Benefit Advice – Incapable of work Most people who cannot work due to illness or disability get Statutory Sick Unemployed Benefits for people who are unemployed.

Pay, or Severe Disablement Allowance (please note Severe Disablement Allowance ceased for new claimants in April 2001). Failing entitlement to any of these benefits may be claimed. You may also be able to get Income Support to ‘top up’ any of these benefits.

For all of the above benefits you must first establish that you are ‘incapable of work’. This requires medical certificates from a doctor.

Statutory Sick Pay

If you work and are sick for four or more days in a row you may qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from your employer.

To get SSP you must:

 be an employee (i.e. not self-employed or unemployed)

 be incapable of work

 be earning a weekly wage not normally more than the lower earning’s limit for national insurance contributions, which currently stands at £90.00 per week gross

 not have been receiving Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or Maternity Allowance in the previous 8 weeks

For more information and how to get SSP

Use this link to take you to the Department of Work and Pensions Website for an on-line guide to Statutory Sick Pay www.dwp.gov.uk

You must notify your employer as soon as you become sick. Any SSP entitlement will be paid the same way as wages. SSP can be paid for up to 28 weeks.

Employment and Support Allowance

Unemployed

Check your entitlement to payments from former employer’s e.g. unfair dismissal, compensation, wages in lieu of notice, redundancy pay.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

This benefit is for people who are unemployed or who work less than 16 hours a week and who are actively seeking work, are capable of work, and are available for work. It is paid on the basis of:

 Your National Insurance Contributions or  The level of your income or savings

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) based on National Insurance contributions will normally be paid for 6 months. This is called contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) - this is means tested, taxable and payable if you have no income or a low income and no more than £16,000 in savings. If you have a partner they cannot work more than 24 hours a week or more. The requirement to sign on as available for work can apply to both members of a couple, unless one member is exempt. Income- based JSA can be paid as a 'top up' to contribution-based JSA and can also include limited help with mortgages.

As well as being available for work and actively seeking work, you also need to enter into a jobseeker’s agreement or a claimant commitment. The jobseeker’s agreement is being replaced by a claimant commitment, which is a record of the work-related requirements you are expected to meet in order to continue to receive JSA.

If you fail to meet the conditions, your JSA may be sanctioned, which means that your payment of JSA will cease for a fixed period of time.

For more information and how to claim

Use this link to take you to the website for an on-line guide to Jobseeker’s Allowance https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/overview

To make a claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance phone the New Claims line on 0800 055 6688.

Universal Credit

If you are a single jobseeker looking for work you may be required to claim rather than Jobseekers Allowance.

Universal Credit is a new benefit that is being introduced as part of the Government’s Reforms. It will eventually replace several unemployment and low-income benefits and tax credits.

How will universal Credit be paid?

Universal Credit will be a single monthly payment paid into a bank, building society or Post Office account. It will be paid in arrears and new claimants should receive their first payment around 5 weeks after the date the claim is made. If you get help with your rent this will be included in your monthly payment – you will then pay your landlord yourself.

How to claim

You will be expected to make your claim on-line. For more information on Universal Credit and how to make a claim visit https://www.gov.uk/universal- credit/overview or contact the helpline on: 0345 600 0723

Housing Benefit

You can claim if you and/ or your partner are liable to pay rent for the accommodation ‘normally occupied’ by you or your family and your income is low enough in your circumstances. You (or you and your partner) must not have over £16,000 in savings, unless you (or your partner) are getting the guarantee element of . It does not cover fuel costs and some service charges.

If you are a council tenant, your rent account is credited with your benefit. This is known as rent rebate.

If you are a private tenant, housing benefit is paid to you, although it can be paid directly to your landlord. This is known as rent allowance. The Allowance will normally be paid directly into your bank account unless you are classed as a vulnerable person in which case provision will be made to pay the allowance directly to your Landlord.

How much will I get?

The amount will depend on personal circumstances, income, savings, rent and other people sharing your home. It will also depend upon the general level of rents in the area in which you live for the type of property you have. If you (or your partner) are getting Income Support or income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment & Support Allowance or the guarantee credit of Pension Credit you may get all of your eligible rent paid.

If you are renting a property or a room from a private landlord, the is used to calculate how much Housing Benefit you will get. It is based on:

 the area in which you live  who lives with you  what money you have coming in  what savings you have

It is not based on how much rent you pay.

The – the ‘benefit cap’ limits the total amount of weekly benefits that can be paid. If the cap applies to you, your Housing Benefit will be reduced to ensure that the total level of benefit you receive is not more than the cap level. The cap applies to people of working age only.

Universal credit – the government is replacing Housing Benefit (as well as other means-tested benefits) with Universal Credit. For people living in areas where Universal Credit has been introduced support towards rent payments will be made through Universal Credit, not Housing Benefit.

For more information and how to claim housing benefit;

Use this link to take you to the Housing Benefit website; http://www.southampton.gov.uk/benefits-welfare/housing-benefit/default.aspx

You can use this link to apply for housing benefit online.

Council Tax Reduction Scheme

Council Tax Reduction can help you to pay your council tax costs if you are on a low income.

How much will I get?

This depends on you or your partner’s income, savings and any investments, the number of children who live with you, whether you or any member of your family have special circumstances, for example, illness or disability and any other people who live with you.

For more information and how to claim council tax reduction

You can use the above link to apply for Council Tax Reduction online.

Extended Payment Scheme

The Extended Payment Scheme allows for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction to run on for four weeks if you have been unemployed for six months or more and you or your partner start to work. It is designed to bridge the gap between Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and receipt of your first wages.

How much will I get?

Housing benefit and Council Tax Reduction will continue at the same rate so long as you continue to remain liable to pay rent and/or council tax for five weeks or more.

To claim

Contact the Housing Benefit Contact Centre on 023 8083 3009 or your local Jobcentre Plus Office.

Health Benefits

If you receive income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance you will automatically qualify for health costs.

For more information on NHS charges see the section on Health Benefits.

Contact us:

Welfare Rights and Money Advice Southampton City Council Civic Centre Southampton SO14 7LR

Telephone: 023 8083 2339 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.southampton.gov.uk/benefits-welfare/money- advice/default.aspx