South Ribble Borough Council

Benefits Service

Means-Test(1) Applicable

Amounts(2) Premiums

(3) Income

(4) Disregards

Applicable Amounts  

PERSONAL ALLOWANCES  

 SINGLE CLAIMANT 

 DEPENDANTS’ ALLOWANCE

Aged under 25 £56.80 Birth – 16 years (ChB) £65.62Aged 25 - 29 £71.70 16 years – 20th B’day (ChB) £65.62Main Phase ESA £71.70    

 LONE PARENT

 

 POLYGAMOUS

 Aged under 18 (HB Only) £56.80 DWP Circ A23/2013 Appendix A £40.85Aged 18 + £71.70    Main Phase ESA £71.70    

 COUPLE

 

 PENSIONERS

 Both aged under 18 (HB Only) £85.80 Aged 60-64 (single claimant) £145.40At least 1 aged 18 - 59 £112.55 Aged 65+ (single claimant) £163.50Main Phase ESA £112.55 Aged 60-64 (couple) £222.05    At least one aged 65+ £244.95

PREMIUMSCarer £33.30Family £17.40Family (lone parent) protected where entitled to Family Premium prior to April 1998 £22.20

DISABILITYChild (for each child) £57.89Single Person or Lone Parent £31.00Couple - Claimant or Partner disabled £44.20

ENHANCED DISABILITYChild (for each child) £23.45Single person or Lone Parent £15.15Couple £21.75

SEVERE DISABILITY – WORKING AGE AND PENSION AGE

Single Person or Lone Parent in receipt of AA or high/middle rate DLA Care, no non dependents over 18 and no one receiving Carers Allowance for them

  £59.50

Couple – Claimant & Partner in receipt of AA or highest/middle rate DLA Care, no non dependents over 18 and no one receiving Carers Allowance for one of the couple

  £59.50

Couple – Claimant & Partner in receipt of AA or highest/middle rate DLA Care, no non dependents over 18 and no one receiving Carers Allowance for care of Claimant or Partner

  £119.00

The Calculation

 APPLICABLE AMOUNT

 £

 INCOME

 £

Couple 112.55 Long Term Incapacity Benefit 162.64

Dependant 65.62 Child Tax Credit 208.24

Dependant 65.62 Child Benefit *** 47.10

Dependant 65.62 Maintenance*** 10.00

Family Premium 17.40

Disability Premium 44.20 Total Income 427.98

 Less Disregarded Income *** 57.10

Total Applicable Amount 371.01 Income Used in Assessment 370.88

Welfare Reform - changes

o Local Council Tax Support Schemeo Under Occupancy

Local Housing Allowance

o The Benefits Cap

o Universal Credit

o Social Fund

Care & Urgent Needs Support Scheme

Local Council Tax Support Scheme

Subject to the existing means-test

Protects vulnerable/disabled people through PREMIUMS

Pensioners are EXCLUDED from the scheme

The Scheme applies to ALL working age claimants

Under Occupancy

Under Occupancy

South Ribble Borough Council = 600 – 650 cases

The Benefits Cap

The Benefits Cap

The Benefits Cap is applied following a full means-test; the restriction is applied to Housing Benefit rather than other

DWP Benefits in the first instance

The Benefits Cap is restricted to:

o£500 per week for Couples and Lone Parentso£350 per week for Single Adults

Social Fund

Social Fund will no longer be administered by DWP from 1st April. Lancashire County Council will take over this

(changed) service. LCC have rebranded Social Fund to “Care & Urgent Needs Support Scheme”

Gateway / Benefit Service will refer claimants to LCC as appropriate

Universal Credit

Universal Credit is designed to simplify the Welfare System; UC will replace a number of other Benefits to provide a

single entitlement based upon need. It is being designed to encourage claimants to be work ready; it will be paid

monthly into a bank account and applications will be made on line.

Digital by Default – Digital by Design

o Universal Credit will begin to rollout from October 2013o Universal Credit will eventually replace Housing Benefito Migration from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit will be

completed by 2017 o Housing Benefit will no longer be administered by Local

Authorities

Discretionary Housing PaymentsDHPs are designed to provide short-term

financial assistance where (typically) a shortfall exists between the actual rent

and Housing Benefit (or Universal Credit) awardUnlike the means-test, the DHP assessment compares:

Total Household IncomeV

Reasonable Expenditure

Where reasonable expenditure exceeds available income a DHP award will be considered – for a limited period

Decisions can be reviewed by another officer but there is no right of appeal

Communications

o Local Council Tax Support Schemeo Public Consultation plus letters to every working age claimanto All Working Age claimants notified of the changes in writingo Gateway trained to take enquiries

o Under Occupancyo Partnership working with RSLs for property informationo Everyone affected had been notified in advance by letter (Jan)o New Award letters have already been issued to all claimants

(March)o Letters include reference to Discretionary Housing Payments

o The Benefit Capo On hold – pending information from DWP

o Social Fundo LCC / DWP providing communication regarding changes

o SRBC Benefit Staff / Gateway to provide sign-posting to LCC

Maximising Entitlemento Gateway & Benefit staff undertake

training to ensure compliance with emerging legislation

o Benefit staff include better off assessment when processing applications o Home Visits / Gateway Appointments available to help with form completion

o The Benefit Calculator is available on SRBC’s website for self serve

o We work with partners to encourage take-up of Benefit

o Printed on the back of all Council Tax Bills is advice on how to claim

o Advice surgeries are run throughout the Borough

o Signposting to all available benefits in DWP, HMRC and TPS