3. People included in the claim
If you are single, you get income support (IS) for yourself. If you are a member of a couple, one of you can get IS for both of you. If you are in a couple, your applicable amount includes a personal allowance for a couple and can include premiums based on both your and your partner’s circumstances. When your benefit is worked out, your partner’s income and capital are usually added to yours.
IS does not normally include amounts for children. However, there are some situations when you must show that you are responsible for a child who is living in your household – eg, to show you are a lone parent so you can benefit from a higher earnings disregard (see
here).
You do not have to be the child’s parent. For who counts as a child, see
here. For when you count as responsible for a child and when the child counts as living in your household, see
here.