Benefits & Tax Credits

From 7 April 2008

Means-tested

[including Pension Credit]

INCOME SUPPORT/INCOME-BASED JSA

PERSONAL ALLOWANCES

single

under 25  £47.95

aged 25 or over  £60.50

lone parent

under 18  £47.95

aged 18 or over  £60.50

couple

both under 18*  £47.95

both under 18, with responsibility for a child £72.35

one under 18, one under 25  £47.95

one under 18, one over 25 £60.50

both aged 18 or over  £94.95

* for more details of rates for under 18’s, see Law Centre (NI) Encyclopedia of Rights or the CPAG handbook.

dependent children (existing claimants) **

birth to day before 20th birthday  £52.50

PREMIUMS

family  £16.75

pensioner

couple  £94.40

single (JSA only)  £63.55

disability

single  £25.85

couple  £36.85

enhanced disability

single  £12.60

child £19.60

couple £18.15

family (existing claimants)** £16.75

severe disability

per qualifying person £50.35

disabled child (existing claimants)** £48.72

carer £27.75

**people still receiving personal allowances and premiums for a dependent child may transfer to Child Tax Credit during 2008)

DEDUCTIONS FOR NON-DEPENDANTS
(MORTGAGE INTEREST)

aged 18, or over, and in remunerative work

gross income

£116 - £171.99  £17.00

£172 - £222.99  £23.35

£223 - £295.99  £38.20

£296 - £368.99  £43.50

£369 and above  £47.75

Others, aged 18 or over and not in work or earning less than £116 or on IS or Income-based JSA and 25 or over or in receipt of Pension Credit £7.40

Note: Disregards for rates are covered in Housing Benefit rates

DEDUCTIONS

child maintenance (standard)  £6.10

child maintenance (lower)  £3.05

fines £5.00/£3.05

direct payment of fuel debt–5% rate £3.05

direct payment of housing & rates arrears  £3.05

strikers  £32.50

maximum recovery of ordinary overpayment  £9.15

DISREGARDS

earnings - single £5.00

earnings - couple £10.00

earnings - lone parent or in receipt of carer’s / disability premium  £20.00

Child Support  £10.00

War pensions, War Widows Pension and Widowed Parent Allowance (for IS and income based JSA only)  £10.00

student loan £10.00

student's covenanted income £5.00

income from boarders (plus 50% of the balance of the charge) £20.00

voluntary and charitable payments, DLA and AA ignored in full

EXPENSES FOR SUB-TENANTS

furnished or unfurnished  £20.00

CAPITAL LIMITS

disregarded  £6,000

resident of care home  £10,000

upper limit £16,000

child’s upper limit £3,000

tariff income on capital between disregard and upper limit is £1 for every £250 or part thereof

SURE START MATERNITY PAYMENT  £500

COLD WEATHER PAYMENT  £8.50

 

Housing Benefit: Rent

APPLICABLE AMOUNTS

i.e. personal allowances, premiums and hospital care allowances

as for IS except:

personal allowance for -

single person aged 16-24   £47.95

lone parent under 18   £47.95

lone parent 18-24    £60.50

family premium

lone parent rate £22.20

baby addition £10.50

pensioner personal allowances

single aged 60-64  £124.05

couple - one or both aged 60-64  £189.35

single aged 65 or over  £143.80

couple - one or both aged 65 or over  £215.50

pensioner premiums

single (on Income-based JSA)  £63.55

couple (on IS or Income-based JSA)  £94.40

AMENITY DEDUCTIONS

heating  £15.45

hot water  £1.80

lighting  £1.25

cooking  £1.80

MEALS DEDUCTIONS

full board (3 or more meals a day)

each person aged 16 or over  £21.60

each child under 16  £10.90

half board (less than 3 meals a day)

each person aged 16 or over  £14.35

each child under 16  £7.20

breakfast only

each person (including children)  £2.65

NON-DEPENDANT DEDUCTIONS

aged 18, or over, and in renumerative work

gross income

£369 or more  £47.75

£296 - £368.99  £43.50

£223 - £295.99  £38.20

£172 - £222.99  £23.35

£116 - £171.99  £17.00

under £116  £7.40

others, for whom deduction is made   £7.40

no deductions for non-dependants on IS or JSA (IB) and under 25, and on Pension Credit

