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Working Tax Credit (WTC) is administered by the HMRC. It is a means-tested or income-related tax-free payment for those in paid work.
You can get WTC if you meet the following conditions at the time you make your claim:
- You are at least 16 years old; and either you or your partner are working for 16 or more hours a week, and meet one of the following conditions:
- You are responsible for a child or young person and you are a single parent; or
- You have a physical or mental disability that puts you at a disadvantage in getting a job and you were previously receiving some form of disability benefit; or
- You or your partner are aged 60 or over; or
- You or your partner are aged 25 or over and work at least 30 hours per week; or
- You are a couple, one or both of you are responsible for a child or young person and one of you works at least 16 hours per week and you work at least 24 hours a week between you; or
- You are a couple, one or both of you are responsible for a child or young person and one of you works at least 16 hours a week where the other partner is, in hospital or prison, or is entitled to CA, or is getting certain benefits due to sickness or disability.
- You satisfy the residence and presence conditions and are not subject to immigration control.
The basic amount of WTC is up to £1960 per year. You could get more (or less) depending on your circumstances and income. The maximum amount of WTC is worked out by adding together various elements depending on individual circumstances. The elements are:
- A basic element
- A couple element
- A lone parent element
- A 30 hour element if the claimant, or the claimant and partner together, work 30 hours or more per week and have children
- A disabled worker element and in receipt of certain benefits and working at least 16 hours per week, you have to satisfy a 'disability test'
- A severe disability element
- A childcare element providing up to 70% of 'eligible' childcare costs
Payments of WTC will be made directly into the claimant's nominated bank account or similar account. It is awarded for a complete tax year and, while a claim made after April may run only from the date of claim to the end of the tax year, there are circumstances where limited backdating may be applied. It is important to keep the HMRC informed of any change in circumstances which might affect the amount of tax credit due in order to avoid any underpayment or overpayment.
Further information and application packs for WTC are available by ringing the Tax Credit Helpline on 0345 300 3900 (textphone 0345 300 3909) or from HMRC Enquiry Centres and Jobcentre Plus offices.
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Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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SSP is taxable.
There are no additions for dependents.
Unemployed and self-employed people cannot get SSP. If you cannot get SSP, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance instead. Agency workers are entitled to SSP.
DO YOU QUALIFY?
To qualify for SSP you must:
- Be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer
- Have been ill for at least 4 days in a row (including non working days)
- Earn at least £118 per week (before tax)
- Tell your employer you're sick before their deadline - or within 7 days if they don't have one
If you are eligible for SSP your employer must give you an SSP1 form within 7 days of your illness. You can use this to apply for ESA instead.
SSP PERIOD OF INCAPACITY FOR WORK
The first qualifying condition for SSP is that there must be an SSP 'period of incapacity for work' (PIW). This means that you must be incapable of doing your job you're employed to do because of sickness or disability for at least 4 days in a row. Weekends and public holidays count - therefore, every day of the week can count towards an SSP PIW, including days when you wouldn't have worked anyway even if you had been fit.
SSP PIWs that are separated by 8 weeks or less are 'linked' and count as one PIW.
Your employer is entitled to ask for reasonable evidence of your incapacity for work.
There are some situations when you will qualify even if you are not actually sick on a particular day. You can be treated as incapable of work for days when you are under medical care in respect of some specific disease or bodily or mental disablement and a doctor has advised you not to work for precautionary or convalescent reasons, provided you do not work those days.
You are also treated as incapable of work if you are excluded, abstain from or cure prevented from working (having received the due notice in writing) because you are a carrier of, or have been in contact with, an infectious disease (including certain types of food poisoning).
PERIOD OF ENTITLEMENT
This just means the actual period of time when you are entitled to SSP. It begins with the start of the SSP PIW and ends when your employer's liability to pay you SSP ends.
Your employer's liability to pay SSP ends if:
- You are no longer sick; or
- You have had 28 weeks of SSP, either in one go or linked; or
- Your contract of employment comes to an end (unless your employer has dismissed you solely or mainly to avoid paying you SSP); or
- For pregnant women, you are at the start of the 'disqualifying period', which is the 39 weeks during which you are entitled to statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance. If you are entitled to neither, there are two possibilities depending on whether or not SSP is being paid to you: You are taken into legal custody; or You are taken into legal custody; or
- If you are getting SSP, it cannot be paid beyond the day your baby is born or, if earlier, beyond the first day you off work sick with a pregnancy-related illness on or after the start of the 4th week before the expected week of confinement
- If you are not getting SSP, it cannot be paid for a period of 18 weeks from the the earlier or either the start of the week your baby is born or the start of the week you are first off sick with a pregnancy-related illness if this is after the beginning of the 4th week before your expected week of confinement; or
- You are taken into legal custody; or
- Your linked SSP PIW has spanned 3 years
SSP will also end if your employer no longer considers you to be incapable of work. In this case, you can appeal against the decision.
