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Benefits Calculator
Benefits Calculator

On-Line Benefit Service: save yourself time by working out whether you can get Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit - here now. Use the 'Quick Calc' facility below.

 

If 'QuickCalc' says you could qualify, click here to claim your benefit in the quickest way possible. Use our  intelligent on-line benefit application form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

'QUICK CALC'

 

  The Web Benefits Calculator - simply fill out this form for an instant on-line Benefits estimate 
 Remember this calculation is an estimate based on the information you supply. For a full evaluation make a formal claim asap. Usually Benefit will only start from the Monday after the Council receive your form.

Step 1 - requests rent details for a Housing Benefit Claim ( skip this step if you just want help with your Council Tax bill )

Enter your rent amount ( warning - the amount may be restricted for benefit purposes if you decide to make a claim ). Do not include charges for ineligible services such as meals and heating.

 £  

       Select the "rent period" ( how often rent is paid ). Fortnightly and monthly figures are automatically converted to weekly amounts.
Enter the number of rent free weeks ( if any ) in your rent year. Council tenants usually have 4 such weeks. 

Step 2 - requests your Council Tax details ( skip this stage if you do not want help with your Council Tax bill )
Enter your actual Annual Council Tax bill ( without taking off any Council Tax Benefit you already get ). £
Have you been receiving Council Tax Benefit continuously for this dwelling since 31.3.98 ?

       Select the Council Tax band for your dwelling -                       

Has this Council Tax bill already been discounted ?

Step 3 - requests some General Information about you

Are you (the claimant) on Income Support,  income based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pensioner Guarantee Credit ?
            If "Yes" to IS/JSA/PGC you can skip all the income questions (steps 7 to 11) because your income is assumed to be zero.

     Are you single or living with a partner as a couple ?    

 
Enter your age (or the age of the oldest person in the couple)  

Step 4 - Looks for claimant (and partner) disability or carer details (if any) - otherwise skip this block

Disability applies if you (or partner) "meet" one of these qualifying conditions:- Attendance Allowance or Constant AA - Disability Living or Disability Working Allowance - Invalid Vehicle Scheme payment - War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement - Severe Disablement Allowance - Registered blind - Incapacity Benefit (claimant, not  partner, sick and incapable of work for 52 weeks).

   

Do you (or your partner) get the highest rate of the care component of DLA ... ?

       Do both of these statements apply to you ? (only say "yes" if it is both of them)
 (1) You (and partner) get care component of DLA (middle/high rate) or AA or Constant AA (or partner blind and you get one).
 (2) No adult lives in your household except your partner, other disabled persons, your carer, landlord or other tenants.
 And no one gets an Invalid Care Allowance for looking after you.

Is the disabled partner (either one of you) working an average week of 16 hours or more ?

     Have you or your partner been in hospital for at least 52 weeks ?

     Is a Carer's Allowance paid to you or your partner ?

 Step 5 - requests your children and young persons (under 19) for whom child benefit is paid.

Input the number of children aged under 16 you or your partner get child benefit for.           

Is there a baby in your family (a child aged under one) ?
  Input the number of "young persons" aged 16 to under 19 years old that you or your partner get child benefit for.
Input the number of those children who are disabled (receiving Disability Living Allowance or registered blind).
Input the number of those children who are in receipt of DLA at the highest care component rate.

Step 6 - requests details for single lone parents only - otherwise skip this step
Have you been receiving Housing/Council Tax Benefit without a break since 05.04.98 ? ("lone parent premium")
Do you receive Lone Parent Child Benefit ? Usually so if entitled to it before 5 July 1998.
Do you get Widowed Parent's or Widowed Mother's Allowance ?

Step 7 - requests your earnings details - skip to step 12 if you are on Income Support or IS/JSA

  Give figures for the claimant (and partner). Include average earnings from employment and self employment.

Be sure to enter weekly figures in the Weekly column only and Monthly figures in the Monthly column only   

£ Weekly £ Monthly

Enter the Earned income amount (before deductions and disregarding expenses).

 

Enter any earnings from Child Minding (are automatically divided by three).

 

Enter the Income Tax and National Insurance contributions deducted.

 

Enter the Pension contributions (half will be deducted).

  
How many hours are you (or your partner) each working in an average week ? Select the highest.
Between you and your partner, are you working 30 hours or more in an average week... ?

Step 8 - requests your Unearned income figures for you (and your partner). Please make them weekly.
Child Benefit amount £ - do not enter (it is automatically calculated)
Rent from non-family sub-tenants. Do subtract a £4.00 disregard for each one and an extra £9.65 if heating is paid for. Pensioner claimants can subtract a £20.00 disregard for each one. £
Income from non-family boarders. Do subtract the £20.00 disregard for each one - 50% of the residue will be automatically disregarded by the program. £
Enter any Charitable receipts (i.e. payments from charities) - the program applies a £20 maximum disregard £
Enter any Maintenance and (if you are under 60) any Child Support payments - a £15 maximum disregard is applied. £

Most LA's now disregard War Pensions entirely - but if you really want to, enter it in the final "unearned income" box below - but do remember to subtract the £10 minimum disregard.

