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The following are a brief description of most common benefits available during 2008/09. The list is NOT an authorative statement of law and is intended as a guide only. Note that the Social Security System is complex and liable to alteration / change on a regular basis.
NB:
1. Rates below may differ for certain client groups, eg people from abroad, people resident in care homes and hospital, etc. Seek further advice if this applies to you.
2. Although the relevant Form is listed that has to be completed to make a benefit claim, the Department for Work & Pensions prefer people to make claim over the telephone. There is nothing in law, however, to stop anyone making a paper claim at a Department for Work & Pensions office.
Please link on the appropriate letter in the list of letters above and a list of all benefits beginning with that letter will appear. Please note - where a letter is not underlined this indicates that no benefits are listed for that letter at this time.
A
| Attendance Allowance |
| What is it? |
Social Security Benefit paid to people aged 65+ who have care needs. |
| How much is it? |
£44.85 (lower)
£67.00 (higher) |
| Claiming |
Form DS2 |
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B
| Bereavement Benefits |
| What is it? |
Social Security Benefits paid to the bereaved. They replace Widows Benefit from 2001 onwards. |
| How much is it? |
Bereavement Payment: £2,000
Widowed Parents Allowance: £90.70 (basic)
Bereavement Allowance: £90.70 (full rate) |
| Claiming |
Form BB1 |
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C
| Carers Allowance (formerly know as Invalid Care Allowance) |
| What is it? |
Benefit for carers who look after someone in receipt of Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance Middle or Higher rate care component. |
| How much is it? |
£50.55 |
| Claiming |
DS700 |
| Note: Claiming this benefit can sometimes affect the payments of the person you care for. Take advice before claiming. also, a claim for this benefit can entitle people to Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. |
| Child Benefit |
| What is it? |
Payment for people with care of child(ren). |
| How much is it? |
£18.80 first child
£12.55 other children |
| Claiming |
Form CH2 |
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| Child Tax Credit |
| What is it? |
Payment for families with children. Administered by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and replaces previous payments for children made with Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Working Families and Disabled Persons Tax Credits. |
| How much is it? |
Amounts vary. Payments are described annually:
£2,085 = child element
£2,540 = disabled child element
£1,020 = severely disabled child element
£545 = family element
£545 = family element (baby addition) |
| Claiming |
TC600 |
| Cold Weather Payments |
| What is it? |
Payment made to certain people when a defined period of 'cold weather' occurs. |
| How much is it? |
£8.50 per week |
| Claiming |
Department for Work & Pensions will automatically pay it. See Department for Work & Pensions website or contact Wrexham County Borough Council Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298254. |
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| Council Tax Benefit |
| What is it? |
See Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Benefit paid to people liable to pay Council Tax and have a low income. |
| How much is it? |
depends - there is a means-tested 'sliding scale' calculation. Those in receipt of Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance or guarantee element of Pension Credit will usually receive full Council Tax Benefit. |
| Claiming |
Contact Wrexham Council Finance Department on 01978 292031 or, if claiming Income Support etc complete HCTB1 form in the claim pack. |
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D
| Disabillity Living Allowance (DLA) |
| What is it? |
Non means-tested benefit for people with a disability, aged under 65 with mobility and/or care needs. |
| How much is it? |
Mobility
Low rate: £17.75
High rate: £46.75
Care
Low rate: £17.75
Middle rate: £44.85
High rate: £67.00 |
| Claiming |
DLA1 |
| Note: If you think you may qualify for this benefit, submit a claim. A successful claim will NOT affect any other income adversely. If already in receipt of some part of DLA and you believe you may be entitled to a higher amount DO NOT submit a further claim without first taking advice from the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298254. |
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E
| Employment and Support Allowance |
| What is it? |
Will replace current Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid to those incapable of work from October 2008. More stringent tests will apply . |
| How much is it? |
To be advised
|
| Claiming |
To be advised |
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F
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G
| Guardians Allowance |
| What is it? |
Benefit paid to people looking after children who are effectively orphans. |
| How much is it? |
£13.45 per qualifying child |
| Claiming |
Form BG1 |
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H
| Health Benefits |
Health care is generally provided free by the NHS. There are, however, fixed charges for some items and services (prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, glasses, etc). Some exemptions apply to those in receipt of certain benefits and in certain situations, eg residents of care homes, asylum seekers, hospital in-patients. From April 2007 most prescriptions are free in Wales but not England.
