State Benefits are sums of money paid by the Government to
people in certain circumstances to meet their day to day living needs. They
exist to make sure no one falls below a minimum standard of living. State
Benefits are also sometimes called allowances, pensions, tax credits or
entitlements.
If you
come to live in the United Kingdom you may be eligible for financial help. To
get this help you must be able to prove residency and that you are registered
as a worker.
Eligibility
to state benefits depends on; 1)your immigration status 2) if you are looking
for employment
Some
most common state benefits are:
Job
seekers Allowance
- You may get job seekers allowance if:
- You’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 or 17
– contact Job
centre Plus for advice)
- You’re under the State Pension age
- You’re not in full-time education
- You’re in England, Scotland or Wales
- You’re available for work
- You’re actively seeking work
- You work on average less than 16 hours per week
- Your partner, if you have one, works for less than 24 hours a week
on average
- You have signed an agreement to look for work (‘Claimant
Commitment’)
- You don’t have an illness or disability which stops you from working
Employment
and support Allowance
- You may get ESA if your illness or disability affects your ability
to work and you’re:
- under State Pension age
- not getting Statutory Sick Pay or Statutory Maternity
Pay and you haven’t gone back to work
- not getting Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income
Support
- To be eligible for Income Support, you must be between 16 and
Pension Credit qualifying age
Council
Tax Support
- You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits.
Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%.
Support
for Mortgage Interest
- To qualify for a Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan you
usually need to be getting one of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s
Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal
Credit
- Pension Credit
Tax
credit
- Working tax credit: Eligibility depends on your age and how many
hours of paid work you do a week. Your income and circumstances will also
affect how much you get.
- Child tax credit: you may be able to claim Child Tax Credit if
you’re responsible for children either; aged 16 or under – you can claim
up until 31 August after their 16th birthday and under 20 and in eligible
education or training
Universal
Tax
- You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or
out of work.
Personal
Independence Payment (PIP)
- You must be aged 16 to 64 and have a health condition or disability
where you:
- have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both)
for 3 months
- expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months (unless
you’re terminally ill with less than 6 months to live)
Disability
living Allowance
Disability
living Allowance for Children
- The child must:
- be under 16
- need extra looking after or have walking difficulties
- be in Great Britain, another European Economic Area (EEA) country or
Switzerland when you claim – there are some exceptions, such as family
members of the Armed Forces
- have lived in Great Britain for 2 of the last 3 years, if over 3
years old
- be habitually
resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel
Islands
- not be subject to immigration
control
Disability
living Allowance for Adults
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is replacing Disability Living
Allowance (DLA) for disabled people aged 16 to 64.
- You can no longer apply for DLA if you’re 16 or over. You might be
able to get PIP instead.
Attendance
Allowance
- You can get Attendance Allowance if you’re 65 or over and the
following apply:
- you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, for
example blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties),
or both
- your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for
yourself or someone to supervise you, for your own or someone else’s
safety
- you have needed that help for at least 6 months (unless you’re
terminally ill)
Carer’s
Allowance
- You must earn no more than £120 a week after tax and
expenses. All of the following must also apply:
- you’re 16 or over
- you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone
- you’ve been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last
3 years (this doesn’t apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian
protection status)
- you normally live in England, Scotland or Wales, or you live abroad
as a member of the armed forces
- you’re not in full-time education
- you’re not studying for 21 hours a week or more
- you’re not subject to immigration
control
Pension
Credit
Guarantee
Credit
- To qualify for Guarantee Credit:
- you must live in England, Scotland or Wales
- you or your partner must have reached Pension Credit qualifying age
Savings Credit
- To qualify for the extra Savings Credit you or your partner must be
65 or over.