Topic 4 - State benefits Flashcards
State benefits provided through a number of government agencies
Names and what areas they cover
- Pension service – state pension system, pension credit, advisers on hand to answer questions on pensions and benefits
- Department for Work and Pensions – responsible for a range of carer or disability benefits
- Jobcentre plus – working age people for unemployed, looking for work or unable to work because of health or disability
What does pension credit do
provides extra income for pensioners with low income
Pension credit consists of 2 parts which are:
- Guarantee Credit – tops up weekly income for those of state pension age with a low income
- Savings credit – rewards those of SPA with lower levels of income and some savings for their retirement. No longer available to those who reached SPA after 6 April 2016.
What level does Guarantee Credit provide benefit from, and from what age
Set just below the single-tier pension (state pension) which means fewer people are eligible. Minimum age this could be claimed from was 60 until 6 April 2010, age is now increasing with state pension age for women.
Under what basis is Guarantee Credit paid out, and what are the qualifying criteria
Specified minimum weekly amount for single people, higher for couples, to qualify you must:
- Live in the UK
- Reached SPA
- Weekly income below a specific amount, differs between singles and couples
If the person receiving Guarantee Credit is a carer, have severe disabilities or certain housing costs, they might qualify for
more guarantee credit
When applying for Guarantee Credit, the government looks at income and capiatl. In particular, they look at
basic and additional state pension, other pensions, income from jobs and any capital above £10,000.
Guarantee Credit is provided by topping up existing income as long as it is under the qualifying amount. Where savings are above £xxx, £x in every £xx above this amount counts as £x income per week and is reduced off the credit
£10,000
£1
£500
£1
Benefits not included when assessing for Guarantee Credit:
- Housing Benefits
- Council tax reduction
- Attendance allowance
- Personal possessions or homes
Savings Credit
Savings credit is a reward for people who have saved towards their retirement.
To be eligible for savings credit, one or a couple must meet all the following criteria:
- They or their partner reached state pension age before 6 April 2016.
- Have a level of income that is above a certain threshold depending on whether they are a single person or a couple.
- Either they or their partner are currently 65 or over.
- Be living in the UK.
- Have made some provisions for their retirement, like savings or a second pension.
- Immediately before the 6 April 2016, were entitled to savings credit.
- At all times, remained entitled to savings credit since 6 April 2016.
Savings credit is calculated by using every £x of income (made up from xxx) an individual gets above the weekly threshold, they get an extra xxp of Savings Credit up to a maximum weekly amount. Once they hit this maximum amount, their pension credit is reduced by xxp for every £x of income they receive above the level of Guarantee Credit. Higher threshold for couples.
£1
savings and other sources
60p
40p
£1
If individuals qualify for both Guarantee credit and Savings credit, Savings credit will not be reduced, as
savings credit only reduces when they earn too much to qualify for guarantee credit
People who receive the Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit could qualify for help towards health costs, including:
- Free NHS dental
- Voucher towards glasses or contacts
- Costs towards travelling to NHS treatment if referred by consultant
- Free NHS wigs and fabric supports
When assessing eligibility for Guarantee Credit, assuming SRA before 6 April 2016, income that is assessed is:
- State pension
- Other pensions
- Employment earnings
- Most social security (state) benefits
- Savings (£1 every week for every £500 above £10k)
Income that is excluded when assessing eligibility for Guarantee Credit:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Christmas Bonus
- Child Benefit
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- social fund payments like Winter Fuel Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction
Income Support
What is it and what are the criteria to be able to claim it
Income support was a tax-free benefit for people aged between 16 and SRA if their income was below a certain level per week, and working less than 16 hours per week (if they had a partner, they also needed to work less than 24 hours per week). Available to people with no or low income.
What happened to people who had exisitng claims for income support and what replaced this benefit
People who had existing claims are still able to receive the benefit, but no new claims could be made from 2013. Universal Credit (UC) replaced this benefit and many others (Jobseekers allowance, ESA, Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
Income support is means-tested on xxx. Reduced for anyone over £xxx capital and won’t be given if over £xxxcapital.
income and capital
£6,000
£16,000
Amount payable for income support is known as the ‘xxx’
‘Applicable amount’
How is the level of benefit calculated for income support
Current weekly income is compared against fixed weekly income (set out by the government as the amount of weekly income needed to ‘live’). Difference between existing income and this fixed rate is what is given to the recipient as Income Support Payment.
The applicable amount of Income Support will vary as it is made up of 3 different parts:
- Personal allowances
- Premiums
- Payments to cover certain housing costs
Income support is a non-contributory benefit which means
means it is not dependent on NI contributions and is not taxable.
Carer’s Allowance
What is it and what is the criteria for the people claiming it
CA is taxable and paid to people who cant work full time due to caring for someone else for at least 35 hours per week, and the person being cared for must receive one of the following benefits:
- Attendance Allowance;
- Constant Attendance Allowance with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Disablement Pension, additional conditions apply;
- the middle- or higher-rate Disability Living Allowance;
- the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment;
- Armed Forces Independence Payment;
- the middle- or higher-rate Child Disability Payment; or
- the daily living component of the Adult Disability Payment at the standard or enhanced rate.
There are a number of qualifying criteria for the person claiming Carer’s allowance:
- Claimants must be 16 or over.
- Claimants must look after someone for at least 35 hours per week and be the only or main carer for that individual; multiple people cannot receive Carer’s Allowance for caring for the same individual.
- If claimants work, they must not earn more than the weekly maximum after tax, National Insurance and expenses.
- Claimants must not get one of a list of other benefits – see below.
- Claimants must normally live in England, Scotland or Wales, and must have lived there for at least two of the previous three years (exceptions apply).
- Claimants must not be full-time students.
- Claimants must not be subject to immigration control.
Carer’s Allowance cannot usually be received if you are already in receipt of…
If you claim xxx, these may be reduced by claiming CA.
your state pension
UC
For every week that CA is received, there will usually be a class … NIC made for the claimant.
1