Step six: work out your applicable amount
This is an amount for your basic weekly needs. It is made up of:
The applicable amount includes amounts for yourself and for your partner, if you have one. It also includes amounts for any dependent children. The amounts for HB are the same as for IS (s
ee
here), but with the following differences.
•Personal allowance:
◦a child allowance is included in HB;
◦single people under 25 and lone parents under 18 who are entitled to main phase ESA get £74.70;
◦young couples get £117.40, unless both are under 18 and the claimant is not entitled to main phase ESA (see
here), in which case they get £89.45;
◦single people have a personal allowance of £191.15 if they have reached pension age (£177.10 if they reached pension age on or after 1 April 2021) (see
here);
◦couples get £286.05 if one or both has reached pension age (£270.30 if they both reached pension age on or after 1 April 2021) (see
here), and they do not get IS, income-based JSA, income-related ESA or UC.
•Premiums:
◦a family premium is included in your HB if you already have an existing claim which includes a child. It is not included in an existing claim if you later have a child, or in new claims from 1 May 2016;
◦a disabled child premium and enhanced disability premium for a child are included in HB;
◦you do not get a disability premium if you have been assessed as having limited capability for work for ESA and you (ie, not your partner) are the HB claimant.
•Components:
◦instead of a disability premium, a work-related activity component of £29.70 is included if you claimed ESA before 3 April 2017 and have limited capability for work, or a support component of £39.40 is included if you have limited capability for work-related activity (see
here).