What is Income Support?
Income Support helps people who do not have enough to live on. It is only available for certain groups of people who do not get Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance and are not in full time employment.
Income Support is being replaced by Universal Credit. Please go to the ‘Can I get Income Support?’ page in this guide for information on who can still claim Income Support.
If you qualify for Income Support, the actual amount you get depends on your circumstances.
Income support is a means-tested benefit which means entitlement is based on your income and savings and other capital, which will be looked at to see if they are low enough for you to qualify.
Income Support can be paid on its own if you have no other income or can top up other benefits or part-time earnings to the basic amount the law says you need to live on.
You do not have to have paid national insurance contributions to qualify for Income Support.
You can’t claim Income Support if you are claiming Universal Credit.
Applies to: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Age rules: You must usually be 18 or over but under Pension Credit age. Some 16 and 17 year olds can get Income Support though - see our section for Young People
Type of benefit: Means tested
Taxable: No (in most instances)
Administered by: Department for Work and Pensions - Jobcentre Plus
Updated: January 2021