This is a means tested benefit to help individuals or families on a low income who have savings of £16,000 or less.
To qualify, you must be someone who doesn't have to be available to work, for example, a carer or some lone parents. Usually, you must be working fewer than 16 hours per week and if you have a partner, they must be working fewer than 24 hours a week. However, some carers can claim Income Support regardless of the hours they work.
To be classed as a carer for Income Support purposes, you normally need to be regularly providing care for someone who gets DLA Care at the middle or highest rate.
The amount of Income Support you receive depends on your personal circumstances, income and capital.
Getting Income Support means you could also qualify for:
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
- free prescriptions and dental treatment, free NHS eye tests and vouchers towards the help of the cost of glasses, as well as help towards travel costs to the hospital for NHS treatments
- free school meals
- vouchers for milk, vitamins, fresh, or frozen fruit or vegetables for pregnant women, nursing mothers and for children up to the age of 4
- help from the social fund
