09 Apr 2009
Social Security Benefit Rates
All the rates listed below are weekly rates unless otherwise stated."T" indicates that the item is a taxable benefit. "M" indicates that the item is mean tested, ie the level of income/capital will determine benefits.
April 2009
Attendance Allowance
Bereavement Benefit
Carer’s Allowance
Child Benefit/Guardian Allowance
Christmas Bonus
Council Tax Benefit
Disability Living Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance
Housing Benefit
Incapacity Benefit
Income Support
Industrial Death Benefit
Industrial Injuries Disablement Pension
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Maternity Allowance
Health Costs
Pension Credit
Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis And Miscellaneous Diseases Scheme and Workmen’s Compensation (Supplementation)
Severe Disablement Allowance
State Pension
Statutory Adoption Pay
Statutory Maternity Pay
Statutory Paternity Pay
Statutory Sick Pay
War Pensions
Widow’s Benefits
Working Tax Credit
Capital Limits – Common Rules
Deductions – Common Rules
Extra Benefits for Dependants
Attendance Allowance
Higher rate: £70.35
Lower rate: £47.10
Bereavement Benefit
Bereavement payment (lump sum): £2,000.00
Widowed parent’s allowance: T£95.25
Bereavement allowance (standard rate): T£95.25
Bereavement allowance (age-related)
54: T£88.58
53: T£81.92
52: T£75.25
51: T£68.58
50: T£61.91
49: T£55.25
48: T£48.58
47: T£41.91
46: T£35.24
45: T£28.58
Carer’s Allowance (M)
Carer’s allowance: T£53.10
Child Benefit/Guardian Allowance
For eldest qualifying child (couple) – from 5 January 2009: £20.00
For each other child (couple/lone parent) – from 5 January 2009: £13.20
Guardian's allowance: £14.10
Christmas Bonus
Paid with some benefits, only one bonus for each person. The qualifying week begins on the first Monday in December.
One rate: £10.00
Council Tax Benefit (M)
The maximum council tax benefit (CTB) you can get is 100% of your council tax liability. There are special provisions for students. The rates used to calculate your CTB are the same as the allowances and premiums that make up IS – see below. There are a few exceptions:
Personal allowances – pensioner
Single/loan parent – 60–64: £130.00
Couple – one or both 60–64: £198.45
Single/lone parent – 65 and over: £150.40
Couple – one or both 65 and over: £225.50
Deductions for non-dependants
Non-dependant in receipt of IS or income-based JSA: no deduction
Gross income less than £178.00: £2.30
Gross income £178.00–£305.99: £4.60
Gross income £306.00–£381.99: £5.80
Gross income £382.00 or more: £6.95
Premium for people with preserved rights
Family (lone parent rate): £22.20
Second adult rebate
Percentage figure = amount off council tax bill
Rebate for second adults on IS, on income-based JSA or pension credit: 25%
Rebate where second adults have combined gross income up to £175.00: 15%
Rebate where second adults have combined gross income £175.00–£227.99: 7.5%
Disability Living Allowance
Care component
Higher rate: £70.35
Middle rate: £47.10
Lower rate: £18.65
Mobility component
Higher rate: £49.10
Lower rate: £18.65
Employment and Support Allowance
This replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on incapacity grounds. Existing customers will initially continue to receive their existing benefits, so long as they continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions.
