IS20 - A guide to Income Support

The main Income Support rules

You will have to satisfy the following rules to get Income Support.

Your age

Income Support is for people aged 16 up to age 60. If you or your partner are aged 60 or over, you may be entitled to Pension Credit. From 2010 the age from which people can get Pension Credit will gradually change to 65 in line with the change to women’s State Pension age.

For further information see leaflet PC1L Pension Credit.

Gender Recognition Act 2004.

From 4th April 2005, if you have a full Gender Recognition Certificate your State Pension age and the amount of State Pension you may get could change. A full gender recognition certificate is given to a person who successfully applies to the Gender Recognition Panel to be legally recognised in the sex of their choice. You can get more information on the effect Gender Recognition Certificates have on State Pension and benefits from the section ‘Guidance on Benefits and Pensions’ within the Gender Recognition Panel website at www.grp.gov.uk or you can ask the Gender Recognition Panel Secretariat for a copy, PO Box 6987, Leicester LE1 6 ZX, or by telephoning: 0845 355 5155.

Residence in the United Kingdom

Income Support is intended to provide financial help for claimants who: [Legislation 18]

• have a right to reside and are habitually resident in the United Kingdom (UK), the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland
• or have a right to reside and are treated as habitually resident in the UK

The section on People from abroad gives an explanation of the habitual residence rules.

However, in some cases, you may be able to get some help during a temporary absence from this country.

If you have come to the UK from abroad you may be able to get some help from Income Support, but this depends on your residence or immigration status and on your circumstances.

Remunerative work rules

If you or your partner are in remunerative work, neither of you will normally be able to claim Income Support. For most people remunerative work can be defined as paid work of 16 hours or more a week (24 hours or more for a partner). Working hours are averaged when they change from week to week. However, these rules do not apply to certain groups of people and they can get Income Support even if they are working for 16 hours or more a week (or 24 hours or more for a partner). If you are in one of these groups or are working less than 16 hours (or 24 hours for a partner) you may be able to get Income Support. How much you get may then depend in part on how much you earn. This is taken into account when your Income Support is calculated. See 'Income and Capital'. [Legislation (5)]

Please notify HM Revenue & Customs, if applicable,  if you have a change in your working hours.

Available for and actively seeking work

People who are required to be available for work are not normally entitled to Income Support. Instead they will need to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

For more information about JSA ask at your local Jobcentre Plus office, Jobcentre or social security office.

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