Nationwide’s calculator helps households find out if they’re eligible for benefits – with 11,000 families uncovering an average £560 monthly boost
Families could pocket an extra £560 each month by tapping into a specialist tool rolled out by high street building society Nationwide. The firm has announced that its groundbreaking calculator helps people work out if they’re eligible for benefits they’re currently missing out on.
In figures released earlier this year, it revealed that 11,000 households have uncovered £75m in unclaimed benefits – working out at £560 per month on average since the service went live in June 2025. Nationwide is the first financial institution to offer the service over the phone – addressing digital exclusion.
The ‘Better Off’ calculator, the first to be offered both over the phone and online, allows people to find out what benefits they might be entitled to. The launch comes after research released yesterday by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute revealed the barriers stopping millions from checking their entitlement.
The calculator – available to anyone, not just Nationwide customers – was launched in collaboration with social policy data experts Policy in Practice, at a time when an estimated £24 billion in benefits goes unclaimed each year. By offering both a web-based tool and a phone service, it ensures that more people, including those who can’t or don’t want to use digital services, can get the help they need to boost their income – making what can be a daunting and complicated process far simpler.
Since its introduction last June, more than 18,000 people have submitted calculations, with over 11,000 households discovering they could qualify for an average of £560 extra monthly support – totalling £75.3 million yearly in potential aid.
Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer Vulnerability at Nationwide, commented: “Millions of people across the UK are missing out on vital financial support they are entitled to – simply because the system is too complex to understand and access. That’s why we’re calling on the government to simplify the system, raise public awareness and help challenge the stigma that still prevents too many people from seeking the support they’re owed. By removing these barriers, we can ensure that vital financial help reaches every household that needs it and make the safety net work as it was intended.
“We encourage anyone to take a moment to explore what they may be entitled to, so they don’t miss out on support that could make a meaningful difference.”
Nationwide is pressing the government to simplify access to unclaimed benefits. Collaborating with Policy in Practice, the UK’s largest building society highlights that there are three main barriers preventing benefit access that ministers must address.
- Awareness: many people are unaware they are eligible.
- Complexity: navigating forms, criteria, multiple applications can be daunting and time consuming.
- Stigma: negative perceptions persist, even though 40 per cent of benefit payments go to people in work.
To use the calculator click here.
What makes you eligible for benefits?
Being eligible to claim for benefits is not just for people who can’t work. Many people assume they are not eligible, leaving £24 billion in benefits going unclaimed in the UK every year. There are lots of support payments and benefits that could help you be better off.
You might be eligible for benefits if you:
- or your partner are out of work
- are renting your home
- have children
- have a disability or care for someone who has a disability
- are receiving the state pension
About Policy in Practice
Policy In Practice is a social policy, software and analytics company that helps people to discover and access financial support they are missing out on; due to lack of awareness, stigma and the complexity of the application process.
Policy in Practice work with over 350 organisations across sectors such as Financial Services, Housing, Utilities and with a third of all Local Authorities, to support their customers and residents to understand what they could be eligible for. Their award winning betterofcalculator.co.uk can be found on the gov.uk site, and helps people access vital support every day.
For more information visit www.policyinpractice.co.uk
