Further information

How benefit is calculated

Benefit is calculated by reference to an Applicable Amount which is intended to reflect basic weekly living expenses. This is a calculated using amounts taken from the table below. The figures are set by Parliament each year and those shown apply from April 2008. They are normally uprated annually.

The level of benefit is assessed by comparing your net income with your Applicable Amount. There is provision in the scheme for some types of income to be ignored, wholly or partly.

If you are on Jobseekers Allowance (IB) or Income Support or your income is equal to or less than your Applicable Amount, or if you are entitled to the Guaranteed Credit of Pension Credit, your housing benefit/council tax benefit will be 100% of the eligible sum – subject to any non-dependant.

If your income exceeds your Applicable Amount, council tax benefit will be 100% of your eligible council tax less 20% of the difference between the two figures. There will be a deduction for any non-dependant living in the property. For housing benefit the award will be 100% of your eligible rent less 65% of the difference between the two figures. Again there will be a deduction for any non-dependants.

The Applicable Amount is consists of a personal allowance for the claimant or claimant and partner (if any). This is increased if there are any dependant children and increased again by premiums in certain specific situations. The tables below may assist you in working out your Applicable Amount. It is therefore calculated as follows:

Personal Allowances (table A) + Dependant Child Allowance (table B) + Premium(s) (table C & D) = Applicable Amount

A: Personal Allowances (one only)

Claimant type	Age	Price
Single claimant	Aged between 60 and 64	£124.05
Single claimant	Aged 65 years or over	£143.80
Couple	Both members aged under 65	£189.35
Couple	One member or both members aged 65 or over	£215.50
If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and none of the members of the marriage have attained the age of 65	For the claimant and the other party to the marriage.	£189.35
	For each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant	£65.30
If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and one of the members of the marriage are aged 65 or over	For the claimant and the other party to the marriage	£215.50
	For each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant	£71.70

B: Dependant Children’s Allowance (one for each child)

Age	Allowance
Dependent child or dependent young person up to 20th birthday	£52.59

Notes for section B

A dependant child is a child of you or your partner for whom you receive Child Benefit and is:

1) Under 16 or;

2) Between 16 and 20 (inclusive) but not on Income Support/JSA (IB) or in advanced education and treated as a child for Child Benefit purposes

C: Premiums (Any of these may apply)

Premium type	Amount	Notes
Family premium – including lone parents	£16.75 or £22.20	Awarded if you have one or more dependant child/young person in your family. Higher rate applies if you are a lone parent and you have been receiving Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit continuously since 1st April 1998
One (or more) child(ren) aged under one year	£10.50	Awarded if you have one or more dependant children in your family under the age of one. Awarded until their 1st birthday if it falls on a Monday, otherwise the following Monday.
Disabled child premium	£48.72	Awarded if you child receives Disability Living Allowance or is registered blind.
Severe disability premium		Awarded if you and your partner (if any) get Attendance Allowance or the middle or high care component of the Disability Living allowance. However the premium will not apply if you have a non-dependant living with you or someone is being paid a Carers Allowance to look after you.
Single	£50.35
Couple – one qualifies	£50.35
Couple – both qualify	£96.90
Carer premium	£27.75	If you or your partner is in receipt of a Carer's Allowance. Two premiums can be paid if both partners each get Carer's Allowance.
Enhanced disability premium	£19.60	For a child or young people only, regardless of how much capital they have. The child or young person receives the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance.

D: Premiums (highest only)

Premium type	Amount	Notes
Disability premium		Awarded if you or your partner receives Incapacity Benefit at the long –term rate, Severe Disablement Allowance. Disability Living Allowance, Disabled Person’s Tax Credit, or Attendance Allowance or you or your partner is registered blind.
Single	£25.85
Couple	£36.85
Enhanced disability premium		Enhanced is awarded if you or a member of your family is in receipt of the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, and that person is under 60years of age.
Child	£19.60
Single	£12.60
Couple	£18.15

To calculate your Applicable Amount we select your personal Allowance from section A, add Allowances for each dependant child from Section B, add any premiums from Section C. The total equals your Applicable Amount.