EARNINGS DISREGARDS

specified employments £20.00

lone parent – not in receipt of IS £25.00

where the claimant has a partner £10.00

single claimant £5.00

where carer or disability premium awarded £20.00

The earnings disregard is increased by £15.45 if on WTC 30 hours plus or 16 hours and getting family premium

CHILDCARE COSTS

1 child - up to £175.00

2 or more children - up to £300.00

OTHER INCOME DISREGARDS

maintenance £15.00

war pensions £10.00

Widowed Parent’s Allowance £15.00

student loan £10.00

student’s covenanted income £5.00

income from boarders (plus 50%

of the balance of the charge) £20.00

voluntary & charitable payments, DLA and AA ignored in full

EXPENSES FOR SUB-TENANTS as for IS

CAPITAL LIMITS

disregarded   £6,000

disregard for resident of care home  £10,000

upper limit   £16,000

child upper limit  £3,000

tariff income on capital between disregard and upper limit is £1 for every £250 or part thereof (every £500 or part thereof, aged 60 or over)

Pension Credit no upper limit

Housing Benefit: Rates

PERSONAL ALLOWANCES AND PREMIUMS

as for rent except that personal allowances are not payable for young people aged 16 and 17

NON-DEPENDANT DEDUCTIONS

aged 18 or over, and in remunerative work

gross income

£369 or more £6.95

£296 - £368.99 £5.80

£172 - £295.99 £4.60

under £172 £2.30

others (for whom deduction made) £2.30

no deductions for non-dependants on IS or JSA (IB) or on Pension Credit

CAPITAL DISREGARDS, TARIFF INCOME, EARNINGS & OTHER DISREGARDS as for rent

NOTE: disregards for rates also apply for owner occupiers on IS and JSA (IB). Non dependant deductions for rent are as per mortgage interest deductions.

Pension Credit

(key figures only)

STANDARD MINIMUM GUARANTEE

single  £124.05

couple  £189.35

ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS

severe disability

(per qualifying person)  £50.35

carer  £27.75

SAVINGS CREDIT

threshold single  £91.20

threshold couple  £145.80

maximum single  £19.71

maximum couple  £26.13

CAPITAL

disregarded  £6,000

disregarded for residents of care homes  £10,000

tariff income  £1 for each £500 above disregard

no upper capital limit

HOUSING COSTS - deductions for non-dependants as for IS

DISREGARDS

as for IS except:

income from sub-tenants £20.00

discretionary trust payment ignored except where paid for food, clothing, fuel or housing costs then £20 ignored

no disregard for voluntary & charitable payments, student’s loan, student’s covenanted income

DEDUCTIONS

as for IS except no deductions for child maintenance or reduction for strikers

NON MEANS-TESTED

ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE

higher rate  £67.00

lower rate  £44.85

BEREAVEMENT ALLOWANCE

standard rate £90.70

Bereavement Payment £2,000

CARER’S ALLOWANCE £50.55

increase for adult dependant £30.20

CHILD ADDITION* £11.35

Retirement Pension, Widowed Mothers Allowance, Widowed Parents Allowance, Short-term Incapacity Benefit (higher rate) and Long Term Incapacity Benefit, Carer’s Allowance, Severe Disablement Benefit Allowance, Higher Rate Industrial Death Benefit, Unemployability Supplement and Short-Term Incapacity Benefit if over pension age.

CHILD BENEFIT

only or eldest child £18.80

other children £12.55

lone parent rate has been abolished

CONTRIBUTORY JSA

under 25 £47.95

25 or over £60.50

DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE

care component

higher £67.00

middle £44.85

lower £17.75