Chapter 7: Income support

• 1. What is income support
• 2. Who is eligible
• Advanced or non-advanced education
• Full-time students
• Who counts as a full-time student
• Who can get income support
• Studying part time
• What counts as part time
• 3. Basic rules
• 4. Amount of benefit
• Step 1: capital
• Step 2: work out your applicable amount
• Step 3: work out your weekly income
• Step 4: deduct weekly income from applicable amount
• Applicable amount
• Personal allowance
• Premiums
• Housing costs
• 5. Claiming income support
• Getting paid
• 6. Challenging a decision
• 7. Other benefits and tax credits
• Passported benefits

Basic facts

•Income support (IS) provides basic financial support for people who are not expected to ‘sign on’ for work.
•You cannot make a new claim for IS.
•Part-time students are eligible if they are a lone parent with a child under five, a carer, pregnant (and sick or nearly due), and in some other circumstances.
•Full-time students may be eligible if they are a lone parent with a child under five, a single foster parent and in some other circumstances.
•The amount is usually affected by any grant, loan or other income you may have.