers, respond to official requirements and reduce the risk of financial hardship escalating into crisis.
How we can help
Support is shaped around each person's circumstances and may include:
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Universal Credit navigation and structured problem-solving
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Support understanding benefit letters, appointments and requirements
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Help using online benefit systems where digital barriers make access difficult
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Guidance on providing documentation and responding to official correspondence
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Support understanding deadlines, reassessments and changes to claims
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Budgeting support and signposting for cost-of-living pressures
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Warm referrals to specialist welfare, benefits and debt advice services
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Advocacy support where administrative barriers are preventing someone from moving their situation forward
Where someone's circumstances require specialist welfare or debt advice, we help them connect with an appropriate service rather than leaving them to navigate the next step alone.
Common issues we see
Welfare systems can be particularly difficult to navigate when someone is also experiencing language barriers, digital exclusion or wider financial pressures.
We regularly support people experiencing:
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Difficulties with Universal Credit and other welfare claims
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Benefit delays, sanctions or reassessments
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Difficulty understanding letters, decisions or required actions
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Problems accessing or using online systems
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Language barriers when navigating welfare processes
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Financial hardship and cost-of-living pressures
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Risk of destitution
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Multiple issues where welfare problems overlap with housing, employment or other circumstances
Our role is to help people understand what is happening, identify the appropriate next steps and access further specialist support where needed.
Who we support
This service is available to individuals and families experiencing barriers to accessing or navigating welfare support.
We particularly support:
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Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
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Families experiencing financial instability
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Individuals at risk of destitution
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People experiencing language or digital barriers
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Those struggling to navigate complex systems independently
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People facing multiple or overlapping challenges
This service also works alongside our BASE+ Programme, allowing people with broader or more complex circumstances to access additional advice and casework support where appropriate.
What we want to achieve
Our support is designed to help people better understand and navigate the welfare system while reducing the risk of financial difficulties escalating.
Through this work, we aim to:
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Improve access to appropriate welfare support
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Increase understanding of benefit processes, requirements and responsibilities
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Reduce digital and language barriers to accessing support
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Help people respond to problems before they develop into a wider crisis
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Improve financial stability through practical guidance and appropriate referrals
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Connect people with specialist welfare and debt services where further support is required
Work with us
Strong partnerships and referral pathways help ensure people can access the right level of welfare, financial and specialist advice when they need it.
If your organisation works in welfare rights, debt advice, financial inclusion or related services, we welcome opportunities to strengthen referral pathways and collaborate.