Gary Vaux Gary Vaux

Gary Vaux manages a team of local authority benefit and debt advice workers. He is also chair of the Social Security Advisers Group at the Local Government Association and represents them in meetings with the Department for Work and Pensions.

For rather a lot of years, he has advised, written, trained and broadcast on welfare benefit rules and policies. As well as writing benefit guides for Community Care Inform, he has written for CPAG, Alzheimer's Society, Fostering Network, Family Rights Group, Law Society, Cerebra, MNDA, Moneysaving Expert and many other organisations. He is a Trustee of LASA, which produces Rightsnet, the leading online benefits resource.

His interests (apart from his family, Spurs and Bruce Springsteen) are those areas where social security and social services interests overlap, coincide or clash.

All posts by Gary Vaux

Cost of living: sources of help

Lists sources of help and advice for cutting energy costs and keeping bills lower.

Statutory parental bereavement pay and leave

Answers key questions on parental bereavement leave and statutory parental bereavement pay, introduced in 2020, including how much it is, who it is for, how long it lasts and other key points to watch.

Tax and benefits when fostering or adopting a child

This guide provides in-depth information on tax, national insurance and benefits when fostering or adopting a child. It also contains brief information about other sources of funding such as section 17 Children Act money, aftercare support, child arrangement orders, special guardianship and guardian’s allowance.

Universal credit

Answers all key questions on universal credit, including how much it is, who it is for, what the age limits are and other key points to watch.

Personal independence payment

Answers all key questions on personal independence payment, including how much it is, who it is for, what the age limits are and other key points to watch.

Benefits for young people

This guide looks at how you can get income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, housing benefit and other types of cash help if you are a young person, especially if you are 16- or 17-years-old. It also covers universal credit which replaces the above benefits.

Winter fuel payment

Answers all key questions on winter fuel payment, including how much it is, who it is for, what the age limits are and other key points to watch.

Working tax credit

Answers all key questions on working tax credit, including how much it is, who it is for, what the effect on other benefits are and other key points to watch.

Widow’s pension (applies equally to widowers)

Answers all key questions on widow’s pension, including how much it is, who it is for, how long it lasts, who pays it and other key points to watch.

Widowed parent’s allowance (formerly widowed mother’s allowance)

Answers all key questions on widowed parent’s allowance, including how much it is, who it is for, what the age limits are and other key points to watch.