The Welfare Benefits Framework & Eligibility By Jamie Popplewell Welfare Benefits Consultant

By way of introduction.... I am the Welfare Benefit Consultant at Nestor Partnership and came on board in May 2011 I have 10 years experience in Welfare Benefits: Local Authority Department for Work & Pensions Freelance Adviser Adding value to our service Maximising client income

What is currently available? Income Support Jobseekers Allowance Employment & Support Allowance Housing/Council Tax Benefit Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance Carers Allowance Child Benefit Child/Working Tax Credit Industrial Injuries Benefit Pension Credit....and the list goes on

Means Testing Primary benefits – first tier Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance (IB)/Employment & Support Allowance (IR) Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) Qualifying criteria Work - under 16 hours Capital - £6,000 - £16,000 Age - 16 to State Pension Credit age Allowances Personal Allowance Premiums Applicable amount

Means Testing Housing Costs - second tier Local Authorities Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance Household composition Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA) Council Tax Benefit Passport Benefit Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)

Pension Credit State retirement age for women - steadily rising to 65 in 2020 SPC qualifying age Born on or after 6 th February 1951 Guarantee Credit Capital limits £10,000+ Tariff income - Gross capital - £10K ÷ 500 Savings Credit Threshold - £111.80/£ Maximum - £18.54/£23.73

Tax Credits – moving into work Child Tax Credit Child elements Working Tax Credit Working Hours – 24/30 Childcare Calculating the award Gross award Income threshold - £6,420 Withdrawal rate 41% Net credit

Need based benefit – Disability & Carers Disability Living Allowance Personal care – “Unable to prepare a main cooked meal” Mobility – “Supervision walking on unfamiliar routes” Attendance Allowance Over 65’s Constant Attendance Allowance – Industrial Injuries Benefit/War Disablement Pension Carers Allowance 35 Hours + Earned income limit £100 Overlapping rules

Need based benefit – Disability & Carers Industrial Injuries Benefit: Employed not self employed Accidents at work % Disablement

Other benefits available Contributions based ESA - 12 month limit Incapacity Benefit - abolished by 2014 Sate Retirement Pension Statutory Sick Pay - 28 weeks Child Benefit

Interaction with damages The 52 week rule... Income Support (General) Regulations 1987; Schedule 10, paragraph 12A Personal Injury Trusts The value of any funds held in trust and the value of the right to receive payment under that trust, following payments made to the claimant as a result of a personal injury, such as vaccine damage payments and criminal injuries compensation, are to be disregarded in full. Income Support (General) Regulations 1987; Schedule 10, paragraph 12

Interaction with damages Tax Credit Payments disregarded in the calculation of investment income: 8. Any interest, or payment which is disregarded for income tax purposes by virtue of – (a) section 751 of ITTOIA (interest on damages for personal injury), or (b) section 731 of ITTOIA (periodical payments of personal injury damages) The amount so disregarded. Chapter 7, Table 4: Tax Credit (Definition and Calculation of Income) Regulations 2002

Current changes April Most benefits increased by 5.2%, in line with CPI Child Benefit frozen until 2014 April element removed from Working Tax Credit 2012/ main elements of Working Tax Credit frozen Local Housing Allowance restricted for under 35’s 2012/ Government contribution to DHP increased to £40million per annum.

....and finally Any Questions...?

Thank you Nestor Partnership Controlled House Waterfold Business Park Bury BL9 7BR DX 20511, Bury T F nestorpartnership.co.uk Nestor Partnership is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority