5. Benefits and tax credits

If you receive income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) or child tax credit (CTC) and have a household income of no more than £15,276, you automatically get free health benefits (see Chapter 5). You may also qualify if you get universal credit (see here).

Housing benefit is effectively disregarded, as the NHS Business Services Authority only takes into account the rent paid by you directly when determining need.

Benefits and tax credits taken into account in full include:

•carer’s allowance (CA);
•contribution-based JSA;
•contributory ESA;
•incapacity benefit;
•most industrial injuries benefits;
•retirement pension;
•working tax credit.

Benefits and tax credits completely disregarded include:

•attendance allowance;
•Best Start grant;
•CA supplement and young carer grant;1The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2018, No.872
•child benefit;
•CTC;
•disability living allowance;
•personal independence payment;
•funeral support payments.

Benefits and tax credits partly disregarded include widowed parent’s allowance, which has £10 a week disregarded. Note: you do not receive this disregard if you already have £10 disregarded from a student loan or £20 disregarded from discretionary fund payments.

 

1     The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2018, No.872 »