QUALIFYING DAYS
SSP is only paid for days that are 'qualifying days'. These are normally the days you would have been required to work under the terms of your contract if you hadn't been sick - but they don't have to be.
If your working pattern varies from one week to another, you and your employer can come to some other arrangement as to which days will be qualifying days. As long as you and your employer reach an agreement, you have a free choice of qualifying days - as long as they are not fixed by reference to the actual days you are off sick, and that there is at least one qualifying day in each week.
If you can't reach an agreement with your employer, the qualifying days are the days your contract would have required you to work if you hadn't fallen sick. If it isn't clear which days would be working days in a particular week, the law says that the Wednesday of that week will be a qualifying day regardless.
If there are any doubts about qualifying days, it is important to sort this out with your employer.
WAITING DAYS
SSP is not paid for the first 3 qualifying days of an SSP PIW; these are known as 'waiting days'. However, you do not need to wait another 3 days if you re-claim SSP and your second spell of sickness starts no more than 8 weeks after the end of the first PIW. The different PIWs are linked together and count as one continuous PIW. If different PIWs are linked in this way, your right to SSP in the later linked PIWs depends on your circumstances at the start of the first one.
HOW MUCH DO YOU GET?
2019/20 Rates
SSP is £94.25 per week. There are no additions for dependents. To qualify, your average weekly earnings must be at least the level of the lower earnings limit.
NOTIFICATION OF SICKNESS ABSENCE
This means letting your employer know you are sick and incapable of work. To get SSP you must provide evidence that you are incapable of work if your employer requires you to do so.
These are the rules on notification of sickness laid down in the law and your employer's SSP procedures must conform to them. If you also get occupational sick pay, you'll have to keep to the rules of that scheme to safeguard those payments.
Your employer has to make the rules clear to all the workforce in advance.
Your employer cannot demand notification before then end of the first qualifying day of a period of incapacity for work.
Your employer cannot demand notification in the form of medical evidence. But if you use medical evidence to notify your employer, it should be accepted.
Your employer can't insist you use a special form.
If you post you notification, your employer should treat it as having been given on the day it was posted.
Your employer can't demand notification more than once a week during a spell of sickness.
Your employer must accept notification from someone else on your behalf.
If your employer doesn't make any rules about notification of sickness absence, or the rules don't conform with SSP law, your employer must nevertheless accept notification of sickness on a qualifying day, if it's given in writing no later than 7 days after that day.
Late notification - If your notification of sickness is late according to your employer's rules (and these rules comply with SSP law) you could be disqualified from SSP for any day of incapacity notified late. But SSP can be paid if your employer accepts you have 'good cause' for late notification provided this is given within one month of the normal time limit. This can be extended to 91 days from the day of incapacity if the employer accepts that is was not reasonably practicable for you to contact them within one month. After that time, your employer need not pay SSP for that day even if you have good cause for late notification. If your employer withholds SSP because they do not accept there is good cause for late notification, you can ask the HM Revenue and Customs for a decision.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SSP ENDS?
If you are still sick at the start of the 23rd week of your period of entitlement to SSP, your employer has to complete and send you DWP SSP1 (the changeover form) to help you transfer to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
For more information contact the HMRC Employee's Enquiry Line on 0300 200 3500 (textphone 0300 200 3212) or visit www.gov.uk.
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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The basic State Pension is a payment from the government that is payable when you reach State Pension age. Eligibility is determined by the National Insurance Contributions that you have been credited with. To calculate when you'll reach State Pension age or Pension Credit qualifying age and how much you will get click on the link State Pension Calculator.
The two main categories of state pension are known as Category A and B pensions.
Category A pensions are normally based on your own National Insurance contribution record.
Category B pensions are payable only to married women, widows and some widowers and surviving civil partners and are based on their spouse/civil partner's contribution record. Civil partners have many of the same state pension rights as spouses.
All categories of state pension are taxable.
WORKING AND THE STATE PENSION
Any earnings you receive after reaching state pension age do not reduce your state pension. If you carry on working and do not draw your pension, you may earn extra state pension or a one-off lump sum.
If you have already claimed you state pension, you can give up your claim in order to earn extra state pension. You can only give up a state pension once, and cannot backdate that choice.
Basic State Pension per week 2019/20
For yourself - £168.60
HOW DO YOU CLAIM STATE PENSION?
Normally, The Pension Service will contact you approximately 4 months prior to your pensionable age with regard to your claim. If they do not, you can either contact 0800 731 7898 (textphone 0800 731 7339) to make a claim over the phone; ask for a claim form; or download the form at www.gov.uk.
