Income Support

What is Income Support?

Income Support is a means-tested benefit for people aged 16 to pension age.  It aims to help with basic weekly living costs.

Universal Credit has replaced most new claims for working age means-tested benefits, including Income Support, but some people still receive it.

Newcastle Welfare Rights have useful webpages on Universal Credit.

Am I eligible for Income Support?

To be eligible for income support you must:

• Not receive Job Seekers Allowance or income related Employment and Support Allowance
• Satisfy some limited reasons such as being a lone parent with a very young child or a carer

How much income support may I receive?

The current Income Support rates can be found at Income support on Gov.UK. The amount you get depends on many things including how much income you have and your age.

You can also Check your entitlement to benefits online on the City Council’s Welfare Rights website which lists a number of do-it-yourself calculators.

When pension age is reached, Pension Credit may be payable instead.

Benefit cap

Your benefit(s) may be limited by the Benefit cap.

How to claim Income Support

It is not normally possible to make a new claim for Income Support. Instead you would have to make a claim for Universal Credit. More details about this are on the City Council’s more detailed Universal Credit webpage

Visit www.gov.uk for more information on income support.

Where can I get benefits advice?

You can get benefits advice from a local independent service. They can help guide you through the application process and explain how some benefits may impact upon another:

• Citizens Advice Newcastle give advice to anyone in Newcastle
• Newcastle Welfare Rights Service give advice to people in priority groups including those over 65. They have self help material on their website.
• Find more about benefit advice services available across Newcastle.
• Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through partner organisations.

• Payment Exception Service was introduced as cheques are no longer used to pay state benefits and Pension credit. Information Now has more details on the service available to those unable to use bank accounts.

• Telephones article on Information Now has details of a more affordable telephone service if you are in receipt of certain benefits for example, Pension Credit, Income Support, Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Last updated: September 7, 2021