You may need to find ways to increase your income, if any life changes such as a new baby, redundancy or a bereavement mean that you have to cope with living on less.

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to claim benefits including:

• jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), income support, or employment support allowance (ESA) if you are unemployed
• universal credit
• housing benefit to help with your rent
• support for mortgage interest to help with a mortgage
• disability living allowance (DLA) or personal independence payment (PIP) if you have a disability
• carer’s allowance if you look after someone who has a disability
• tax credits if you are working or have children, or both.

See our page other benefits and use the entitledto benefits calculator  to help you work out what benefits you may be eligible for.

You may be able to get money to help with the costs of bringing up children. Click here to find out about benefits you may be able to claim, including maternity benefits and child benefit.

If you or your partner are working, you may be able to claim tax credits to increase your income and help with childcare costs.

You may be entitled to help if you’ve been made redundant. Click here for advice if you are a homeowner facing redundancy.

Find out more from Gov.uk about redundancy payments and your rights if your employer goes bust.

Depending on your situation ,you might qualify for an exemption from council tax or a reduction in your bill. Check here to see if you qualify and to find contact details for your local council.

Do you live with grown up children or other relatives? Whether they are working or not, they could be costing you money.

If you claim housing benefit or universal credit housing costs the amount you are paid will usually be reduced, even if other people in your house are not working, so you will be paying more towards your rent, and you will have to cover any shortfall. Could they make more of a contribution towards household costs?

Although it can be hard to deal with financial matters when you are bereaved, it’s important to start sorting things out, especially as there are time limits on making claims for benefits.

Read more from Gov.uk about bereavement benefits including funeral payments, lump-sum and regular benefits, and benefits if you are a bereaved parent.

If you own your home, you might be able to increase your income by renting out a room, or even your whole home. Have a look at our advice here.

Under the government’s Rent a room scheme you might be able to rent out a room tax-free. Remember to check if renting out your home would affect any of your benefit entitlements.

If your home is overflowing with things you don’t need any more, or you’re an expert at making things, could you sell them to raise some cash?

Try selling your unwanted stuff on websites such as eBay, Amazon or Gumtree.

Use Etsy to sell handmade craft items, or try car boot sales.

If you have problems with debt you can get free, confidential, face-to-face help from specialist Shelter Cymru debt advisers at several locations in Wales. Click here to find details of the debt advice surgeries nearest to you.

We are sorry that we cannot provide this information in Welsh, however if you would like to speak to an adviser in Welsh please contact 08000 495 495.