Severe Disability Premium/Registered Blind

Marsha2007

Hi, advice please.  My husband is registered blind/severely sight impaired.  We receive housing benefit.  I have just received our new housing benefit award due to my income going up because of NMW increase and have been checking we are receiving everything we are entitled to.  I have read that you can have the Severe Disability Element on the applicable amounts if you are registered blind.  I don't claim any qualifying benefits (CTC/WTC and child benefit), so assumed he wouldn't be entitled to it, but on Turn to Us it says this:- 

Qualifying for a Severe Disability Premium in other situations

If you are part of a couple and your partner is registered blind, you can still qualify for SDP paid at the single rate even if your partner does not get a qualifying benefit.

Can anyone explain it to me please as I don't understand this!  He is registered blind and does get a qualifying benefit (PIP Higher rate for both) (but I don't) so where does that leave us?!!

Also, I've also read that £20 of my income would be disregarded for housing benefit purposes as he is registered blind.  Is this right also as I'm pretty sure this isn't happening for housing benefit?  I can't even remember if we told them he was registered blind (has been for years - he has had his guide dog for 4 years!) as I didn't think it would make a difference!!

Thank you for any advice.  Our housing benefit award will go down by nearly £25 a week due to the increase in my wages (£1000 over the year) & slight increase in tax credits (£12 a week) so any little extra helps.

Spoonie_Turtle

Marsha2007 said:

Hi, advice please.  My husband is registered blind/severely sight impaired.  We receive housing benefit.  I have just received our new housing benefit award due to my income going up because of NMW increase and have been checking we are receiving everything we are entitled to.  I have read that you can have the Severe Disability Element on the applicable amounts if you are registered blind.  I don't claim any qualifying benefits (CTC/WTC and child benefit), so assumed he wouldn't be entitled to it, but on Turn to Us it says this:- 

Qualifying for a Severe Disability Premium in other situations

If you are part of a couple and your partner is registered blind, you can still qualify for SDP paid at the single rate even if your partner does not get a qualifying benefit.

Can anyone explain it to me please as I don't understand this!  He is registered blind and does get a qualifying benefit (PIP Higher rate for both) (but I don't) so where does that leave us?!!

That's referring to if you were to claim the SDP for yourself, which is not applicable based on what you've told us (i.e. you're not disabled).

The SDP is for disabled people living alone, or treated as living alone because the only other adults are also disabled.
He can't claim it in the Housing Benefit because he does not live alone nor is treated as living alone, because you're not disabled.

Marsha2007

Thank you for replying!  I did find on the Shelter site a list of the elements which could be added to a claim and one of them is Severe Disability Premium couple (one qualifies) - as below. What does this mean then, as I read that (probably wrongly) that if you're in a couple then only one needs to qualify?  I don't understand why it says "If you are part of a couple and your partner is registered blind, you can still qualify for SDP paid at the single rate even if your partner does not get a qualifying benefit." if SDP is only for people who are living alone?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding really thick!  This is probably why I never question anything as I don't understand it all anyway!

Premiums

Type of premium	£ per week
Family premium	19.15
Lone parent family premium	22.20
Disabled child premium per child	80.01
Carer premium	45.60
Single claimant disability premium	42.50
Couple disability premium	60.60
Enhanced disability premium single claimant	20.85
Enhanced disability premium couple	29.75
Enhanced disability premium child	32.20
Severe disability premium single claimant	81.50
Severe disability premium couple (one qualifies)	81.50
Severe disability premium couple (both qualify)	163.00

Marsha2007

It doesn't matter, I've re-read it all again and understand it now.  The partner can be disregarded if they also claim a qualifying benefit or are registered blind. 

Does anyone know if my income is disregarded by £20 if my husband is registered blind though?

Income that is partly disregarded Some types of weekly income are partially disregarded as follows: ⚫ £5 of earnings if you are single, £10 if you have a partner ⚫ £20 of earnings if you or your partner are a carer, or receive certain disability or sickness benefits, or are registered blind/severely sight impaired (£25 of earnings for lone parents)