A-Z of Services

A-Z of Benefits

The following are a brief description of most common benefits available during 2012/13. 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. This is particularly so during the current period of welfare reform.

Over the next few years we expect to see “Universal Credit” replace most of Income Support, Child / Working Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, income-based (not contribution-based) Jobseekers / Employment & Support Allowances and some of the Social Fund.

Disability Living Allowance, for most people, will start to be replaced with “Personal Independence Payment” from 2013 onwards. Employment and Support Allowance (paid on the basis of having paid sufficient National Insurance Contributions) is now time – limited to a maximum of 12 months for most claimants.

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 a claim over the telephone. There is nothing in the rules, however, to stop anyone making a paper claim at a Department for Work & Pensions office. Further, claims can increasingly be made online for most benefits.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Please link on the appropriate letter as 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?	£51.85 (lower) £77.45 (higher)
Claiming	Form AA1

Bereavement Benefits
What is it?	Social Security Benefits paid to the bereaved replaced Widows Benefit from 2001 onwards.
How much is it?	Bereavement Payment: £2,000 Widowed Parents Allowance: £105.95 (basic) Bereavement Allowance: £105.95 (full rate)
Claiming	Form BB1 / Tel : 0845 6088601

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?	£58.45
Claiming	DS700 / Tel : 0845 6084321
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, or increase their payment of, Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing/Council Tax Benefits.

Child Benefit
What is it?	Payment for people with care of child(ren).
How much is it?	£20.30 first child £13.40 other children
Claiming	Tel : 0845 3021444

Cold Weather Payments
What is it?	Payment made to certain people when a defined period of 'cold weather' occurs.
How much is it?	£25.00 per week
Claiming	Department for Work & Pensions should automatically pay it. See Department for Work & Pensions website or contact Wrexham County Borough Council Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298255.

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 Employment & Support Allowance or guarantee element of Pension Credit will usually receive full Council Tax Benefit.
Claiming	Contact Wrexham Council Finance Department on 01978 292032 or, if claiming Income Support etc complete HCTB1 form in the claim pack.

Disability 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: £20.55 High rate: £54.05 Care Low rate: £20.55 Middle rate: £51.58 High rate: £77.45
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 298255. This benefit will be replaced by a new one (PIP) in the next year or two.

Employment and Support Allowance
What is it?	Paid to those deemed to have limited capability for work. Similar to Jobseekers Allowance, ESA has two components: a contributory and an income-related element. Similar to the benefit it replaces (Incapacity Benefit), claimants will be medically assessed to determine what work-related activity/tasks they may or may not be capable of. This will result in a points ‘score’ which the claimant needs to reach in order to receive payment.
How much is it?	Assessment Phase payment (age over 25) £71.00 Work-related activity component £28.15 Support component £34.05
Claiming	ESA pack from DWP. Tel : 0800 0556688
Note: Unless claimant is in the ‘support’ group then the contributory part of this benefit only paid for a maximum of 12 months.

Guardians Allowance
What is it?	Benefit paid to people looking after children in place of parent(s).
How much is it?	£15.55 per qualifying child
Claiming	Tel : 0845 3021444

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. See New or Potential Claimants information.
Claiming	Contact Wrexham Council Housing Benefit Department on 01978 292032 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. Housing payments will be paid as part of the new ‘Universal Credit’ from 2013.

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	N/A
Note: This benefit was abolished for new claimants in October 2008 and replaced by “Employment and Support Allowance”. Those still receiving Incapacity Benefit are now being 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 pension age).Tel: 0800 0556688. For those over pension age, see Pension Credits.

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 = £31.62 maximum = £158.10 for over 18s)
Claiming	Tel : 0800 0556688

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?	£71.00 (for over 25s and satisfy National Insurance conditions). For income-based JSA the amounts vary, similar to Income Support and Employment & Support Allowance.
Claiming	Jobseekers pack from Jobcentres only. Tel : 0800 0556688

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	Contact Wrexham Council Housing Benefit Department on 01978 292033 or if claiming Income Support etc complete HTCB1 form in the claim pack.

Maternity (and Paternity) Benefits
What is it?	Various benefits / payments including Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Maternity Allowance. 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 298255.
Claiming	Through employer, Department for Work & Pensions or HMRC. Check with the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298255 to see which applies to you.

Pension Credit
What is it?	A means-tested benefit for people over pension age. 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. Operates in a similar way to Income Support.
How much is it?	depends - check with the Welfare Rights Unit on 01978 298255.
Claiming	PC1 or Tel : 0845 6060265
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.

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 the old 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?	£69.00 (basic amount)
Claiming	N/A

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?	£107.45 (basic amount for Category A pension for a single person)
Claiming	Form BR19 (usually sent to you about 4 months before reaching pension age).
Note : Pension ages are going up! Since April 2010, some people are not be deemed to be of retirement age until they are 61 or more (women) or 66 or more (men). Contact us for more details

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?	£85.85 per week (more may be paid as contractual sick pay if agreed with employer in contract of employment).
Claiming	Inform your employer.

A-Z of Services

A-Z of Benefits

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

P

R

S

T

U

W

Related links

RSS Feeds

Legal

Contact Details

Location

Useful Links