Your capital (savings etc.)

If you are aged over 60 and have less than £6,000 in savings and investments then this is ignored completely for housing benefit and council tax benefit purposes. If you are in a care home, the first £10,000 is completely disregarded.

If you have more than £16,000 you are NOT entitled to either housing benefit or council tax benefit purposes. However there is no limit on the amount of savings and investments you can have to qualify for the guaranteed pension credit, which means that you may still qualify for housing benefit and council tax benefit.

If you are entitled to the guaranteed credit, you will be entitled to full housing benefit and/or council tax benefit, even if you have savings in excess of £16,000. More information on pension credits will follow later on this page.

Capital between £6,000 and £16,000 (unless you are in a care home, in which case it is capital between £10,000 and £16,0000 is deemed to attract a Tariff Income of £1.00 per week for every £500.00 or part thereof. For example – Capital of £8,100 would be deemed to yield an income of £5.00 per week.

Your income

Most income is taken into account in full. However, certain types of income such as Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Winter fuel payments, are completely disregarded. (NB In addition to statutory regulations governing the treatment of income, South Norfolk Council has decided that for benefit purposes, the full amount of any War Disablement Pension or War Widow’s pension will also be ignored).

As far as ‘Earnings’ are concerned, it is the net weekly earnings that are taken into account, less the amounts listed below (where applicable). Net weekly earnings is gross earnings less tax and National Insurance and 50% of any contribution to a pension scheme.

If working – disregard part of the earnings as follows:	Disregard (amounts)
Single person	£5.00
Couple	£10.00
Lone parent who is entitled to a lone parent premium	£25.00
For parents who pay to a registered childminder for childcare	£175.00 for one child £300.00 for two or more children
If you have children and you or your partner work more than 30 hours per week	£15.45
Disabled Persons (so long as you or your partner work more than 30 hours per week)	£20.00
If you or your partner is entitled to a disability or severe disability or a carer premium	£20.00

Up to £15.00 per week of maintenance payments received for your children are disregarded provided that you are entitled to the family premium – see premiums table C. Also, £20.00 of any part-time earnings from the Emergency Services or the Territorial Army.

Your eligible rent

The eligible rent used in calculating your benefit is worked out by deducting sums in respect of certain items from the gross weekly rent. Where your gross rent includes amounts for ineligible items such as water rates, board, heating, lighting, cooking, etc., these amounts are deducted from the gross rent.

In South Norfolk we operate the Local Housing Allowance scheme for tenants of privately rented accommodation although there are exemptions to the scheme (see Local Housing Allowance).

Your eligible council tax

This is the amount you pay in council tax calculated to a weekly figure. From 1^st April 2004 there is now no restriction placed on the amount of council tax benefit you are entitled to, whatever the valuation band of your property.

Maximum and minimum benefit

Housing benefit

The maximum benefit you can receive is 100% of the eligible rent unless you qualify for Local Housing Allowance, when it can be more. Theminimum benefit you can receive is £0.50 per week. Entitlement of less than £0.50 per week is not payable.

Council tax

The maximum benefit you can receive is 100% of your council tax.

Non-dependant deductions

A non-dependant is a person who lives with you as part of the family on a non-commercial basis. Examples of a non-dependant are grown up children, parents, or other relatives or friends. A deduction will usually be made from your benefit entitlement in respect of any non-dependant. If you are over 65, any increased deduction is not applied for 26 weeks – therefore, if a non – dependant moves into your property, the deduction will not apply for this period. It is therefore important that you inform the benefits office should a non-dependant move in or have a change to their income.

See a more detailed description of non-dependant deductions.

Second Adult Rebate

It may be that you do not qualify for main council tax benefit, because your income or capital is too high. However, this would not prevent you from claiming Second Adult Rebate, which ignores your financial situation and looks instead at the income available to any non-dependants who live with you. Please note though that there are a number of conditions.

More information on Second Adult Rebate.

