Applicable amount

Your applicable amount is the sum of money the government sets for you and your family to live on and is the same for both Housing and Council Tax Benefit. It is made up of personal allowances and premiums.

Personal Allowances
These are paid to you for the people in your household. The amounts paid depend on your age, whether you are single, a lone parent, part of a couple (whether married or living together or a civil partner) or have children. There are also special rates if you are entitled to main phase employment and support allowance.

Your household includes your partner, and any dependent child or qualifying young person living with you. A dependent child is a child under 16 years of age. A qualifying young person is someone who is under 20 years of age and either in full-time, non-advanced education or approved training which began before he or she was 19 years of age.

Premiums
You can get extra amounts in the form of premiums if you satisfy certain conditions. You can get any or all of the following premiums if you satisfy the rules for them.
       Carer premium
       You or your partner must be entitled to carer's allowance even if you are not paid it because you receive another benefit. This premium is payable for each person who qualifies.

       Disabled child premium
       You must have a dependent child or qulaifying young person under 20 years of age who is getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or who is registered blind.The premium is paid for each child who qualifies.

       Enhanced disability premium
       You or your partner must satisfy one of the following:

  • be in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) support group
  • be under the qualifying age for pension credit and receiving the high rate care component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

       If you have a partner, you will be paid the couple rate of this premium.

       Family premium

       You must have a dependent child or qualifying young person under 20 years of age.

       Severe disability premium
       You or your partner must satisfy all of the following:

  • be receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (middle or higher rate) or Attendance Allowance
  • live alone (there are some exceptions to this rule - please ring 01395 517446 for details)
  • no one else must be getting carer's allowance for looking after you.

In addition to these premiums, you can get one of the premiums listed below. If you qualify for two of the premiums listed you will get the one that pays you the most.

       Family premium lone parent rate
       This premium is paid instead of ordinary family premium. You can get it if you claimed housing benefit before 6 April 1998.

       Disability premium
       You must be under the qualifying age for pension credit and one of the following applies to you or your partner:

  • you are registered blind or have been taken off that register in the past 28 weeks
  • you are getting one of the following qualifying benefits: Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), long-term Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA), the disability element or severe disability element of working tax credit, constant attendance allowance.
  • you are the claimant and you have been incapable of work or entitled to statutory sick pay during the qualifying period of 52 weeks (or 28 weeks if you are terminally ill) and are still incapable of work.

If you have a partner you will be paid the couple rate of this premiuim.

Please ring 01395 517446 if you need more information.

Page last updated on 19 January 2012