State Benefits - Not Means Tested

STATE BENEFITS SUMMARY 2015/2016 State Benefits - Not means tested Benefit 2015/16 Qualification Taxable How to Amount Claim Attendance Allowance (AA)* Disability Benefit HelpLine 0345 605 Higher rate £82.30pw Age 65+. Day and night care 6055 Claim online required. using a step by step Lower rate £55.10 Age 65+. Day or night care form: required. www.gov.uk/attenda No nce-allowance. Or form AA1A to claim by post. NI: 0800 220674 or www.nidirect.gov.uk /. Bereavement Allowance Dependent on National Insurance Form BD8 (344S1 in Age 55 to State 100% is £112.55 pw for Contribution (NIC) record of Scotland) on back of Pension Age (SPA) one year maximum deceased. death certificate & send for form BD1 or Age 45 to 54 Paid 1 year max, Paid to widow/widower/civil Yes partners. call Job Centre Plus amount dependent on on 0345 6060 265 age N.I. call 0800 085 0295 Bereavement £2,000 lump sum Mainly new widows/widowers/civil Payment partners under State Pension Age. But if over this age, where No As Above. deceased not entitled to State Pension on own record or partner was under SPA when they died. Carer’s Allowance £62.10pw Caring for someone in receipt of Carer’s Allowance (not paid to AA, middle or higher rate care Unit 0345 608 4321 anyone in receipt component of DLA or Daily living NI: 0800 220 674 of a State component of PIP, or Constant or online using a Retirement Attendance Allowance for at least step by step form: Pension) 35 hours a week, but earnings www.gov.uk/carers- Yes limit of £110pw (net). allowance (Occupational and Personal N.I. pensions not earnings.) Allowance www.nidirect.gov.uk can be reduced by amount of / certain other benefits received, eg State Pension. Council Tax Exempt No council tax payable. Empty property if e.g. in hospital, Usually for 6 months care home or living with someone but could be 12 months who provides personal care. under certain circumstances. Contact local N/A Disabled Lower Council Tax band Property has certain features Authority necessary for a disabled person. Discounts 50% or 25% reduction No people or one person living in the property (mentally impaired people are not counted). Can also apply to a carer in some cases. Disability Living Allowance (DLA)* No Disability Benefit Care Component Helpline: 0345 712 Higher rate £82.30pw Age below 65. Day & night care 3456 required. Middle rate £55.10pw Age below 65. Day or night care required Lower rate £21.80pw Age below 65 needing some care Mobility Component Higher rate £57.45pw High mobility needs NI 0800 220 674 or claim online using Lower rate £21.80pw Some mobility needs easy step-by-step form. www.direct.gov.uk/ Benefit 2015/16 Qualification Taxable How to Amount Claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) [formerly Incapacity Benefit] Contribut No initial forms Single for 13 weeks £73.10pw Under SPA and unable to work due ory ESA is required. Phone 0800 to illness or disability. Evidence a taxable 055 6688. Thereafter if work £114.85pw benefit. www.gov.uk/employ thought unlikely required. Contributory ESA dependent on NIC. Not generally Income- ment-support- Thereafter if work means tested, but if receiving related allowance thought unlikely – £101.15pw gross pension of more than ESA is N I: 0800 085 6318 Single 151.05pw £85pw, benefit will be reduced by not www.nidirect.gov.uk Couple (income 50p for every £1 in excess of taxable. Related) £85pw. Income-related ESA is for Thereafter if work those with insufficient though likely – contributions. Single – Payable for £102.15pw Income related ESA is for couples 1 yr 143.90pw or those with insufficient Couple (Income contributions. related) Jobseeker’s Contribution-based JSA Unemployed or working less than Phone 0800 055 Allowance (JSA) is £73.10pw for up to 6 16 hrs pw. Must be under SPA and 6688. Northern months, reduced £ for £ seeking full time job. Full rate NIC Ireland 0800 353 if company pension is must have been paid for the 530 more than £50pw. contribution-based JSA. Online at: Yes Income-based JSA For Income-based JSA, have to be Jobcentre Plus, or payable if insufficient on low income and savings under www.gov.uk/jobseek NIC. Homeowners may £16,000. (£6,000 is disregarded) ers-allowancet get help with mortgage N.I. interest www.nidirect.gov.UK/ Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Replacing DLA for people of working age (16-64) from 8th April 2013* Daily LivingComponent Enhanced rate £82.30pw Age below 65. Must have a long Standard rate £55.10pw term health condition or disability and have difficulties with activities PIP Claim Line: 0800 related to “daily living” and 917 2222 mobility. Must have had these NI 0800 220 674 difficulties for 3 months and No PIP Enquiry Line: expect them to last at least 9 0345 850 3322 months (not applicable if terminally ill) www. gov.uk/pip N.I. Mobility Component www.nidirect.gov.uk/ Enhanced rate £57.45pw Below age 65. May get the mobility component if you are assessed