IS20 - A guide to Income Support

Who can get Income Support?

Your benefit when you finish a job

Generally, you will be able to get Income Support paid from the time you claim it, if you satisfy the other Income Support rules. [Legislation (23)]

However, if you are getting pay in lieu of notice, or remuneration, or holiday pay, or compensation payments, you will be excluded from getting Income Support until the period the payment covers is over.

Redundancy payments
Some redundancy payments are treated as capital and some are treated as income. The way your capital and that of your partner affects entitlement to Income Support is explained in the section on Income and Capital. You should be aware of the deprivation of resources rules. If you are planning to spend any of your redundancy payment check capital and notional capital.

Periodic redundancy payments will generally count as income.

Income Support Rapid Reclaim

Rapid Reclaim is:

• A simpler, shorter form for reclaiming Income Support
• To encourage people to start a job if they are not sure it will last and are concerned it will be difficult to claim benefit again if the job ends
• For people who stopped getting Income Support but need to reclaim within 12 weeks of the benefit stopping.

Note: Your other circumstances must be the same as when your benefit stopped.

If you make an Income Support rapid reclaim on or after 06/04/04 and there are children in the family then you must make a claim for Child Tax Credit in order to receive payments for your children.

For further information on getting help starting work or getting back to work, leaflet WK1 Financial help if you are looking for work provides further information.

Housing Benefit Rapid Reclaim

• Will give you the confidence to start a job if you are not sure it will last and are concerned it will be difficult to claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit again if the job ends
• Simpler, shorter form for reclaiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
• For people who stopped getting Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit and Income Support or JSA but need to claim within 12 weeks of the benefit stopping
• Only available if you are also reclaiming Income Support or JSA and are eligible for Income Support or JSA Rapid Reclaim
• Your other circumstances must be the same as when your benefit stopped

For more information on Housing Benefit Rapid Reclaim, contact your Jobcentre Plus office, Jobcentre, social security office or your local council.

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