Benefits

Update: 1 June 2015: The Government has today announced that the 30 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds will actually roll out in September 2016 in some pilot areas, ahead of the full expansion in September 2017.

The first batch of millions of tax credit renewal packs have been sent out by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), but furious recipients say they're already facing long waits when calling the helpline.

Parents may be able to leave homes worth up to £1 million to their children without paying inheritance tax, according to leaked Treasury papers.

Thousands of single parents have been sent letters that some say are "threatening" telling them their benefit payments will stop unless they prove they're not living with a partner - then when they try to call, they're faced with long waits.

Three-quarters of low income families struggled with their energy bills last year, jeopardising the health of their children, according to charity Turn2us.

Disability and carers benefits are likely to rise by just 1.2% next April after it was revealed yesterday that inflation had fallen to its lowest level for five years.

More than £20 million meant to help people struggling with housing costs following benefit reforms wasn't spent by local councils last year, new figures reveal. But if you're affected, it's not too late to apply for help this year.

If you're aged over 74, you could be entitled to backdated cash from the Government to help cover the cost of energy bills. But you need to be quick, as you'll need to post your claim form by Saturday at the very latest.