as needing help with going out or moving around. Standard rate £21.80pw State Pension Basic pension based on full rate Phone 0800 731 Basic retirement £115.95pw NICs paid for 30 years. (35 years 7898. after 6th April ’16) NI 0808 100 2658 Spouse/Female Civil Partner (Male Civil Paid if reached SPA & qualify for www.gov.uk/state- Partner after 6-4- Yes less than 60% of full pension pension 15).No longer £69.50pw based on own contributions. N.i.www.nidirect.gov. available for Spouse/civil partner must have uk/ Spouse/Civil Partner reached SPA. state-pension below SPA on or after 6-4-16.. State Pension Forecast (Form BR19) If below SPA , phone 0345 300 0168 or online at www.gov.uk/state- pension-satementt Television Licence £145.50 frozen until Free if age 75 (main residence N/A Tel 0300 790 6131 2016; may be free or only); 50% reduction if registered www.tvlicensing.co.u 50% reduction blind k *Note: People who are terminally ill can claim AA (higher rate) or PIP (enhanced rate daily living component) without the three or six months waiting period. They will be considered to be terminally ill if they have a progressive illness that is likely to limit their life expectancy to six months or less. Mobility components will depend on individual needs. Benefit 2015/16 Qualification Taxable How to Amount Claim Winter Fuel Payment Winter Fuel Claim From winter £200 lump sum Must be born on or before 5 July Line 03459 151515 2015/2016, winter 1953 for 2015/16 winter payment or online www.gov.uk/winter- fuel payments will £300 lump sum Age 80+ no longer be payable fuel-payment to individuals who N/A www.nidirect.gov.uk/ live in EEA countries winter-fuel-payment with an average winter temperature higher than the warmest region of the UK.

State Benefits - Means tested Benefit 2015/16 Qualification Taxable How to Amount Claim Housing & Council Maximum is 100% Dependent on income & capital Tax Benefit (to be relief for housing rent must not exceed £16,000. £6,000 replaced by and council tax. is disregarded. If entitled to Universal credit) Reduced for working guarantee part of Pension Credit, aged local authority there is no capital limit. (£10,000 Contact local No tenants considered to disregarded). authority have one or more spare bedrooms. Subject to benefit cap rules. Heating repairs, Loans or grants for the Based on local authority published No Contact housing improvements & home, eg for disabled procedures (varies from council to department of local adaptations facilities. council). authority. Income support Age under Pension credit age Contact local Personal allowance £114.85pw (increasing in line with increase in Jobcentre Plus office for couple age 18+ SPA) & don’t have to sign on for or phone 0800 055 work. Savings must not exceed 6688 (NI 0800 353 Personal allowance £73.10pw £16,000 per household (£6,000 No 530) for single person disregarded). age 25+ www.gov.uk/income- support N.I. www.nidirect.gov.uk/ Pension credit Freephone 0800 991 Standard minimum Will top up income to 234 Northern guarantee (couple) minimum guarantee of Ireland, 0808 100 *£230.85pw 6165 Age 60+ (increasing in line with www.gov.uk/pensi Standard minimum Will top up income to increase in SPA). Income will be on-credit guarantee (single) minimum guarantee of assumed to be £1pw for every *£151.20pw £500 of savings over £10,000. N.I.: No Amounts can be increased for www.nidirect.gov. severe disability, carers and those uk/ with housing costs (eg mortgage interest) Pension Credit Calculator www.gov.uk/pensi on-credit- calculator * These figures may be higher due to illness or disability or for a carer. Savings credit Maximum of £17.43pw At least one person in household (couple) must be age 65+ No Savings credit Maximum of £14.82pw Age 65+ (single) Contact the Bereavement Service Helpline to obtain claim form SF200 or phone Various funeral costs, Social Fund The person claiming is receiving a 0345 6060 265 (NI reduced by any money No Funeral Payment means tested benefit 0800 353 530) from deceased estate www.gov.uk/funer al-payments N.I.: www.nidirect.gov. uk Benefit 2015/16 Qualification Taxable How to Amount Claim Universal Credit - Single Universal Credit is a new benefit that has started to replace 6 Standard allowance £317.82pm existing benefits with a single for single person age monthly payment. It will eventually Claim online at: 25+ replace: www.gov.uk/apply- Standard allowance £251.77pm Income-based Jobseeker’s universal-credit for single person Allowance, Income-related below age 25+ Employment and Support If you need help Universal Credit - Couple Allowance, Income Support, No claiming Universal Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit online call the Standard Allowance £498.89pm Credit, Housing Benefit. Universal Credit for joint claimants Dependent on income and capital. helpline:0845 600 both 25+ Capital must not exceed £16,000. 0723 Standard Allowance £395.20pm £6,000 disregarded. for joint claimants both below 25