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This is a brief description of the most common benefits, pensions and tax credits. The social security and tax credit system is complicated and can change, so please contact the Welfare Rights Helpline if you need information and advice on 0800 169 6625 Monday to Friday, between 10am and 4pm. This call is free.
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A
Attendance Allowance
What is it?
Social security benefit for people aged 65 and over who have care needs, such as help with having a bath.
How much is it?
£44.85 a week (lower rate – if you need help during the day or at night)
£67.00 a week (higher rate – if you need care during the day and at night)
If you want to claim Attendance Allowance, please ask us for form DS2.
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B
Bereavement Benefits
What are they?
Social security benefits for people whose husband, wife or civil partner has died. Bereavement benefits replaced Widow’s Benefit in 2001.
How much is it?
Bereavement Payment: A one-off, tax-free payment £2000
Widowed Parent’s Allowance: £90.70 a week (basic rate)
Bereavement Allowance: £27.21 to £84.35 a week (depending on your age)
If you want to claim bereavement benefits, please ask us for form BB1.
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C
Carer’s Allowance
What is it?
Benefit for carers who look after someone who gets Attendance Allowance (AA) or Disability Living Allowance(DLA) middle- or higher-rate care component.
How much is it?
£50.55 a week
If you want to claim Carer’s Allowance, please ask us for form DS700.
Claiming Carer’s Allowance can affect the benefits of the person you care for. Ask us for advice before you make a claim.
Child Benefit
What is it?
Benefit for people with children.
How much is it?
£18.80 a week for your first child
£12.55 a week for each of your other children
If you want to claim Child Benefit, please ask us for form CH2.
Child Tax Credit
What is it?
Benefit for families with children. Child Tax Credit is paid by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and replaces benefits which were given as part of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Working Families’ Tax Credits and Disabled Person’s Tax Credit.
How much is it?
The amount you receive depends on how much you earn and whether you are entitled to one or more of the following elements.
£2085.00 a year (child element – for each child)
£2540.00 a year (disabled child element – for each child)
£1020.00 a year (severely disabled child element – for each child)
£545.00 a year (family element)
£545.00 a year (baby addition – for a child up to one year old)
If you want to claim Child Tax Credit, please ask us for form TC600.
Cold Weather Payments
What is it?
A payment made by the Government (to people who receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit) when the temperature is recorded as or forecast to be below 0° centigrade at a certain weather station in your area.
How much is it?
.50 a week for the period of cold weather.
You do not need to claim Cold Weather Payments. They are paid to you automatically by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Community Care Grant – see Social Fund
Council Tax Benefit
What is it?
Benefit paid to people on a low income who have to pay Council Tax.
How much is it?
The amount of Council Tax Benefit you receive depends on your income and savings. People who get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) will usually receive full Council Tax Benefit.
If you want to claim Council Tax Benefit, please contact Denbighshire County Council on 01824 706312 (North) or 01824 706302 (South).
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D
Disability Living Allowance
What is it?
Disability Living Allowance is a benefit for people with a disability who are under 65 and have mobility or care needs. It does not depend on your income or savings.
How much is it?
Mobility component Low rate £17.75 a week
High rate £46.75 a week
Care component Low rate £17.75 a week
Middle rate £44.85 a week
High rate £67.00 a week
If you want to claim Disability Living Allowance, please ask us for form DLA1.
If you receive Disability Living Allowance, you may be able to get Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. If you already get Disability Living Allowance and you think you may be entitled to a higher rate, ask us for advice before you make another claim.
Disabled Person’s Tax Credit – see Tax credits
Disability Working Allowance – see Tax credits
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E
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
What is it?
ESA will replace Incapacity Benefit and Income Support for those people who are incapable of work. This only applies to new claims made after 27th October 2008. There will be two types of ESA:
- Income Related
- Contributory
How much is it?
People will be paid a basic allowance during a 13 week 'assessment phase' and then the level of payment may change during the 'main phase'. For those on income related ESA one or more premiums might be paid in addition to the basic allowance.
Phone the Welfare Rights Helpline for more information and advice.
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F
Family Credit – see Tax credits
Funeral Payments – see Social Fund
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G
Guardian’s Allowance
What is it?
Benefit for people who look after children who are orphans.
How much is it?
£13.45 a week for each child.
If you want to claim Guardian’s Allowance, please ask us for form BG1.
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H
Health Benefits
Health care is provided free by the NHS. If you live in Wales, you do not have to pay for your prescriptions.
Contact us for more information.
Housing Benefit
What is it?
Benefit for people on a low income who have to pay rent (not a mortgage).
How much is it?
The amount of Housing Benefit you receive depends on your income and savings. People who get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) will usually receive full Housing Benefit.
If you want to claim Housing Benefit contact Denbighshire County Council’s Housing Benefit department on 01824 706312 (North) or 01824 706302 (South).
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I
Incapacity Benefit
What is it?
Benefit for people who cannot work because of a long-term illness. You must have paid some National Insurance contributions unless you became ill before you reached working age.
How much is it?
The amount you receive depends on your age, the length of time you cannot work for and whether you want to claim Incapacity Benefit for your husband, wife or partner at the same time.
If you want to claim Incapacity Benefit, phone your local Jobcentre Plus.
Income Support
What is it?
