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Who can apply for Income Support
You can apply for Income Support if you:
- are on a low household income
- pass the Income Support residence test
- are working, looking for work or exempt from looking for work
Income support policy guidelines
This document explains the rules and policy of Income Support in more detail, including decisions made by the Minister for Social Security that are not set out in detail in the law. It is updated periodically.
Public policy of Income Support policy
Who is covered under an Income Support household
Your Income Support benefit is based on the needs and income of your family unit, which is known as an Income Support Household.
Your Income Support household is the group of people who are included on your Income Support claim. This includes:
- you
- a child or children under compulsory school leaving age
- an adult child aged under 25 who is in full time education, training or registered as looking for work
- a person you're in a partnership with. This includes marriage and civil partnerships
If you're not sure who makes up your Income Support household, you should contact us before applying.
Each adult included in an Income Support household must pass the Income Support residence test.
Income Support residence test
Who isn't included
Any other family members won't be part of your Income Support household, even if they share a property with you.
For example, if an elderly relative lives with their son or daughter, the child and parent would each be a separate Income Support household and would have to make a separate claim.
If you have a partner
A partnership means a relationship where 2 people share their lives together. This includes people who are:
- married
- in a civil partnership
- in a committed relationship
Partners often share a home, but somebody can be treated as your partner even if they have a separate address.
When deciding if 2 people are partners, we look at many aspects of their relationship, including:
- if they're married or in a civil partnership
- if they're emotionally connected to each other
- if their relationship is exclusive
- their shared activities and living arrangements
- their financial commitments to each other
- if they care for or support any children
- if they own or use their property together
- if they publicly present themselves to others as a couple
You don't need to meet all of them to be considered partners. We base our decision on whether it is reasonable to see 2 people as leading their lives as an economic or domestic unit. If it's reasonable, we will treat them as partners.
How to apply for Income Support
To apply for Income Support:
- complete the Income Support eligibility check
- if you're able to receive help based on your answers from the eligibility check, you'll be emailed a link to an application form
- complete your application form
- once you've submitted the form, we'll let you know what documents are needed an ask any further questions
Once we have received a completed application form and documents to support the application we'll contact you to:
- let you know what you're able receive from Income Support
- answer any questions you may have
- provide you with any further support that may be available to you
Income Support eligibility check
Book an appointment with the work and family hub (under pension age)
Book an appointment with the pensions and care hub (over pension age)
If you need an agent or authority to receive payments on your behalf
If you need any of your Income Support to be paid to an agent or authority to receive payments on your behalf, complete the form below.
You can download, sign and return the form to the Customer Hub by email or post.
Application for Payment to authority or agent
If you want somebody to speak to us about your claim
If you’d like somebody to speak to us about your claim on your behalf, complete the form below.
You can download, sign and return the form to the Customer Hub at Union Street by email or post.
Authority to disclose information form
Appealing an Income Support decision
If you’re unhappy with an Income Support decision, you can ask for it to be reviewed.
If you still don’t agree with the decision, you can appeal to an independent tribunal.
If you think a Social Security decision is wrong
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