|
|
|
 |
           |
|
Income Support What is it? Income Support is a weekly benefit, which is meant to bring a persons household income up to the level which they and their family need to live on, provided they nor their partner are working full-time. If they are able to work or are signing on then the equivalent benefit is Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, which is worked out in much the same way as Income Support. Common Income Support Amounts. How to qualify for Income Support The applicant must be 1 living and resident in the U.K. 2 be 16 or over 3 not be doing 16 or more hours of paid work, per week, (if you have a partner then they must not be doing 24 hours or more paid work per week) there are many people who are allowed to work over these hours and remain entitled to Income Support, Carers, Disabled, Childminders, etc seek advice. 4 not be in full-time education, again many exceptions to this rule, e.g. Lone parents, Disabled, etc, seek advice. 5 not be on strike 6 not have over £16,000 in capital (this includes, savings, investments, and property that is not the main home, some property can be ignored, seek advice,) 7 have income of less than their needs. As well as all of the above the claimant must fit into at least one of the following. 1 be unfit for work due to illness or disability Or 2 be a lone parent, responsible for a child under sixteen, and have no partner. Or
3
caring for a person who has or has claimed the middle or high rate care
component of Disability Living Allowance,
or Attendance Allowance.
If
the applicant does not fit into any one of the above situations that
would stop them being available for work, then they should claim Jobseekers
Allowance instead. If
you are part of a couple and you do not fit into any of the above situations
but your partner does then you could consider letting your partner become
the claimant, Seek Advice. How
to work out your entitlement The
amount of your Income Support entitlement depends on your income and
capital, whether you have a partner or children, your ages, whether
anyone in your family has a disability, or is a carer, and if you have
certain eligible Housing costs. Set
amounts are used for different needs, and are added together to reach
the amount the law says you need to live on (your applicable amount).
Any income, worked out under Income Support rules, is deducted from
your applicable amount. This will leave the amount of Income Support
you are entitled to receive. Frequently
Asked Questions Q.
I am off work sick, and only have Statutory
Sick Pay of £75.40 weekly, I have a partner who does not work, and
two children aged 6 + 13, other income is Child Tax Credit, and £2,000 in savings, which
are going down as we have £50 weekly rent to pay. Can I claim Income
Support? A.
You are eligible for Income Support, as you are unfit for work;
your applicable amount will be made up as follows. Personal
allowance (couple rate) £94.95
This
is your weekly applicable amount £94.95 Less
income Statutory
sick pay £75.40 As
you have under £6,000 in savings they will be ignored in the calculation,
claim on 0800 0 55 66 88 or on form A1 from your local job-centre+ office, this claim form also includes
Housing and Council
Tax Benefit claim forms.
Q.
I am a lone parent, and only earn £95 per week for working 17 hours;
I have three children, and have been told at my local Benefits Agency
that I am not entitled to Income Support. A.
This is correct as you are now working over 16 hour per week, you should
be claiming Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit
to top up your low wages backdated to when you started working, your entitlement could be about £180 per week,
Tax Credits could give entitlement to other benefits.
Q.
I am a single female aged 60, I have little income, and no savings,
my retirement pension is £54.35 weekly and I have a small occupational
pension of £55.65 weekly, I own my house (no mortgage), and pay full Council
Tax, can I claim any other help? A.
Yes, you can claim Pension Credit as you are over 60, but not Income Support as its for under 60's only now, as you are over 60 years old,
and have less income than you need to live on. Your
applicable amount will be. Personal
allowance (single person) £124.05 This
is your weekly applicable amount £124.05 Less
your income Retirement
pension £54.35 Total
Pension Credit payable = £124.05 - income £110 = £14.05 weekly PC payable Claims can be backdated for one year or from when you turned 60,
form available by phoning 0800 991234, this also has claim
forms for Council Tax.
Q.
I have been told to sign on for Jobseekers
Allowance, as I have been found fit for work by the Benefits Agency,
following an examination by their doctor. I had been on Income Support
and Incapacity benefit up until then,
I do not feel that I am fit enough to sign on as available for work.
Can you help? A.
