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Income Support

Applies to:  England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Who does it help?

Income Support helps people who do not have enough to live on. You do not need to have paid national insurance contributions to get it. Usually you must be state pension age and over 18.  However, some 16- and 17-year-olds can get it if, for example, they are sick, disabled or pregnant, or if they have a child.

State pension age used to be 60 for a woman and 65 for a man but this is changing for a lot of people. You can work out the exact date of your state pension age by using the state pension age calculator (link opens in a new window) on the Government's Directgov website.

You must not be in full-time work and you will only get Income Support if you are in the category of people who do not have to look for work.  People who do not have to look for work include:

• single parents if their children are aged under 10 years
• people getting Carer's Allowance
• people looking after a partner or a child under 20 who is temporarily ill. 

If you are already getting Income Support because of sickness or disability, you will carry on getting it. However, if you now become too sick or ill to work, you have to claim a benefit called income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

There are some cases when you can get Income Support if you are working but you must be working for less than 16 hours a week. 

You can claim Income Support for yourself and a partner who lives with you. Your partner must work less than 24 hours a week. If they work for 24 hours or more, you will not be able to get Income Support.

Is it means-tested?

You qualify for Income Support if your income and savings are below a certain amount. You must not have savings of more than £16,000. If you are aged 60 or over, this limit is £12,000.  If you live with a partner, only one of you can make the claim and your partner's income and savings will be taken into account.

What help does the benefit provide?

Income Support comes in the form of money from the Government that you can spend as you like. It is usually paid into your bank or building society account. You can be paid at a post office in some cases.

How much does it pay?

It is very complicated to work out how much Income Support you might get.  Your income from all different sources is added up and tested against what the government considers your needs are.  Your needs will depend on your family circumstances, for example:

• how old you are
• if you live alone or in a couple
• whether you or your dependants are disabled
• you are caring for someone
• if you or your partner have any savings over £6,000
• any earnings you or your partner may have
• if you have a mortgage. 

The amount of Income Support you get is the difference between the money you have and your needs. It can vary from one person to another.

How to claim

In England, Wales and Scotland, you can make a claim by phone.  Call:  0800 055 6688, textphone 0800 023 4888 or the Welsh Language line 0800 012 1888. After you have spoken to an officer, they will call you back to book an appointment for you to have an interview at your local JobcentrePlus office.  You can also claim Income Support online on the Department for Work and Pensions website (link opens in a new window) .

In Northern Ireland, you can get an Income Support claim form (PDF file size 310kb) (link opens in a new window) from the Department for Social Development website.

You will have to go to your local Jobcentre Plus or benefits office for an interview.

Rapid reclaims

If you have already claimed Income Support in the past and you need to make a new claim within 26 weeks, and there has been no change in your circumstance, you can fill in a shorter 'Rapid Reclaim' form instead of the normal claim procedure. For example, this could apply if you used to claim Income Support then you took up a job which did not work out and you need to go back on benefits.

Backdated claims

You might be able to make a claim for backdated Income Support, for up to one or three months, depending on the circumstances.  You must have a good reason for claiming late, for example, you have language difficulties or you were given wrong advice that made you think you would not get any money.

Documents you need

You must give your national insurance number. You normally also have to give your partner's national insurance number if you are claiming as a couple.  You also need to give evidence of who you are, for example, a driving licence or birth certificate.  You also have to give evidence of your personal and family circumstances.  

Further help

The Turn2us Benefit Checker can help you find out if you qualify for Income Support.

The Citizens Advice website (link opens in a new window) can give you more information about Income Support.

Directgov, the government website, (link opens in a new window) has more information about Income Support.

Find an adviser tool.

This information has been produced by Citizens Advice. 

Last updated: 12 July 2010