STATE BENEFITS SUMMARY 2016/2017

State Benefits - Not means tested

Benefit / 2016/17
Amount / Qualification / Taxable / How to
Claim
Attendance Allowance (AA)* / No / Disability Benefit HelpLine 0345 605 6055
Claim online using a step by step form:
Or form AA1A to claim by post.
NI: 0800 220674
or
Higher rate / £82.30pw / Age 65+. Day and night care required.
Lower rate / £55.10 / Age 65+. Day or night care required.
Bereavement Allowance / Dependent on National Insurance Contribution (NIC) record of deceased.
Paid to widow/widower/civil partners. / Yes / Form BD8 (344S1 in Scotland) on back of death certificate & send for form BD1 or call Job Centre Plus on 0345 6060 265

N.I. call 0800 085 0295

Age 55 to State Pension Age (SPA) / 100% is £112.55 pw for one year maximum
Age 45 to 54 / Paid 1 year max, amount dependent on age
Bereavement Payment / £2,000 lump sum / Mainly new widows/widowers/civil partners under State Pension Age.But if over this age, where deceased not entitled to State Pension on their own record or partner was under SPA when they died. / No
Carer’s Allowance
(not paid to anyone in receipt of a State Retirement Pension) / £62.10pw / Caring for someone in receipt of AA, middle or higher rate care component of DLA or Daily living component of PIP, or Constant Attendance Allowance for at least 35 hours a week, but earnings limit of £110pw (net). (Occupational and Personal pensions not earnings.) Allowance can be reduced by amount of certain other benefits received, e.g. State Pension. / Yes / Carer’s Allowance Unit 0345608 4321
NI: 0800 220674
or online using a step by step form:
N.I.
Council Tax / N/A / Contact local Authority
Exempt / No council tax payable. Usually for 6 months but could be 12 months under certain circumstances. / Empty property if e.g. in hospital, care home or living with someone who provides personal care.
Disabled / Lower Council Tax band / Property has certain features 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)*
Care Component / No / Disability Benefit Helpline:0345 712 3456
NI 0800 220674
or claim online at
disability
N.I.
Higher rate / £82.30pw / Age below 65. Day & night care 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
Lower rate / £21.80pw / Some mobility needs
Benefit / 2016/17
Amount / Qualification / Taxable / How to
Claim
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) [formerly Incapacity Benefit] / Contributory ESA is a taxable benefit.
Income-related ESA is not taxable. / No initial forms required. Phone 0800 055 6688.
Weslg h language 0800 012 1888

N I: 0800 085 6318

Single for 13 weeks
Couple (Income related ESA only) / £73.10pw
£114.84 / Under SPA and unable to work due to illness or disability. Evidence required. Contributory ESA dependent on NIC. Not generally means tested, but if receiving gross pension of more than £85pw, benefit will be reduced by 50p for every £1 in excess of £85pw
Income related ESA is for couples or those with insufficient contributions.
Thereafter if work thought unlikely / £114.85pw
Thereafter if work thought unlikely– Single
Couple (income Related) /
£101.15pw
151.05pw
Thereafter if work though likely – Single – Payable for 1 yr
Couple (Income related) /
£102.15pw
143.90pw
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) / Contribution-based JSA is £73.10pw for up to 6 months, reduced £ for £ if company pension is more than £50pw. Income-based JSA payable if insufficient NIC. Homeowners may get help with mortgage interest / Unemployed or working less than 16 hrs pw. Must be under SPA and seeking full time job. Full rate NIC must have been paid for the contribution-based JSA.
For Income-based JSA, have to be on low income and savings under £16,000. (£6,000 is disregarded) / Yes / Phone 0800 055 6688. Northern Ireland 0800 353530
Online at:
Jobcentre Plus, or

N.I.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Replacing DLA for people of working age (16-64) from 8th April 2013*
Daily LivingComponent / No / PIP Claim Line: 0800 917 2222
NI 0800 220674
PIP Enquiry Line: 0345 850 3322