A benefit for people on a low income. The amount of Income Support you receive depends on your income and savings. It is paid by the Government to ‘top-up’ your income.
How much is it?
Phone us for information.
If you want to claim Income Support and you are under 60, phone your local Jobcentre Plus. If you are over 60, see ‘Pension Credit’.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
What is it?
Benefit for people who have become disabled because of an accident or disease caused by their job.
How much is it?
The amount of benefit you receive depends on a doctor’s assessment of your disability. The lowest rate you can receive is £16.77 a week and the highest rate is £136.80 a week.
If you want to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, please ask for form BI95.
Invalid Care Allowance – see Carer’s Allowance
Invalidity Benefit – see Incapacity Benefit
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J
Jobseeker’s Allowance (this used to be called Unemployment Benefit)
What is it?
Benefit for people who are unemployed (or work fewer than 16 hours a week but are looking for full-time work). There are two types of Jobseeker’s Allowance. One depends on how much you have paid in National Insurance contributions, and the other depends on your income and savings.
How much is it?
£60.50 a week for people over 25 who have paid enough National Insurance contributions. If you have not paid enough National Insurance contributions, the amount you receive will depend on your income.
If you want to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance phone or visit your local Jobcentre Plus office.
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K
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L
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M
Maternity and Paternity Benefits
What are they?
There are various benefits or payments, such as Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Maternity Allowance and tax credits. Each benefit is paid for a set period of time. Some are paid by your employer, others are paid by the Department for Work and Pensions.
How much is each benefit?
These benefits depend on your circumstances. Phone us for more information
You will normally claim these benefits through your employer.
Minimum Income Guarantee – see Pension Credit
Mobility Allowance – see Disability Living Allowance
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N
National Insurance Contributions
Some benefits depend on how much you have paid in National Insurance contributions. National Insurance contributions are mainly paid from your wages if you are employed or self-employed, although you can also make voluntary contributions.
National Insurance Number
By law, if you want to claim any benefit, you must have a National Insurance number. Until you have a National Insurance number, you will not receive benefits. This is particularly important for people coming from abroad who may be entitled to benefits (for example, refugees).
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O
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P
Paternity benefits – see Maternity and paternity benefits
Pension Credit
What is it?
A new name for Income Support for people over 60. People over 65 can also receive Savings Credit which is a different type of Pension Credit for people who have savings or who have paid into a pension scheme.
How much is it?
The amount of Pension Credit you receive depends on your circumstances, for example, your income.
If you want to claim Pension Credit phone the Pension Service.If you already get Income Support you should not need to make a new claim for Pension Credit, you should get it automatically.
Retirement pension – see State Pension
Severe Disablement Allowance
You can no longer claim Severe Disablement Allowance.
What is it?
Benefit for people who cannot work and who have not paid enough National Insurance contributions to qualify for Incapacity Benefit. People who received Severe Disablement Allowance before April 2001 still receive it if they still cannot work.
How much is it?
£51.05 a week
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Q
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R
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S
Sickness benefit – see Incapacity Benefit
Social Fund
The Social Fund is made up of two parts – the Regulated Social Fund and the Discretionary Social Fund.
What is it?
The Regulated Social Fund provides Maternity Grants, Funeral Payments, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments. The Discretionary Social Fund can provide Community Care Grants, Budgeting Loans and Crisis Loans.
How much is it?
There is no set amount. Payments from the Social Fund depend on your circumstances.
If you want to apply to the Discretionary Social Fund, please ask us for the following forms.
- Community Care Grant form SF300
- Budgeting Loan form SF500
- Crisis Loan form SF401
If you want to apply to the Regulated Social Fund, please ask us for the following forms.
- Maternity Grant form SF100
- Funeral Payment form SF200
Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments are paid to you automatically by the Government.
State Pension
What is it?
Payments to people of retirement age who have paid National Insurance contributions during periods of their working life.
How much is it?
£90.70 a week (this is the basic amount for someone who has paid enough National Insurance contributions)
If you want to claim State Pension, you will need form BR19 (this is usually sent to you by the Pension Service about four months before you reach State Pension age).
Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay – see Maternity and paternity Benefits
Statutory Sick Pay
What is it?
Benefit for employees who cannot work because of sickness. It is paid for up to 28 weeks. It is not paid to unemployed or self-employed people. It is paid through your employer.
How much is it?
£75.40 a week. (You may receive more money from your employer if sick pay is included in your contract of employment.)
If you want to claim Statutory Sick Pay, you must talk to your employer.
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T
Tax Credits
What are they?
HM Revenue & Customs introduced tax credits in April 2003 to replace Working Families’ Tax Credit, Disabled Person’s Tax Credit, certain parts of Income Support and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Family Credit.
The two tax credits are as follows.
1 Child Tax Credit (CTC) – for low to middle-income families who have responsibility for at least one child.
2 Working Tax Credit (WTC) – an income-based payment for working adults on a low income.
How much is it?
The amount you receive depends on your income. Tax credits are worked out on your income each year, and are paid once a month.
If you want to claim tax credits, please ask us for form TC600 or phone HM Revenue.
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U
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V
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W
Widow's benefits – see Bereavement Benefits
Winter Fuel Payments – see Social Fund
Working Families' Tax Credit – see Tax Credits
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X
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Y
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Z
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