1. Introduction
The following six types of premium apply to housing benefit:
■disability premium;
■severe disability premium (SDP);
■enhanced disability premium (EDP);
■carer premium;
■family premium; and
■disabled child premium.
The SDP, EDP and carer premiums also apply to income-related employment and support allowance. The SDP and carer premiums apply to pension credit (and are called ‘additional amounts’ rather than premiums, although the qualifying conditions are similar).
In each case, the premiums make up part of the ‘applicable amount’ (or for pension credit, the ‘appropriate minimum guarantee’) of the benefit, which is the amount of money the law says you need to live on. You are entitled to these premiums if you meet certain conditions, detailed in 2 to 7 below.