1. Introduction

2. Who can claim benefits?

3. If you have a low income

4. If you are having a baby or adopting a child

5. If you have children to look after

6. If you are unemployed

7. If you are ill and can´t work

8. If you have a disability

9. If you are just starting work
If you stop being entitled to Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance or Incapacity Benefit after several months because you start work or because you increase your hours of work or your earnings, you may be able to get 'extended payments' of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. This means you will carry on getting these benefits for four weeks at the same rate as before you started work.

Within four weeks of starting work, you must tell the Council Tax department at your local council and the office that pays your benefits about your change in circumstances.

If you have been getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance with an amount for your mortgage interest payment and you come off these benefits after several months to go into work, you may be able to carry on getting help with mortgage interest for four weeks. This is to help tide you over until you receive your wages. But you must tell whoever pays your benefit as soon as you start work, otherwise you may not receive it.

If you come off Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance after several months because you go into work, you may also be entitled to a one-off lump sum called a Job Grant. You must tell whoever pays your benefit about your change of circumstances as soon as you go into work.

You may be able to receive other types of help, such as help with childcare, when you start work or are looking for work. For example, if you are a lone parent, you may be able to get extra money on top of your wages for the first year in a job. Ask the Jobcentre if there is any other help that you might be entitled to.

If you are receiving maintenance for your children
If you are receiving child support maintenance under the rules that applied before March 2003, this will be included in the assessment for your Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. If you then start work or increase your hours or pay and these benefits stop, you may be able to claim a one-off Child Maintenance Bonus. You must claim this within four weeks of the benefit ending.

If you are receiving maintenance under the rules that have applied since March 2003, then £10 a week of your maintenance will be disregarded (ignored) in the assessment for your Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance. The Government expects to increase the amount disregarded, and extend it to all parents getting child support maintenance, by the end of 2008. When this happens, Child Maintenance Bonus will stop.

Any maintenance you receive is ignored in the assessment for your tax credits, and £15 a week of your maintenance is ignored in the assessment for your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. From 27 October 2008 this will change, and all child maintenance will be ignored in the assessment for these benefits.

10. If you have retired or are about to retire

11. If your husband, wife or civil partner dies

12. Where do I claim?

13. What must I do when I claim?

14. What if I disagree with a decision about my claim?

15. What if I´ve been badly treated?

16. The Human Rights Act

17. Further help

18. About this leaflet

This leaflet is published by the Gurkha Free Legal Advice (LSC). It was written in association with Rachel Hadwen, a specialist in welfare rights.

Leaflet Version: June 2008

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