Who can claim income support?

Fay_elizabeth

Hello All

I was hoping someone could clear this up for me. Who is income support for?

I was told (by an online benefits calculator) that I was not eligible bt I was eligible for housing & council tax benefit which I have applied for.

I live with my partner, he works 32 hours a week on minimum wage and I am unemployed (and desperately searching!) I am not eligible for income based or means tested JSA because of him working over 27 hours and my lack of N.I. contributions (I was a student ) So basically we just have his income to live on. I am 25 and he is 24. I don't understand why we aren't eligible?

Thanks in advance guys! :A

karenx

Income support is for lone parents who dont work and sick/disabled. You dont come into any of those categories so you arent eligable
You are right about not being eligable for JSA income based or contributions based though

Fay_elizabeth

So you have to have a child?

karenx

To claim income support as a lone parent then yes. Some sick and disabled people can claim it too

dookar

There are other prescribed categories but even if you satisfy one of them, the remunerative work rule would mean you are not entitled (based on partner's work)

zagfles

You earn far too much for income support or incomebased JSA (this is assessed jointly - basically makes income up to around £5500). But once your partner is 25 you can claim working tax credits. You should be able to claim housing benefit now, maybe council tax benefit.

Fay_elizabeth

Thanks.

Our plan was to go for tax credits if our situation is still the same by his 25th birthday. By the way, the over 25 thing, anyone know why?

zagfles

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

Thanks.

Our plan was to go for tax credits if our situation is still the same by his 25th birthday. By the way, the over 25 thing, anyone know why?

Don't know, ask Gordon Brown. Basically the older you are the more generous benefits get. It is of course pure co-incidence that older people are more likely to vote

missmontana

Actually, you don't have to have a child or be sick/disabled.

Who can get Income Support
It's for people who all the following apply to:
are between age 16 and the age they can get Pension Credit
have a low income
work less than 16 hours a week, depending on the amount of your wage
aren't in full-time study (but there are some exceptions)
don't get Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
don't have savings above £16,000
live in Great Britain
You may get Income Support if you are one of the following:
a lone parent
on parental or paternity leave
a carer
a refugee learning English who arrived less than a year ago

Young people in relevant education may also get Income Support. Generally this means full-time education up to GCE A-level or Scottish Certificate of Education (Higher level). This might apply if you:
are a parent
don't live with a parent or someone acting as a parent
are at serious risk of abuse or violence
are a refugee learning English

You can get Income Support as well as some other benefits.
Contact Jobcentre Plus to find out more.

BigAunty

Fay_elizabeth wrote: »

..

Our plan was to go for tax credits if our situation is still the same by his 25th birthday. By the way, the over 25 thing, anyone know why?

Arbitrary threshold probably designed to reduce the burden on the state purse, to encourage the young into full employment and thus discourage people from claiming benefits the moment they leave school.

Same with the Local Housing Allowance rule where only those over 35 can get a rate for a 1 bedroom property instead of a bedroom in a shared property (used to be 25). Can't really have teenagers swanning into a letting agent expecting their own pad.

Same with JSA not generally payable to the under 18s to encourage them into employment and training.

Don't know the situation now but the outgoing labour government ruined the economy by dishing out so many benefits that we ended up paying more out than employees paid in income tax, a very terrible imbalance in the nations purse.

Samsaragirl

zagfles wrote: »

Don't know, ask Gordon Brown. Basically the older you are the more generous benefits get. It is of course pure co-incidence that older people are more likely to vote [/QUOTE

Yeah, till you get to 65, then you're written off.

I get income support, as a carer for those written off.