Assessment phase
Single person aged 16-24: Up to £50.95
Single person aged 25 or over: Up to £64.30
Couple aged 18 or over (means tested only): Up to £100.95
Main phase - work-related activity group
Single person: Up to £89.80
Couple aged 18 or over (means tested only): Up to £126.45
Main phase - support group
Single person: Up to £95.15
Couple aged 18 or over (means tested only): Up to £131.80
Housing Benefit (M)
The maximum housing benefit (HB) is 100% of eligible rent. The rates used to calculate HB payments are generally the same as the allowances and premiums that make up IS (see below). There are a few exceptions:
Personal allowances
Single people 16–24: £50.95
Single people 25 or over: £64.30
Lone parents under 18: £50.95
Lone parents 18 or over: £64.30
Premium for people with preserved rights
Family (lone parent rate): £22.20
Meals deductions
Three or more meals a day: £22.95 (adult) , £11.60 (child under 16)
Less than three meals a day: £15.25 (adult), £7.65 (child under 16)
Breakfast only: £2.80 (adult) , £2.80 (child under 16)
Service charges for fuel
Heating: £21.55
Hot water: £2.50
Lighting: £1.75
Cooking: £2.50
Incapacity Benefit
See Employment and Support Allowance for new claimants because of illness or disability under state pension age from 27 October 2008.
Long-term basic rate: T£89.80
Increase for age – lower rate: T£6.55
Increase for age – higher rate: T£15.65
Short-term lower rate – under state pension age: £67.75
Short-term higher rate – under state pension age: T£80.15
Short-term lower rate – over state pension age: £86.20
Short-term higher rate – over state pension age: T£89.80
Income Support (taxable only if on strike) (M)
Personal allowances, premiums and payments to cover certain housing costs together make up the income support (IS) benefit payment. See Employment and Support Allowance for new claimants because of illness or disability under state pension age from 27 October 2008.
Personal allowances
Single people
Aged under 25: £50.95
Aged 25 or over: £64.30
Couple
Both aged 18 or over: £100.95
Where one or both partners are aged under 18, their personal allowance depends on their circumstances.
Lone parents
Aged under 18: £50.95
Aged 18 or over: £64.30
Dependent children
£56.11
Premiums
Family/lone parent: £17.30
Disabled child: £51.24
Carer: £29.50
Pensioner
Couple: £97.50
Disability
Single: £27.50
Couple: £39.15
Severe disability – paid for each adult who qualifies: £52.85
Independent residential care homes and nursing homes
Maximum help with fees depends on type of care provided. Maximum amounts can be increased for care in Greater London.
Relevant sum for strikers: £34.50
Industrial Death Benefit
Widow’s pension – higher rate: T£95.25
Widow’s pension – lower rate: T£28.58
Widower’s pension: T£95.25
Industrial Injuries Disablement Pension
Disablement benefit
| Disablement | Aged 18 and over, or under 18 with dependants | Aged under 18 |
| 100% | £143.60 | £88.05 |
| 90% | £129.24 | £79.25 |
| 80% | £114.88 | £70.44 |
| 70% | £100.52 | £61.64 |
| 60% | £86.16 | £52.83 |
| 50% | £71.80 | £44.03 |
| 40% | £57.44 | £35.22 |
| 30% | £43.08 | £26.42 |
| 20% | £28.72 | £17.61 |
Constant attendance allowance
Part-time rate: £28.75
Normal maximum rate: £57.50
Intermediate rate: £86.25
Exceptional rate: £115.00
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance
One rate: £57.50
Unemployability supplement
Basic rate: £88.75
There are additions for early incapacity:
Higher rate: £18.65
Middle rate: £12.00
Lower rate: £6.00
Reduced earnings allowance
Maximum rate: £57.44
Retirement allowance
Maximum rate: £14.36
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Contribution-based JSA
Person aged under 25: T£50.95
Person aged 25 or over: T£64.30
Income-based JSA (M)
Personal allowances
Single people
Aged under 25: T£50.95
Aged 25 or over: T£64.30
Couple
Both under 18: T£50.95
Both under 18, higher rate: T£76.90
One under 18, one 18–24: T£50.95
One under 18, one over 25: T£64.30
Both 18 or over: T£100.95
Lone parents
Aged under 18: T£50.95
Aged 18 or over: T£64.30
Dependent children
T£56.11
Premiums
Amounts are the same as for IS (see above).