  

  Unearned income from all other sources each week - Do include Retirement Pensions, Incapacity Benefit, Disability Working, Invalid Care and Severe Disablement Allowances here. But do not include Tax and Pension Credits, interest on savings or Attendance, Disability Living, Mobility and Fostering Allowances or Community Care Payments.

£

Step 9 - requests your Savings, Investments and other assets (claimant and partner).

  Your capital over £3,000 generates a "tariff income" of £1 per week for each £250 but for 60 year olds, capital over £6,000 generates £1 p/ w for each £500. Amounts over £16,000 disqualify most claims.

 Enter the value of cash, savings, bank deposits, Tessas, PEP’s, Unit Trusts, ISA's, building society accounts, Tax Credit arrears etc. and all "liquid assets". £
Enter the "fixed" or non liquid assets and investments - shares, buildings and land (but not the house you are living in). Deduct 10% of proceeds to cover cost of sale. £

Step 10 - requests your childcare fees and student expenses.

Childcare fees to registered minders (up to a ceiling of £94.50 p/w for one child or £140 for two or more) can be deducted from the income of couples (both must work 16 hours+ unless one is disabled) or lone parents who work at least 16 hours p/w.

Enter the weekly fees paid. Children count up to the September following their 15th birthday (or 16th if disabled).

£

Enter the weekly student loan or grant contribution which can also be set off against claimant (and partner) income.

 £
Step 11 - Looks for Tax and Pension Credits - income for (nearly) everyone from the Government ! They get added to claim income.
If Credits are not actually being paid, be sure to stop the auto estimate by "unchecking" this box and skip the rest of this step.

If you already know your Credits then enter your total annual Tax Credits (Working and Child) here.

£
new !  If you already know your Credits then enter your weekly Pension Credit figure here. £
Otherwise, no worries, let this program do an estimate - based on the information you have already supplied. The result may not be quite identical to the IR / DWP figure - but it will be very close. Our estimate just needs to know these extra family details....
Are you (or your partner) aged 50 or over and back to work after six months on benefit ?
Are you (or your partner) a disabled adult on High Rate AA ?
Step 12 - Looks for adults who live with you but pay no rent (often grown-up children)

These so called "non-dependants" are assumed to be contributing to the household income so a deduction is made for each one. Partners, students and most persons on IS do not count. No such deductions apply if you (or your partner is disabled due to blindness, in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance care component or an attendance allowance - so skip this step if any of those conditions applies.

 
Enter the number of non-dependants in the Top Earnings Category (£293+ per week gross)
Enter the number of non-dependants in the next Highest Earnings Category (£235 - £293 p/w gross)
Enter the number of non-dependants in the next Earnings Category (£177 - £235 p/w gross)
Enter the number of non-dependants in the 3rd to lowest Earnings Category (£137 - £177 p/w gross)
Enter the number of non-dependants in the 2nd to lowest Earnings Category (£92 - £137 p/w gross)
The number in the Lowest Earnings category (£92 or less but works at least 16 hours p/w gross)
new ! Or any working "Pension Creditors" (whatever the wages)
There are also 3 categories of "not working" non-dependants (i.e. not working at least 16 hours p/w)
The number of non-dependants not on Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (I.B.) and not working
Enter the number of non-dependants who are under 25 and are on IS or JSA
Enter the number of non-dependants who are 25 or over and are on IS or JSA
 
  That is all you need to do!     Click        and let the program work it out     

      The total Applicable Amount figure is   (automatically calculated)

      The total Net Weekly Income figure is (automatically calculated) including Tax / Pension Credits p/w

How your benefit is worked out. If the Total Applicable Amount exceeds Net Income, award Maximum Benefit. But if Net Income exceeds the Total Applicable Amount, apply a 65% taper to the "excess" and subtract the result from Maximum HB to find the award. For C. T. Benefit a 20% taper is applied. NB a non-dependant deduction will be taken off at this stage, if one is applicable.
Final Calculation result is £    Weekly Housing Benefit Award    
 Final Calculation result is £     Weekly "main" Council Tax Benefit       

Alternative Council Tax Benefit is often called Second Adult Rebate. It is based on the income of the non-dependants. The program calculates if you are better off with a benefit award based on your circumstances or your non-dependants.
 Alternative result is £     Second adult rebate weekly CT Benefit           

And finally you can use the browser Print button to launch a print or change your figures and click Calculate to do it again.

   Copyright Otech Ltd - 2003 

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