Tools

Turn2us Benefits Calculator

The most thorough free benefits check in the UK.

Charity-run, anonymous. Covers Universal Credit, council tax support, housing benefit, PIP, carer's, child benefit. Tells you the exact figures and what to do next.

entitledto Calculator

Used by councils — same data, free for the public.

Run by the same people whose engine local councils use to assess claims. Useful as a sanity check against Turn2us, especially for council tax reduction.

Help to Claim (Citizens Advice)

Free help making a Universal Credit claim.

Phone, web-chat, or in-person help with the actual claim form. Funded by DWP but delivered independently — they'll fight your corner if a decision goes wrong.

Check what benefits you can get (gov.uk)

The official starter list, plain and short.

Quick yes/no flow that points you at the right gov.uk benefit pages. Less detailed than Turn2us but useful as a starting map.

Listentotaxman

The take-home calculator most accountants quietly use.

Annual or hourly inputs, with tax code, student loan plan, pension percent, and salary sacrifice — all in one screen. Shows the breakdown line by line.

HMRC Tax Code Checker

What the letters in your tax code actually mean.

If you suspect your code is wrong (BR, 0T, K codes), this is the official decoder. Wrong codes are common after a job change and can cost £1000s before HMRC notices.

MoneySavingExpert Tax Code Calculator

Tells you if your code is wrong — and how to reclaim.

Plug in your code and salary; it tells you whether HMRC owes you money and links to the reclaim form. Most users find at least one historic error.

Marriage Allowance Checker (gov.uk)

£252 a year if one of you earns under £12,570.

If one partner is a basic-rate taxpayer and the other earns below the personal allowance, you can transfer £1,260 of allowance and back-claim four years.

Council Tax Band Lookup (VOA)

Are you in the right band? Check your neighbours.

Official Valuation Office tool. Compare your band against identical houses on your street — if yours is higher, you may have a winnable challenge.

Council Tax Reduction (gov.uk)

Up to 100% off if you're on a low income.

Each council runs its own scheme — start here, then apply on the council's site. Single-occupier discount (25%) is separate and almost always missed.

Water Bill Calculator (CCW)

Would a meter save you money?

Consumer Council for Water. Tells you whether switching to a meter is likely worth it based on household size — small households almost always save.

Cheap Energy Club (MSE)

Whole-of-market comparison + ongoing alerts.

Free monitoring after sign-up — emails you when a switch will save more than £50. Most reliable comparison site since the energy crisis killed the others.

Broadband & Mobile Cost Cutter

Always re-negotiate before your contract ends.

Out-of-contract loyal customers pay the most. Use this to find a market rate, then call your provider's retentions line — they'll usually match it.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rates

Maximum housing benefit for your postcode.

Universal Credit housing element is capped at the LHA for your area. This tool tells you the cap by bedroom count — useful for budgeting before you sign a tenancy.

Rent Affordability (Shelter)

How much rent you can realistically take on.

Shelter's calculator factors bills and a small buffer. More realistic than the 30%-of-income rule of thumb that letting agents quote.

Tenancy Deposit Checker

Confirm your deposit is legally protected.

Three official schemes (DPS, MyDeposits, TDS). If your deposit isn't registered within 30 days, you can claim 1–3× the amount back from the landlord.

Shelter Webchat

Free housing law advice from real people.

When something goes wrong — eviction notice, deposit dispute, disrepair — Shelter's advisers know more about housing law than most solicitors. Free.