Applying for Income Support

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

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 are in an interdependent relationship with. This includes marriage and civil partnerships

If you are not sure who makes up your Income Support household, you should contact the department before applying.

Each adult included in an Income Support Household must pass the Income Support residence test.

Income Support residence test

Interdependent relationships

An interdependent relationship means a relationship in which two people commit to each other and share their lives as one unit. This includes couples who may or may not be in a marriage or civil partnership and may or may not live together.

Factors that an interdependent relationship may include, but are not limited to:

if you are married or in a civil partnership. Unless living separately following a formal separation, you must include your spouse or civil partner in this form
presenting yourselves to your friends and family as a couple
the exclusiveness of the relationship
the level in which household activities and living arrangements are shared
sharing of finances and supporting each other financially
having children together or supporting each other's children
sharing an address together. You may be considered in an interdependent relationship even if you live in separate properties.
if you have a sexual relationship with your partner

The above are just factors we take into account when deciding whether two people are in an interdependent relationship, they are not absolute requirements. You do not need to meet all of these factors to be considered as being in an interdependent relationship.

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.

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

Cost of Living Temporary Scheme

As a result of rising inflationary pressures on Islanders, the Minister for Social Security has decided to implement a temporary scheme called the Cost of Living Temporary Scheme (COLTS). COLTS will support over 11,000 people in Jersey who receive means-tested benefits.
If you receive any of the following support or benefits, you’ll receive an additional payment of £20 for each member of your household each month from April to December 2022:

Income Support
COLD Weather Bonus (CWB)
Pension Plus Scheme (PPS)
Community Cost Bonus (CCB)

You don’t need to apply for COLTS. Payments will be sent automatically.
If you are claiming any of the benefits linked to the scheme in a given month, you will be eligible for the payment.

Cost of Living Temporary Scheme guidelines

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 Customer and Local Services by email or post.

Authority to disclose information form

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.