Income Support


Income Support helps people who do not have enough to live on and who:


• are between age 16 and Pension Credit qualifying age (see Chapter 3); and 


• have no income or a low income; and 


• work less than 16 hours a week (and any partner is working less than 24 hours a week); and 


• do not have savings above £16,000; and 


• live in England, Scotland or Wales — there are different rules for Northern Ireland. 


At least one of the following must also apply. They must also be:


• pregnant;


• a lone parent (including lone foster or adoptive parent) with a child under five;


• a carer;


• on maternity, paternity or parental leave;


• unable to work because they are sick or disabled (or appealing a decision about work capability);


• in full-time education (not university), aged between 16 and 20, and a parent;


• in full-time education (not university), aged between 16 and 20, and not living with a parent or someone acting as a parent;


• a refugee learning English — the course must be at least 15 hours a week, and they must have started it less than 12 months ago; or


• in custody or due to attend court or a tribunal.


How much can you get?


The amount you get depends on your personal circumstances and your earnings and savings. IS is made up of a personal allowance for you and your partner (if you have one), plus certain premium payments — if you are disabled or your partner is a pensioner, for example. If you qualify and you have no income, you will get at least £57.90 a week.


You are not entitled to IS if your capital or savings, together with those of your partner, amount to more than £16,000, and income and savings of over £5,999 can affect how much you get.


More information about claiming IS, including the phone numbers to make a claim can be found on the government website at: www.gov.uk/income-support.


To claim IS, you should fill in claim form A1, available from your local Jobcentre Plus or benefits office or download at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-support-claim-form.