You could sign on as available for work, and you would receive the
allowance for a single person, (£60.50) or you could appeal the decision
to find you fit for work, and remain on Income Support, the above amount
will be reduced by 20% while you are waiting for the appeal to be held,
you will get full arrears of all benefit due to you if you are successful
at the appeal.
Q.
My husband has been sacked from his job, he is worried about signing
on, as he feels that his Income based Jobseekers
Allowance will be reduced because he was sacked, we have two children,
ages, 7 and 10, the youngest child has Disability
Living Allowance, middle rate care component, due to asthma, I have
Carers Allowance for looking after
him, and Child Benefit, can you advise? A.
A Jobseekers sanction is not automatic when you are dismissed from
a job, however to be safe, we suggest that you become the claimant for
the family. As you are a carer, you do not have to be available for
work, and are eligible for Income Support. This will stop any chance
of a sanction, and as there is no three day waiting period for Income
Support, it will become payable from date of claiming. Your amount will
be made up as follows. Personal
allowance (couple rate) £94.95 This
is your families weekly applicable amount £122.70 Less
your weekly income Total
Income Support payable = £122.70 - income £50.55 = £72.15 weekly IS due Your
son’s D.L.A will be ignored. They will insist that you claim Child Tax Credits for the child additions previously paid in old Income Support claims.
Q.
I have been on Incapacity benefit
for the last two years, I have £102.25 weekly, and I also have middle
rate care component of Disability Living Allowance,
£44.85 weekly, I live alone. Can I get any further help or benefits?
I have no savings, and am a homeowner with mortgage interest of £30
weekly. A.
You are entitled to Income Support, as you are unfit for work, and
have less income than your needs. It will be made up as follows. Personal
allowance (single person) £60.50 Premiums
(disability) £25.85 (Severe
disability) £50.35 Eligible
Housing costs (mortgage interest) £30.00 Your
weekly applicable amount £166.70 Less
income (Incapacity Benefit) £102.25 Total
Income Support payable weekly £64.45 Of
this total, £30 will be paid direct to mortgage lender Your
Disability Living Allowance is ignored in any Income Support calculation.
Claim on 0800 0 55 66 88 or on form A1 from the local Benefits Agency or Job-centre Office.
Q.
I am a lone parent on Income Support, how much can I earn before
it effects my Income Support? A.
You are allowed to earn up to £20 per week before it will effect
your Income Support, let the local Benefits Agency know that you are
working, and earning, just incase someone else does it for you.
Q.
My son will be 16 in two months time, he will be going into fifth
year after the summer, he has high rate mobility and middle rate care
components of Disability Living Allowance,
I only have Child Benefit for him and Child Tax Credit at £12 weekly, my partner
works full-time, is he able to claim any other benefits at age 16? A.
Yes as he would be entilted to the Disability Premium from Income Support, you would have to give up Child Benefit for him, then he will be eligible for Income Support at 16
in his own right while in full-time non advanced education, he could
receive over £73 weekly, his Disability Living Allowance will be ignored
in the calculation. He should also try claiming Incapacity Benefit for youths at the same time, this will depend on the type and number of hours he attends school. You should also claim Carers Allowance for looking after him, this is £50.55 weekly, and
you can backdate this claim three months.
Q.
I am a single person aged 30, I struggle but manage to work for 20 hours per week, and
earn £105 per week, I have low rate care component (£17.75) and low rate
mobility component (£17.75) of Disability
Living Allowance, I pay full rent of £40 weekly, can I claim Income
Support? A.
We would normally say no, as you are working over 16 hours per week,
but if your disability either physical or mental, reduces your earnings
or hours of work to less than 75% of what someone without your disability
could be expected to work or earn, then Income Support would still be payable at £1.35 weekly
as your earned income £105 weekly is less than your weekly Income Support applicable amount at £106.35. However we
feel that you would be better claiming and backdating 3 months a claim to Working Tax Credit,
You should get about £90 weekly,
you should also claim Housing benefit and
Council Tax benefit. |
|
|
|
DISCLAIMER - Although every effort is made to ensure the information on these pages is accurate and up to date, we cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences. The information should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. If you wish to know more about your benefit rights, you should seek independent advice. |