Post by Beryl on May 6, 2005 16:29:23 GMT
Income Support (under 60) ; Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (IRESA)
For new claimants who are unable to work due to ill health, they will now need to put in a claim for Employment and Support Allowance. Those people who do not have enough National Insurance Contributions to be eligible for the Employment and Support Allowance will then fill in the second half of the claim form to apply for the means tested part of the benefit which is Income Related Employment and Support Allowance.
However, if the person's inability to work started before October 2008 or their impairment can be connected to before October 2008 then they may still be able to claim Income Support.
Please read the section on Income Replacement Benefits/ Employment and Support Allowance to understand the implications of the new ESA benefit and the rules and criteria that people now need to meet to be able to claim the benefit. The focus of the benefit system is now very much geared toward getting people back into work and off benefits if at all possible.
Income Support and Income Related ESA can be paid to a person who is not able to work due to ill health and who do not have enough National Insurance contributions to qualify for ESA. (or the old Incapacity Benefit)
Income support can also be paid to 'top up' a person's income if the income they are getting falls below that which the government state someone with their set of circumstances should be getting; for example, someone who is a carer or a lone parent.
Whether a person is entitled to Income Support or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance ; the way the benefit is made up financially is very similar.
For claimants of either means tested benefit it will depend on the person's individual circumstances as to how much money they will will be entitled to.
The person claiming needs to have less than £16,000 in savings. Any savings above £6000 will reduce the benefit by £1 for every £250 they have over the £6000.
The person needs to earn below a certain rate which again is individually assessed depending on their circumstances.
The person is assessed as not being able to work full time due to ill health or other reasons. The person does not work over 16 hours per week.
The person is over 16 years but under 60 years for women and 65 years for men.
The person is not in full time education or attends classes for 16 hours or more a week.
The way either benefit is made up is by starting off with a basic rate. The basic rate will depend on individual circumstances for example, whether the person is married or single.
Once the basic rate is established, premiums can then be added if the person meets the criteria for them.
Premiums:
Disability Premium: If some one is claiming certain benefits which they are entitled to due to ill health.
Severe Disability Premium: If a person is getting either middle rate or higher rate care component of the Disability Living Allowance and lives alone.
Enhanced Disability Premium: If a person is getting the higher rate of care component of the Disability Living Allowance and is under 60 years.
Carer's Premium: If a person cares for someone who is getting Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance and have claimed Carer's Allowance.
NB. If a person claims Carer's Allowance and the person being cared for claimed the Severe Disability Premium the person being cared for will loose their premium.
The means tested benefits are the most complex to understand and to work out. What people are entitled to is not a set rate and depends on their individual circumstances.
If a person is struggling on the income they have coming into the house the advice I would always give is to see a benefit's adviser or to put in a claim for benefit giving all of the circumstances that apply to that person for them to be assessed. Unfortunately claiming benefits is still not a pleasant experience and involves either filling out a form that can be as long as 50 pages or having all of the facts one could possibly need to be able to talk to a benefit's claim office for anything up to an hour and sometimes longer. However, to be put off making a claim for these reasons can mean that people are not receiving what they are legally entitled to and will continue to struggle more than they need to.
For new claimants who are unable to work due to ill health, they will now need to put in a claim for Employment and Support Allowance. Those people who do not have enough National Insurance Contributions to be eligible for the Employment and Support Allowance will then fill in the second half of the claim form to apply for the means tested part of the benefit which is Income Related Employment and Support Allowance.
However, if the person's inability to work started before October 2008 or their impairment can be connected to before October 2008 then they may still be able to claim Income Support.
Please read the section on Income Replacement Benefits/ Employment and Support Allowance to understand the implications of the new ESA benefit and the rules and criteria that people now need to meet to be able to claim the benefit. The focus of the benefit system is now very much geared toward getting people back into work and off benefits if at all possible.
Income Support and Income Related ESA can be paid to a person who is not able to work due to ill health and who do not have enough National Insurance contributions to qualify for ESA. (or the old Incapacity Benefit)
Income support can also be paid to 'top up' a person's income if the income they are getting falls below that which the government state someone with their set of circumstances should be getting; for example, someone who is a carer or a lone parent.
Whether a person is entitled to Income Support or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance ; the way the benefit is made up financially is very similar.
For claimants of either means tested benefit it will depend on the person's individual circumstances as to how much money they will will be entitled to.
The person claiming needs to have less than £16,000 in savings. Any savings above £6000 will reduce the benefit by £1 for every £250 they have over the £6000.
The person needs to earn below a certain rate which again is individually assessed depending on their circumstances.
The person is assessed as not being able to work full time due to ill health or other reasons. The person does not work over 16 hours per week.
The person is over 16 years but under 60 years for women and 65 years for men.
The person is not in full time education or attends classes for 16 hours or more a week.
The way either benefit is made up is by starting off with a basic rate. The basic rate will depend on individual circumstances for example, whether the person is married or single.
Once the basic rate is established, premiums can then be added if the person meets the criteria for them.
Premiums:
Disability Premium: If some one is claiming certain benefits which they are entitled to due to ill health.
Severe Disability Premium: If a person is getting either middle rate or higher rate care component of the Disability Living Allowance and lives alone.
Enhanced Disability Premium: If a person is getting the higher rate of care component of the Disability Living Allowance and is under 60 years.
Carer's Premium: If a person cares for someone who is getting Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance and have claimed Carer's Allowance.
NB. If a person claims Carer's Allowance and the person being cared for claimed the Severe Disability Premium the person being cared for will loose their premium.
The means tested benefits are the most complex to understand and to work out. What people are entitled to is not a set rate and depends on their individual circumstances.
If a person is struggling on the income they have coming into the house the advice I would always give is to see a benefit's adviser or to put in a claim for benefit giving all of the circumstances that apply to that person for them to be assessed. Unfortunately claiming benefits is still not a pleasant experience and involves either filling out a form that can be as long as 50 pages or having all of the facts one could possibly need to be able to talk to a benefit's claim office for anything up to an hour and sometimes longer. However, to be put off making a claim for these reasons can mean that people are not receiving what they are legally entitled to and will continue to struggle more than they need to.