Reporter CHARLOTTE McDONALD has been attempting to live on the minimum wage for Lent. She visited a Citizens’ Advice Bureau to find out about help available for those on low incomes.

I ALWAYS thought benefits were for people out of work or with children.

But it turns out those with a job, without children, but who are not earning very much, can still get help to supplement their income.

For my Lent challenge I worked out how much I would earn on the minimum wage and then set myself a weekly budget.

I have worked out earning £11,173 a year before tax, I would have a weekly budget of about £30 after paying my bills, rent and travel costs.

For the last five weeks of Lent it has been a real struggle, and quite a miserable time.

I have no spare money for emergencies and only able to buy essential items.

When a comment was posted on one of my web blogs suggesting I should find out if I would be eligible for any financial support from the Government, I decided to investigate.

I booked myself an appointment with Fleur Jeremiah at Orpington’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau in the High Street and went along with my financial details.

After a very friendly and chatty session, I came away with a printout listing what benefits and how much I might be entitled to.

The bureau has access to a computer programme which uses financial and personal data to calculate how much you might be able to claim.

If I really was living on the minimum wage, working the hours I do, then it turns out I could claim a total of £46.26 a week.

This consists of £13.18 a week of working tax credits and £33.08 in housing benefits.

I had no idea what a working tax credit was before having it explained to me.

When I heard it mentioned before, I assumed it was just for working parents.

But it is actually available to help someone on a low salary, and in my case it would increase my weekly budget from £30 to £76.26 — a very welcome improvement.

Fleur, the Orpington bureau manager, said: “I do think there are people who have been struggling along, paying rent and bills without realising they could get quite a lot of help so they are not merely existing.

“There are people who abuse the system but there are those who are working but don’t know what they are entitled to.”

As well as working out how much I could be entitled to, Fleur was also able to tell me how I could claim it and offered to give me numbers to call to get the relevant forms.

If I wanted to apply for working tax credits, I could call 0845 300 3900 while I would need to contact the local council to apply for housing benefit.

Another handy website I discovered is entitledto.com where you can find out if you might be eligible.

To find out where your nearest Citizens’ Advice Bureau is, visit the website citizensadvice.org.uk