Care and support

What if I live independently?

The rate of income support again depends on your circumstances. If you are a single person under 25 living independently, and getting incapacity benefit, whether you get any income support will depend on the rate of DLA you receive. The following figures are based on you not having any other income or savings above £6,000. They also assume no one is being paid carers allowance for caring for you.

Incapacity benefit for weeks 1 - 28 £61.35

Incapacity benefit for weeks 29 - 52 £72.55

Incapacity benefit from week 52 onwards £98.45

No DLA

Income support for weeks 1 - 28 £46.85

Income support for weeks 29 - 52 £72.10

Income support from week 52 onwards £72.10

DLA lowest care any mobility

Income support for weeks 1 - 28 £72.10

Income support for weeks 29 - 52 £72.10

Income support from week 52 onwards £72.10

DLA middle care

Income support for all weeks £120.55

DLA highest care

Income support for all weeks £132.85

If you are not getting DLA you will not be entitled to any income support because the amount of income support is lower than the amount of incapacity benefit. If you are entitled to the low rate of DLA care or either rate of the mobility part, you will be entitled to income support for the first 28 weeks of your claim. After 28 weeks you will stop being entitled to income support, as the income support level is lower than the incapacity benefit level.

If you are getting middle or highest rate DLA care you will get income support to top up your incapacity benefit from week one.

Why is it important to have income support?

If you are getting income support, you can get help with health costs and can access the social fund. If you are getting housing and council tax benefit you will also get the full amount you are entitled to. You can also get free school meals.

What do I have to do when I come off income support?

Reclaim housing benefit and council tax benefit from the local authority (For more information click on help with housing costs).

Claim health costs on form HC1 (For more information click on health costs).

What do I have to do when I become entitled to income support?

Reclaim housing benefit and council tax benefit.

How do I claim income support?

Claim income support on form A1, available from jobcentre plus. You can send it in up to 3 months before your 16th birthday. You can download a claim form from www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk but see below for how to claim from jobcentre plus.

If you are also going to claim incapacity benefit, tell jobcentre plus about this. Make sure that you tell them when you get IB(Y).

If you are already over 16, claim income support immediately. Income support can be backdated for up to 3 months if you could not claim earlier because of ill health or disability and it was not reasonable for you to get assistance.