Information on pension credits

Pension Credit is administered by the Pensions Service and is a benefit for people aged 60 or over. It can top up any money you or your partner, if you have one, already have coming in each week to a level that the Government say you need to live on. This amount is called the Guarantee Credit. It also introduces a new element that rewards the savings and income of pensioners aged 65 and over.

If you or your partner are aged 65 or over, you may also be entitled to a reward for making provision for your retirement. This is a new element introduced by Pension Credit and is called the Savings Credit. It can be paid with a Guarantee Credit or on its own. Certain income such as occupational pensions, or savings, are used to calculate how much savings credit you will get.

Depending on your age and income, you may be awarded the Guaranteed Credit on its own, Savings Credit on its own, or both the Guaranteed Credit and the Savings Credit.

If you are entitled to at least the Guarantee Credit component of Pension Credit you will qualify for linked entitlement to full eligible housing benefit/council tax benefit.

If you are entitled to the Savings Credit only component of Pension Credit, any entitlement you may have to housing benefit /council tax benefit will be considered by South Norfolk Council having regard to all the information you have provided on the claim. The income and capital used by the Council will be the same as that used by the Pension Service, when calculating your Savings Credit.

Information on Pension Credits

You can contact the office dealing with Pension Credits in the following ways:

By telephone: – call 0845 60 60 265
On the web: - http://www.pensions.gov.uk/
By post: - The Pension Service, Po Box 1032, Cardiff, CF91 1XN

Discretionary housing payment

In certain circumstances, we may make an additional payment above your housing benefit and/or council tax benefit entitlement. If you feel you are suffering substantial hardship you should write to us to explain your situation and your reasons for requesting additional payment.

There is no legal right to such a payment, and also no right of appeal against any decision made. Each case must be considered on its merits and any payment is made solely at our discretion.

Claimant rights

We must do our best to make a decision on your claim within 14 days – this assumes you have supplied all the necessary information.

If you want to know more you can ask for a detailed explanation of how your benefit entitlement has been calculated.

If you are unhappy with our decision on your claim for housing or council tax benefit you must tell us straightaway or you may lose out. You must let us know why you think our decision is wrong. You can ask us to explain the decision, to look at it again, or you may appeal to an Independent Appeal Tribunal. If you want to appeal, you must do so within one month of the date of the letter we send you advising you of our decision.

Changes in your circumstances

You MUST let us know immediately if your circumstances change. This means any change to the information that you may enter on a claim form. The following are examples of changes, but the list is not exhaustive.

• Any changes in income, including changes to earnings, etc.
• If Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance stops
• If Working Tax Credit is awarded or increases or decreases
• If you have an addition to your family of your child leaves school.
• If someone moves into or out of your home
• If you change address
• If you or your partner goes into hospital for more than six weeks
• If you or your partner become, or cease to be, a student

Help and advice

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is available to assist with general benefit enquiries. They can also advise you should you not be satisfied with the result of your claim. See our page on Citizens Advice Bureaux for contact details of all the centres in the area.

Alternatively, we have a designated Welfare Officer who is available to give you independent advice on any benefit matter or practical help and assistance with the completion of forms or any issue that may be of concern.

Fraud

A small minority of claimants seek to defraud the benefit system and in so doing disadvantage those in genuine need. At South Norfolk we are committed to preventing and detecting abuse of the system and we would welcome any help you can give us.

To report a suspected fraud call free on 0800 389 6109. You need not leave your name and address if you don’t want to. Any information you give us will be treated as strictly confidential. If you know someone who is taking advantage please let us know. We promise a full investigation and prompt action.

If you give us your name and telephone number, we will not disclose the information to anyone else – buy it will enable us to let you know the outcome of the investigation and action taken.

How to apply for housing and/or council tax benefit

If you wish to make a new claim for benefit, see our page on making a benefit claim where you can download the form you need.

Related pages on this website

• Local Housing Allowance
• Benefits for people with non-dependants
• Online benefits estimate
• Make a benefit claim