If you are on a low weekly income, Income Support can be paid as a "top-up" to your other weekly money from benefits, wages or maintenance. Being a carer may entitle you to a larger "top up".
If you have recently become a carer, you may now be entitled to receive Income Support. Get a benefits check from a Welfare Rights Adviser.
You can get Income Support as a carer, even if you also do paid work - it depends on your level of income. It doesn't matter how many hours you work, i.e. you do not have to be working less than 16 hours a week.
Carers age under 60 can get Income Support - rather than having to sign on as unemployed and claim Jobseeker's Allowance - whilst looking after someone who gets, or has applied for, Attendance Allowance or the middle or higher care rate of Disability Living Allowance.
Young carers, aged 16 or 17, can also claim Income Support through this route.
Other carers age under 60 years must usually sign on as available for work and claim Jobseekers Allowance, rather than Income Support.
Extra money
Income Support can include extra money, for example:
- the Carer's Premium
- for disabled adults - the Enhanced Disability Premium
- for home owners - some help towards mortgage interest. It can be best if the carer makes the new claim for a couple, get advice
Carer's Premium
Income Support can include a Carer's Premium if:
- You care for someone getting Attendance Allowance or the middle or higher care rate of Disability Living Allowance, AND
- You have put in a claim for Carer's Allowance and have made a claim for Income Support, AND
- Your partner (if you have one), works less than 24 hours a week
Claim both benefits (Carer's Allowance and Income Support) as early as possible. If you don't get Carer's Allowance because you already get a benefit like Incapacity Benefit, you can still have what is called an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance giving you an entitlement to the Carer's Premium.
Other premiums in Income Support
To be entitled to the Enhanced Disability Premium, you or your partner must get Disability Living Allowance at the high rate for care needs.
Extra money for disabled children in Income Support
If you get money in your Income Support for your children, you can claim:
- Disabled Child Premium if your child gets Disability Living Allowance
- Enhanced Disability Premium if your child gets Disability Living Allowance at the high rate for care
If you don't get money in your Income Support for your children, but get Child Tax Credit instead, claim the Disabled Child and Enhanced Disabled Child Elements from the Inland Revenue. The rules are the similar to the rules for Income Support.
Income Support and other benefits for carers under 60
Getting Income Support also entitles you to:
- maximum Housing Benefit, unless your rent is very high or you have another adult who is not your partner living in your home
- maximum Council Tax Benefit
- apply for a Community Care Grant from the Social Fund
- free prescriptions, glasses, dental treatment, school meals, help with funeral costs and other benefits
Working out Income Support
Most benefits (except Attendance or Disability Living Allowance) count in full when working out how much Income Support you'll get. However, £20 of part-time earnings is ignored for carers.
How to claim - ask for Form A1 from your Jobcentre Plus office. You can read more about Income Support and how to claim on AdviceKit Manchester.
See also Other benefit issues for carers
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Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
Date Reviewed:
April 2006
This information is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement on the law. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
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