N.I.
Enhanced rate / £82.30pw / Age below 65. Must have a long term health condition or disability and have difficulties with activities related to “daily living” and mobility. Must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect them to last at least 9 months (not applicable if terminally ill)
Standard rate / £55.10pw
Mobility Component
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 – Reach State Retirement age on or before 5th April 2016 / Basic pension based on full rate NICs paid for 30 years. (35 years after 6th April ’16) / Yes / Phone0800 731 7898
Welsh lang. 0800 731 7936
NI 0808 100 2658

N.I.
state-pension
Basic retirement / £119.30pw
Spouse/Female Civil Partner (Male Civil Partner after 6-4-15).No longer available for Spouse/Civil Partner below SPA on or after 6-4-16.. / £71.50pw / Paid if reached SPA & qualify for less than 60% of full pension based on own contributions.
Spouse/civil partner must have reached SPA.
New State Pension (paid to people who reach state retirement age on or after 6th April 2016) / £155.65pw / The amount you receive can be higher or lower depending on your NI record. It will only be higher if you already have over a certain amount of Additional State Pension (ASP). It will be lower if you have been in a contracted out of the ASP part of the sate scheme.
State Pension Forecast (Form BR19) / If below SPA , phone 0345 300 0168 or online at

*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 / 2016/17
Amount / Qualification / Taxable / How to
Claim
Winter Fuel Payment / N/A / Winter Fuel Claim Line 03459 151515 or online

Winter fuel payments will no longer be payable to individuals who live in: Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain, because the average winter temperature higher than the warmest region of the UK. / £200 lump sum / Must be born on or before 5 May 1953 for 2016/17 winterpayment
£300 lump sum / Age 80+
State Benefits - Means tested
Income support / Age under Pension credit age (increasing in line with increase in SPA) & don’t have to sign on for work. Savings must not exceed £16,000 per household (£6,000 disregarded). / No / Contact local Jobcentre Plus office or phone 0800 055 6688(NI 0800 353530)

N.I.
Personal allowance for couple age 18+ / £114.85pw
Personal allowance for single person age 25+ / £73.10pw
Pension credit / Age 60+ (increasing in line with increase in SPA). Income will be assumed to be £1pw for every £500 of savings over £10,000. Amounts can be increased for severe disability, carers and those with housing costs (e.g. mortgage interest) / No / Freephone 0800 991234 Northern Ireland, 0808 100 6165

N.I.:
Pension Credit Calculator

Standard minimum guarantee (couple) / Will top up income to minimum guarantee of *£237.55pw
Standard minimum guarantee (single) / Will top up income to minimum guarantee of *£155.60pw
* These figures may be higher due to illness or disability or for a carer.
Savings credit (couple) / Maximum of £14.75pw / At least one person in household must be age 65+ /
No
Savings credit (single) / Maximum of £13.07pw / Age 65+
Social Fund Funeral Payment / To be eligible for a Funeral Payment you must be either: the partner of the deceased when they died, the parent of a deceased child, or have been responsible for the deceased child, the parent of a still-born child, a close relative or close friend of the deceased. / You or your partner were claiming or receiving a means tested benefit such as Pension Credit, Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment & Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit. / No / Contact the Bereavement Service Helpline 03456060 265 (NI 0800 353530)

N.I.:
Universal Credit - Single
Standard allowance for single person age 25+ / £317.82pm / Universal Credit is a new benefit that has started to replace 6 existing benefits with a single monthly payment. It will eventually replace:
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit.
Dependent on income and capital. Capital must not exceed £16,000. £6,000 disregarded. / No / Claim online at:
If you need help claiming Universal Credit online call the Universal Credit helpline:0345 600 0723
Report changes: 0345 600 3018
Standard allowance for single person below age 25+ / £251.77pm
Universal Credit - Couple
Standard Allowance for joint claimants both 25+ / £498.89pm
Standard Allowance for joint claimants both below 25 / £395.20pm