Welfare Benefits List
– a to z of benefits
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
It’s paid at 2 different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability.
You could get £59.70 or £89.15 a week to help with personal support if you’re both:
- physically or mentally disabled
- State Pension age or older
It does not cover mobility needs.
The other benefits you get can increase if you get Attendance Allowance.
You do not have to have someone caring for you in order to claim.
You could get £67.25 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.
You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.
You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.
If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance.
Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. You have to pay tax on it if your income is over the Personal Allowance.
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit that helps with gaps in your National Insurance record. Your State Pension is based on your National Insurance record.
You could get Carer’s Credit if you’re caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week.
You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:
- under 16
- under 20 if they stay in approved education or training
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.
Child Tax Credit is paid to help people with the costs of bringing up a child. It is being replaced by Universal Credit so only some people can still claim Child Tax Credit.
You can only make a new claim for Child Tax Credit if you:
- get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it
- got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it
If your child is 16, you can claim up until 31 August after their 16th birthday. If they are in approved education or training, you can claim until their 20th birthday.
If you cannot make a new claim for Child Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit (or Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over).
Council Tax Reduction (also known as Council Tax Support) is a benefit to help people who are on a low income or claiming certain benefits to pay their Council Tax bill.
Apply to your local council for Council Tax Reduction.
You’ll get a discount on your bill if you’re eligible.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is money for people who have extra care needs or mobility needs (difficulty getting around) as a result of a disability. There are two parts called components: the care component and the mobility component. You may qualify for one or both of these.
You can no longer make a new claim for DLA if you are 16 or over. If you are under pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead. If you are over pension age, you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance instead. If you have a child with an illness, injury or disability you may be able to claim Disability Living Allowance.
The grant can be used to provide adaptations for people with disabilities, to support independent living and to help them remain in their own home. Adaptations include things such as stair lifts, ramps and showers, but doesn’t cover decorative work.
If you’re struggling to pay your rent, Barnsley Council might be able to offer you a discretionary housing payment (DHP).
This is a short term payment that we can award to help cover your housing costs. You may be able to claim this on top of your usual housing benefit or Universal Credit payment.
They have a limited amount to spend on DHPs each year. Once they’ve spent this, they can’t make any further awards, so they have to make sure that we help those who need it most.
Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you’re unemployed, on a low income or claiming benefits. It’s being replaced by Universal Credit.
You can make a new claim for Housing Benefit if any of the following apply:
- you’re getting the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it
- you got or were entitled to the severe disability premium within the last month and are still eligible for it
- you have reached State Pension age
- you’re in supported, sheltered or temporary housing
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) is for people who are disabled because of an accident at work, or who have certain diseases caused by their work (but not if this is self-employment).
IIDB is a no fault scheme paid by Department for Work and Pensions.
You might get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if you became ill or are disabled because of an accident or disease either:
- at work
- on an approved employment training scheme or course
The amount you may get depends on your individual circumstances.
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is a benefit for people who are not in full time employment (work less than 16 hours per week), are capable of working and are looking for work.
If you are a private tenant your maximum Housing Benefit entitelement or Universal Credit housing payment entitlement is based on the Local Housing Allowance rate appropriate to your circumstances.
You can check the LHA rates for you, based on the area you live in.
You can also check how many bedrooms you may be eligible for, based on the number of people in your household.
When you take time off to have a baby you might be eligible for:
- Statutory Maternity Leave
- Statutory Maternity Pay
- paid time off for antenatal care
- other welfare benefits
There are rules on when and how to claim your paid leave and if you want to change your dates.
You can work out your maternity pay and leave online.
You may also be eligible to get Shared Parental Leave and Pay.
Pension Credit is a benefit for people over State Pension age. It tops up your income if you’re struggling to make ends meet.
Pension Credit is an income-related benefit made up of 2 parts – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
- Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income if it’s below £173.75 (for single people) or £265.20 (for couples). You may still be eligible if you have savings, a pension or your own home.
- Savings Credit is an extra payment for people who saved some money towards their retirement, for example a pension.
- You may not be eligible for Savings Credit if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.
You do not pay tax on Pension Credit.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is money for people who have extra care needs or mobility needs (difficulty getting around) as a result of a disability.
PIP is replacing Disability Living Allowance for people aged 16 or over, but under state pension age.
You could get between £23.60 and £151.40 a week if you’re aged 16 or over and have not reached State Pension age.
The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.
You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get. Your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right support.
The Social Fund is a Government scheme to help people with expenses that are difficult to meet on a low income.
There are several different types of Social Fund benefits. These include:
New State Pension is money paid to people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.
You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension if you’re:
- a man born on or after 6 April 1951
- a woman born on or after 6 April 1953
The earliest you can get the new State Pension is when you reach State Pension age.
If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you’ll get the State Pension under the old rules instead.
Statutory Sick Pay is money paid to you by your employer if you are sick and unable to work.
You can get £95.85 per week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re too ill to work. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks.
You can get more if your company has a sick pay scheme (or ‘occupational scheme’) – check your employment contract.
Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of working-age who are on a low income or do not work.
It replaces six existing means-tested benefits (also known as legacy benefits):
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Housing Benefit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit.
Universal Credit is paid on a monthly basis (or twice-monthly in Scotland). How much money you will get is worked out in two steps.
First, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works out what it thinks you should need to live on, based on your household’s circumstances. Next, it takes away some of the income you have coming in.
You don’t need to do anything if you are already claiming existing legacy benefits and your situation stays the same.
The local welfare assistance scheme helps people who are in financial crisis due to an emergency or other unexpected circumstances.
The scheme can provide:
- food from foodbanks
- household items for people setting up a new home after a period of living in an institutional setting, or following an unforeseen, unfortunate event
The current scheme has been adapted to also provide support for those whose financial situation has been affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
Local welfare assistance is a discretionary scheme from Barnsley Council for people with no alternative support or assistance available to meet their needs.
Working Tax Credit is money provided to boost the income of working people who are on a low income.
Whether you can get Working Tax Credit depends on:
- the hours of paid work you do each week
- your income and circumstances
New Working Tax Credit claims
Working Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit for most people.
You can only make a new claim for Working Tax Credit if you:
- get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it
- got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it
If you cannot make a new claim for Working Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit (or Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over).
Want to know more? Give us a call: 01226 240273 or email: first.contact@dialbarnsley.org.uk
