A-Z of Benefits

Single person
aged 16-24 or lone parent under 18 - £47.95
aged 25+ - £60.50

Couples
both aged under 18 - £72.35
both aged 18+ - £94.95

Plus additional premiums for disability, caring etc

Who is it for?
People not required to be available for work with low income, savings below £16,000 and not working more than 16 hours a week. Income support for people aged 60 or over abolished in October 2003, and replaced by Pension Credit.

Who pays it?
Job Centre Plus

Which leaflet? And how is it claimed?
A1 claim pack.  Claims can be made by phone (0800 0556688) and normally followed up with a work-focussed interview at Job Centre but paper claims are still acceptable and claimants should not be refused access to them.  .

What are the age limits?
From 16 (but special rules for most 16/17 year olds)

National Insurance based?
No.

Means tested?
Yes. Tariff income (£1 pw assumed income for every £250 above lower limit) starts at £6,000 and there is an £16,000 upper savings limit. (Tariff income starts at £10,000 if in residential care).

How long does it last?
Until circumstances change.

What is effect on other benefits?
A passport to most other means tested benefits, e.g  free school meals, housing and council tax benefit and health benefits.

Is it taxable?
No (unless claimant is sick)

Increases for dependants?
Not for new claims after April 2004. Existing claimants with children will get increases within IS for additional children until transfer to combination of IS/CTC takes place in 2009. 

Payable if in EU or other?
Very limited: normal maximum 4 weeks; 8 weeks if child getting treatment.

Points to watch
Always check for fresh or increased entitlement if DLA (care) awarded. Income support for people who are unfit for work will be replaced by Employment Support Allowance in October 2008. From November 2008, lone parents will have to register for work and switch to JSA when youngest child reaches 12 (currently 16). This reduces to 10 in 2009 and 7 in 2010.

The A-Z of Benefits 2008 was compiled by Gary Vaux and Community Care.