When we work out your benefit we take into account the following:
- how much money you and your partner have coming in each week
- how much you and your partner have in savings and investments
- the circumstances of other people in your household
- the amount of rent you pay
- the amount of council tax you pay.
The income we use to work out your benefit
If you and/or your partner are working we take into account all of your pay, but we deduct income tax, national insurance and half of any money you pay into a pension scheme.
There are certain benefits which we do not take into account i.e disability living allowance and attendance allowance, however you must still tell us about and provide proof of all income you receive.
You also need to tell us about all your savings and investments. We disregard the first £6000 of your savings and investments however please still provide us with proof.
If you get income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment support allowance (income related), you may receive maximum benefit based on your eligible rent.
Applicable amounts
An applicable amount is the amount the government says you need to live on each week and your benefit will be calculated by comparing the level of your income to this amount.
Your applicable amount is made up of three parts -
- an amount for you and your partner, if you have one
- an amount for any dependent children in your family
- any premiums to help with special needs, for example, if you have a disabled child
These amounts are set by the government and normally change every year.
Calculation of benefit for private tenants
If you are a private tenant and make a new claim your entitlement will be calculated using the Local Housing Allowance rates.