STATE PENSION FORECASTS
To check your contribution record, you can ask for a state pension forecast if you are over 30 days away from your state pension age.
The forecast will give you your current state pension entitlement based on the records held by the HM Revenue and Customs. It should allow you (with some help if necessary) to make the right decisions about your future contribution position.
To get a forecast, contact your local Jobcentre Plus office or The Pension Service and ask for the form BR19 or ring the State Pension Forecasting Team on 0845 300 0168.
THE NEW STATE PENSION
The new State Pension will be a regular payment from the Government that you can claim if you reach state pension age on or after 6th April 2016. You'll be able to get the new State Pension if you are eligible and:
- You are a man born after 6th April 1951
- You are a woman born after 6th April 1953
You can find further information at www.gov.uk
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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The social fund is a government fund that makes payments to people in need to cover specific costs.
The Regulated Social Fund:
This is for maternity costs, funeral costs and help to cover the cost of winter fuel or severe cold weather costs.
The Discretionary Social Fund:
This provides budgeting loans to meet a variety of other urgent needs. Payments are discretionary and budget-limited and decisions are subject to review rather than appeal.
REGULATED SOCIAL FUND
SURE START MATERNITY GRANT
You can claim a Sure Start maternity grant of £500 if:
- You (or a member of your family) are pregnant, or have given birth in the last 3 months (including stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy).
- Have been appointed as a guardian, adopted or been granted a residence order for a child under the age of 1; and
- there are no other children aged less than 16 years in the family.
- If you are claiming for someone under 20 who is the parent of a child, the grant is payable provided the parent has no other children under 16.
You must be on either one of the following qualifying benefits in respect of the day you claim a maternity grant: income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income related employment and support allowance, child tax credit paid at a rate which exceeds the family element or working tax credit which includes the disability or severe disability element or universal credit and you have received Health and Welfare advice about maternal and child health matters, and if prior to the birth.
How do you claim?
Claim on form SF100, which you can get from your local Jobcentre Plus office, your antenatal clinic or you can download the form here. The form must be signed by a health professional (e.g. midwife, health visitor or doctor) to confirm you have received health and welfare advice about having a baby.
You must claim in the 11 weeks before your expected week of confinement, or in the 3 months following the date of the birth, adoption or parental order. If you are waiting for a decision about a qualifying benefit, claim within the time limits and if your claim is refused re-claim within 3 months of being awarded the qualifying benefit.
For further information, contact 0800 731 0297 or contact your local Jobcentre Plus Office.
FUNERAL EXPENSES PAYMENTS
You are entitled to a funeral expenses payment if:
- You or your partner accept responsibility for the costs of a funeral (i.e. you have paid or are liable to pay them) that takes place in the UK (or another EEA country) or Switzerland, if you or a member of your family are classified as a 'worker' or have the right to reside in the UK under EC law, and
- You or your partner have been awarded one of the following 'qualifying benefits' in respect of the day you claim a funeral payment: income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, child tax credit paid at a rate that exceeds the family element, working tax credit that includes the disability or severe disability element, housing benefit, council tax benefit or universal credit; and
- The deceased was ordinarily resident in the UK when they died; and
- You claim within the time limits (see below); and
- You fall into one of the groups of people who are eligible to claim (see below).
Who can claim?
You can only get a funeral payment if you fall into one of the following groups:
- You were the partner (Partner includes: both opposite and same-sex couples whether or not you were married or registered civil partners) of the deceased when they died, or immediately before either of you moved permanently into a care home.
- The deceased was a child for whom you were responsible and there is no 'absent parent' (unless they were getting one of the above qualifying benefits when the child died), or the deceased was a stillborn child.
- You were a 'close relative' or close friend of the deceased and it is reasonable for you to accept responsibility for the funeral costs
You cannot get a payment as a close relative or friend of the deceased if:
- The deceased had a partner when they died; or
- There is a parent, son or daughter of the deceased who is not:
- Getting a qualifying benefit (see above); or
- In prison or hospital immediately following a period on a qualifying benefit; or
- Under 18; or
- Aged 18 or 19 and is a qualifying young person for child benefit or;
- Aged 18 or over and in full-time education; or
- A fully maintained member of a religious order; or
- Someone who was estranged from the deceased; or
- Receiving asylum support from the National Asylum Support Services or
- Ordinarily resident outside the UK; or
- There is a close relative (see above) of the deceased, other than a child, who was in closer contact with the deceased than you were, or had equally close contact and is not getting a qualifying benefit.
How much do you get?
The following costs can be met:
- The necessary costs of purchasing a new burial plot with exclusive rights plus necessary burial fees, or the necessary costs of cremation including medical fees.