|
| Housing Benefit |
| What is it? |
See Housing Benefit. Benefit paid to people liable to pay rent (NOT a mortgage) and have a low income. |
| How much is it? |
depends - there is a means-tested 'sliding scale' calculation. Those in receipt of Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance or guarantee element of Pension Credit will usually receive full Housing Benefit. |
| Claiming |
Contact Wrexham Council Housing Benefit Department on 01978 292033 or, if claiming Income Support, etc, complete HTCB1 form in the claim pack. |
| Note: from April 2008, if renting from a private landlord, benefit will be known as Local Housing Allowance. |
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I
| Incapacity Benefit
(formerly known as Invalidity Benefit and Sickness Benefit) |
| What is it? |
Benefit paid to people who are incapable of work and satisfy national insurance contribution conditions or become incapable of work in youth. |
| How much is it? |
There are various rates depending on your age, length of time deemed incapable of work and whether a claim includes your spouse. |
| Claiming |
SSP1, IB(Y)1 or SC1 |
| Note: This benefit will be abolished for new claimants in October 2008 when “Employment and Support Allowance” is introduced. (those, on Incapacity Benefit at this time will at some stage be migrated on to the new benefit). |
| Income Support |
| What is it? |
A means-tested benefit for people on low income. Depending on a claimant's given situation, the government will 'top-up' a persons level of income to a pre-set amount. |
| How much is it? |
depends, please contact the Welfare Rights Unit for details on 01978 298254. |
| Claiming |
A1 (under 60). For those over 60, see Pension Credits. |
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| Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit |
| What is it? |
Benefit paid to people who have become disabled due to accident / disease caused by employment. |
| How much is it? |
depends on extent of assessed disability (minimum = £27.36 maximum = £136.80 for over 18s) |
| Claiming |
Form BI95 |
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J
| Jobseekers Allowance
(JSA) (formerly known as Unemployment Benefit) |
| What is it? |
Benefit for those who are unemployed (or work less than 16 hours a week but are seeking full-time work). There are two types of JSA: one relies on a National Insurance contribution record, and the other works on a means-tested system similar to Income Support. |
| How much is it? |
£60.50 (for over 25's and satisfy National Insurance conditions).
For income-based JSA the amounts vary. |
| Claiming |
Jobseekers pack from Jobcentres only. |
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L
| Local Housing Allowance (LHA) |
| What is it? |
New name for Housing Benefit for those renting in the private sector. |
| How much is it? |
see Local Housing Allowance Rates
|
| Claiming |
|
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M
| Maternity (and Paternity) Benefits |
| What is it? |
Various benefits / payments including Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Maternity Allowance and Tax Credits. Each are time limited, some are paid by an employer, some by Department for Work and Pensions. |
| How much is it? |
Various amounts. Check with the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298254. |
| Claiming |
Through employer, Department for Work & Pensions or Inland Revenue. Check with the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298254 to see which applies to you. |
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N
| National Insurance Contributions |
| Some benefits can only be paid if National Insurance contribution record is sufficient. These are mainly paid through the course of employment (employed or self-employed) although voluntary contributions can also be made. |
| National Insurance Number (NI No) |
| It is now a statutory requirement that any benefit claimant must have a NI No. Until a number is allocated, benefit is not paid. This is particularly important for people coming from abroad who may be entitled to benefits (refugees etc). |
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P
| Pensions Credit |
| What is it? |
A new name for Income Support for people over 60, introduced from October 2003. For people over 65, a ‘savings’ credit can also apply. It is a government reward to those who have been able to, or chosen to, plan for retirement by saving or paying into a pension scheme . |
| How much is it? |
depends - check with the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298254. |
| Claiming |
PC1 |
| Note: If already in receipt of Income Support you should not need to make a new claim for Pension Credit; you should automatically be passported to it. |
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R
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S
Severe Disablement Allowance
(this benefit was abolished for NEW claimants in April 2001) |
| What is it? |
Benefit for people incapable of work who did not satisfy the National Insurance Contribution record for Incapacity Benefit. Those in receipt of Severe Disablement Allowance prior to April 2001 continue to receive it if still deemed incapable of work. |
| How much is it? |
£51.05 (basic amount) |
| Claiming |
N/A |
| Social Fund |
| What is it? |
The regulated social fund covers maternity grants, funeral payments, cold weather and winter fuel payments. The discretionary social fund covers community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans. Various conditions have to be satisfied depending on what type of payment is claimed. |
| How much is it? |
varies |
| Claiming |
Discretionary Fund
Community Care Grant SF300
Budgeting Loan SF500
Crisis Loan SF401
Regulated Fund
Maternity Grant SF100
Funeral Payment SF200
Winter Fuel & Cold Weather Payment automatically paid |
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| State Retirement Pension |
| What is it? |
Payment for those of retirement age who have paid National Insurance contributions during periods of their working life. |
| How much is it? |
£90.70 (basic amount for Category A pension) |
| Claiming |
Form BR19 (usually sent to you about 4 months before reaching pension age). |
| Statutory Sick Pay |
| What is it? |
Benefit paid to employees if incapable of work for up to 28 weeks. Not paid to the unemployed or self-employed. It is paid and administered by your employer. |
| How much is it? |
£75.40 per week (more may be paid as contractual sick pay if agreed with employer in contract of employment). |
| Claiming |
Inform your employer. |
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T
| Tax Credits |
| What is it? |
A new scheme from April 2003. Tax Credits are administered by Her Majesties Revenues & Customs (HMRC) and replace Working Families Tax Credit, Disabled Persons Tax Credit, certain elements of Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance and Family Credits.
The two main elements are:
1. Child Tax Credit (CTC)
2. Working Tax Credit (WTC)
1. for low / middle-income families, working or not, who have responsibility for at least one child.
2. an income-based payment for working adults. |
| How much is it? |
variable, depending on income. Payments are annualised (as opposed to all other benefits which are calculated on a daily or weekly basis). |
| Claiming |
TC600 |
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U
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W
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