Care and support

Income support

Income support is a means-tested benefit paid to people aged under 60 who do not have enough money to live on. It can top up other benefits such as SMP or maternity allowance, or your part-time wages. It can be paid on its own if you have no other money coming in.

You can only get income support if you do not have to sign on as available for work. Pregnant women do not have to be available for work from the 11th week before the week the baby is due and for 7 weeks after the baby is born. Before the 11th week you can still get income support if your doctor says you are unfit for work. If you are fit for work, you can claim jobseeker's allowance.

You cannot normally get income support if you are working 16 hours or more a week, or your partner (if you have one) is working 24 hours or more a week. Even if your partner works less than 24 hours, earnings are taken into account when working out how much income support you get.

You cannot get income support if you and your partner have savings of more than £16,000. If you have savings between £6,000 and £16,000 your income support is reduced.

How much income support will I get?

The amount of income support you get depends on your age, whether you are caring for anyone and whether anyone is ill or disabled. You may get extra if you have a mortgage.

NB: If you are currently being paid any personal allowances and premiums for children in your income support or jobseeker's allowance these will continue up until the time they are transferred over to child tax credit - this migration is expected towards the end of 2008.

Most types of income are taken into account when working out your income support. Both statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance count in full.

Claim income support by phoning the jobcentre plus contact centre on 0800 055 6688.

If you or your partner are aged 60 or over you should claim pension credit instead.

For more information on pension credit select the link entitled benefits for older people on the right hand side of the page.