- The cost of documentation required to release the deceased person's assets
- The reasonable costs of transport for the portion of journeys in excess of 50 miles, undertaken to transport the body within the UK to a funeral director's premises or a place of rest and to transport the coffin, bearers and mourners in two vehicles to the funeral
- The necessary costs of one return journey from your home for you or your partner to arrange or attend the funeral if you are responsible for the funeral costs
- Up to £700 for other funeral expenses (or £120 if you have a pre-paid funeral plan which does not cover these expenses).
How do you claim?
Claim on form SF200 which is available from the DWP, Jobcentre Plus Office or you can download the form here. You must claim within 3 months of the date of the funeral. If you are waiting for a decision on a qualifying benefit, claim within the time limit and, if your claim is refused because you are not getting a qualifying benefit, reclaim within 3 months of being awarded the qualifying benefit.
For more information or to get help claiming any bereavement benefits you might be entitled to, contact The Bereavement Service Helpline on 0345 606 0265 (Textphone 0345 606 0285).
COLD WEATHER PAYMENTS
These are automatic payments (you do not need to make a claim) currently £25.00 for each qualifying week made by DWP if:
- The average temperature recorded or forecast over 7 consecutive days by the designated weather station for your area is below freezing; and
- You have been awarded income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related ESA that includes a work related activity or support component for at least one of those days and you are responsible for a child under the age of 5, or are getting one of the pensioner or disability premiums, or are getting child tax credit that includes a disabled or severely disabled element or universal credit; or
- You have been awarded pension credit for at least one of those days; and
- You are not resident in a care home.
The 2015-16 Cold Weather Payment Scheme starts on the 1st November and you will be able to check if your area qualifies for a payment in November.
WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS
This is a lump-sum payment of between £100 and £300 paid if you have reached pension credit qualifying age in the 'qualifying week' (week commencing 21.09.2015 for winter 2015/16).
You are not entitled to a winter fuel payment if during that week you:
- Are subject to immigration control or not living in Great Britain and, or
- Have been receiving free inpatient hospital for more than 52 weeks, or
- Are in custody serving a sentence imposed by a court, or
- You are getting pension credit (PC), income based JSA or income related ESA and you have been living in a care home for 13 weeks or more at the end of the qualifying week (disregarding temporary absences).
How much do you get?
Subject to the rules below, the winter fuel payment is £200 if you are under 80, or £300 if you are aged 80 or over in the qualifying week.
- If you share accommodation as a mutual home with another person, £200 (if you are both aged under 80), or £300 (if either of you is 80 or over) is paid per household.
- If you have been living in a care home for at least 13 weeks in the qualifying week and you are not getting income-based JSA, income related ESA or PC, you are entitled to a payment of £100 if you are aged under 80, or £150 if you are aged 80 or over.
- If you are receiving PC, income-related employment support allowance or income based JSA you will get £200 (or £300 if you or your partner, if you have one, are aged 80 or over) regardless of who else is in the household. If you are one of a couple and your partner receives PC, income-related employment support allowance or income-based JSA, then he or she will receive the payment instead of you.
How do you claim?
You should automatically receive a payment (usually between November and December) without making a claim if you received a payment last year, or are getting a state pension or other social security benefit (apart from child benefit, housing benefit, or council tax benefit) in the qualifying week, otherwise you must make a claim. You can get a claim form and other information by ringing the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on 0845 915 1515.
DISCRETIONARY SOCIAL FUND
Budgeting Loans - are interest-free loans to help people who have been on IS, income-based JSA or PC for at least 26 weeks to meet intermittent expenses for specifies items for which it may be difficult to budget, enabling the cost to be spread over time. You can use a budgeting loan to buy maternity items or items for a new baby or to help towards some of the costs of a relative's funeral.
Please note that the Welfare Reform Act included provision that has replaced Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans for general living expenses with a service that is delivered by your Local Authority (DMBC Local Assistance Scheme). This means you can no longer apply for a Community Care Grant or Crisis Loan in England, Scotland or Wales.
You must still repay anything you owe on a Crisis Loan.
Reviews
You can ask for an internal review of any decision made by a decision maker, including the refusal of a payment or the amount awarded. You must do this in writing within 28 days of the date of the decision was issued to you. The time limit can be extended if there are 'special reasons'.
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability if you are aged between 16 and 64. The rate you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.
You will need an assessment to work out the level of help you get and your rate will be regularly assessed to ensure that you are getting the right support.
To make a claim for PIP, contact the DWP on 0800 917 2222 (Textphone 0800 917 7777), Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm. Further information about the claim process can be found here.
Disability Rights UK have produced an informative and in-depth factsheet on Personal Independence Payment. Click the link below to access the information.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
PIP Rates 2019/20
Daily Living Component
- Standard Rate - £58.70
- Enhanced Rate - £87.65
Mobility Component
- Standard Rate - £23.20
- Enhanced Rate - £61.20
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
