A Guide to Income Support (IS20)
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Withdrawn This publication is withdrawn. This publication is no longer current. Read guidance about Income Support. A guide to Income Support A guide for professional and voluntary advisers and others who want to know more about Income Support IS20 DWP – August 2010 1 IS20 – A guide to Income Support IS20 – A guide to Income Support This guide is for professional and voluntary advisers and members of the public who want to know more about Income Support. It does not cover every situation that may arise and it is not a complete and authoritative statement of the law. List of sections The main rules................................................................................................... 5 People who qualify for Income Support ............................................................. 7 Who you can claim for ..................................................................................... 11 Making a claim................................................................................................. 18 Your Income Support payment........................................................................ 21 Deductions from benefit paid direct to a third party ......................................... 51 Making payments to you.................................................................................. 59 What to do if you think our decision is wrong................................................... 61 Changes in circumstances............................................................................... 62 Special Rules................................................................................................... 66 Other help you may get ................................................................................... 80 Further information .......................................................................................... 82 Contents The main rules................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................. 5 Residence in the United Kingdom............................................................... 5 Remunerative work rules ............................................................................ 5 People who qualify for Income Support ............................................................. 7 People who are looking after somebody..................................................... 7 People who are incapable of work .............................................................. 8 People on parental leave ............................................................................ 9 People on paternity leave ........................................................................... 9 People who are pregnant............................................................................ 9 People in relevant education....................................................................... 9 For more information, see ‘Special rules’ for people in education............. 10 Other people in certain circumstances who qualify................................... 10 Who you can claim for ..................................................................................... 11 Claiming for your family ............................................................................ 11 DWP – April 2014 2 IS20 – A guide to Income Support Claiming as a couple ................................................................................ 11 Temporary separation of a couple ............................................................ 12 Living together as a married couple.......................................................... 12 Claiming for children and young people.................................................... 14 Non-dependants ....................................................................................... 16 Making a claim................................................................................................. 17 How to claim / how to contact us .............................................................. 17 The date of the claim ................................................................................ 17 Backdating a claim.................................................................................... 17 How claims are worked out....................................................................... 18 Decisions on a claim................................................................................. 18 Notification of the payment ....................................................................... 19 Making a rapid reclaim.............................................................................. 19 Your Income Support payment........................................................................ 20 Personal allowances................................................................................. 20 Premiums.................................................................................................. 21 Housing costs ........................................................................................... 25 Rates of benefit......................................................................................... 34 Treatment of income and capital............................................................... 34 Deductions from benefit paid direct to a third party (Third Party Deductions Scheme).................................................................... 50 What the Decision Maker takes into account............................................ 50 Limits to the amount to be deducted......................................................... 50 Priority order ............................................................................................. 50 Mortgage interest...................................................................................... 51 Care homes .............................................................................................. 51 Hostel charges.......................................................................................... 52 Rent arrears and service charges............................................................. 52 Gas and electricity .................................................................................... 52 Water and sewerage charges in England and Wales ............................... 53 Council Tax arrears .................................................................................. 53 Fines or compensation orders .................................................................. 54 Contribution to child maintenance............................................................. 54 If you change your address....................................................................... 54 If you change your supplier....................................................................... 54 Recovery of social security benefits.......................................................... 54 Making payments to you.................................................................................. 58 Method of payment ................................................................................... 58 Paydays .................................................................................................... 58 Help with cashing your benefit .................................................................. 59 DWP – April 2014 3 IS20 – A guide to Income Support What to do if you think our decision is wrong................................................... 60 Explanations and looking at the decision again ........................................ 60 Appealing.................................................................................................. 60 Changes in circumstances............................................................................... 62 How to tell Jobcentre Plus about changes................................................ 62 The changes Jobcentre Plus need to know about .................................... 62 Special Rules................................................................................................... 66 People in education .................................................................................. 66 If you are under 20 and at school or college............................................. 66 School leavers .......................................................................................... 67 People from abroad (including returning UK nationals)............................. 67 People without accommodation ................................................................ 68 Hospital in-patients ................................................................................... 69 Hospital in patients and couples ............................................................... 69 Help if you live in a care home.................................................................. 71 Young people being looked after by a local authority ............................... 74 Members of religious orders ..................................................................... 74 Prisoners and their families....................................................................... 74 People who are going abroad temporarily ................................................ 75 Trade disputes .......................................................................................... 77 Other help you