Prescribed sum for strikers: £34.50
Maternity Allowance
Standard rate: £123.06
MA threshold: £30.00
Health Costs
Free prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests and vouchers for glasses, wigs and fabric supports, and help with hospital travel costs. If you or your partner are getting DWA, IS, income-based JSA or family credit, you will be able to get these things free. Some other people can also get them free or at a reduced cost. See leaflet HC11 Help with NHS Costs available from post offices and Social Security offices.
Pension Credit (M)
Standard minimum guarantee
Single: £130.00
Couple: £198.45
Additional amount for severe disability
Single: £52.85
Couple (one qualifies): £52.85
Couple (both qualify): £105.70
Additional amount for carers: £29.50
Savings credit
Threshold – single: £96.00
Threshold – couple: £153.40
Maximum – single: £20.40
Maximum – couple: £27.03
Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis And Miscellaneous Diseases Scheme and Workmen’s Compensation (Supplementation)
Total disablement allowance: £143.60
Partial disablement allowance: £53.10
Severe Disablement Allowance
Severe disablement allowance: £57.45
Age-related additions
Higher rate: £15.65
Middle rate: £9.10
Lower rate: £5.35
State Pension
Basic pension
Based on your own or your late spouse’s NI contributions: T£95.25
Based on your spouse’s contributions: T£57.05
One-off payment in January 2009: T£60.00
Non-contributory (based on residence)
Full rate: T£57.05
Married woman’s: T£34.15
Over 80 addition: T£0.25
Additional pension
Based on your earnings since April 1978. Also known as the State Earnings Related Pension (SERPS).
Graduated retirement benefit
Based on your graduated NI contributions paid between April 1961 and April 1975. For every £7.50 (man) or £9 (woman) of graduated contributions paid, you get T11.53p.
Deferral
Increase on deferral: 0.2% a week simple (ie 10.4% last year).
Lump sum alternative: only available if pension deferral lasts at least 12 months. Calculated as foregone payments accumulated at base rate +2%. Fully taxable at pensioner's marginal rate (ie not added to income).
Statutory Adoption Pay
If your average gross earnings are £95 a week or over:
Standard rate: T£117.18
Statutory Maternity Pay
If your average gross earnings are £95 a week or over:
Standard rate: T£117.18
Statutory Paternity Pay
If your average gross earnings are £95 a week or over:
Standard rate: T£117.18
Statutory Sick Pay
If your average gross earnings are £95 a week or over:
Standard rate: T£75.40
War Pensions
You can find information on the rates of all war pensions, allowances and supplements in leaflet WPA9 Rates of War Pensions and Allowances. The War Pensions Agency looks after war pensions, and may issue new leaflets with different titles during the year.
Widow’s Benefits
Widowed mother’s allowance: T£95.25
Widow’s pension (standard rate): T£95.25
Age-related widow’s pension
The rate depends on your age at the time of your husband’s death or when widowed mother’s allowance stops. If you were receiving age-related widow’s pension before 11 April 1988, refer to the ages in brackets.
54 (49): T£88.58
53 (48): T£81.92
52 (47): T£75.25
51 (46): T£68.58
50 (45): T£61.91
49 (44): T£55.25
48 (43): T£48.58
47 (42): T£41.91
46 (41): T£35.24
45 (40): T£28.58
Working Tax Credit (rates per year) (M)
Basic element: £1,890
Additional couple’s and lone parent element: £1,860
30 hour element: £775
Disabled worker element: £2,530
Severe disability element: £1,075
50plus return to work payment, 16–29 hours: £1,300
50plus return to work payment, 30+ hours: £1,935
Childcare element
Maximum eligible cost per week: £300
Maximum eligible cost for one child per week: £175
Percentage of eligible costs covered: 80%
Family element: £545
Family element, baby addition: £545
Child element: £2,235
Disabled child additional element: £2,670
Severely disabled child additional element: £1,075
Income thresholds and withdrawal rates
First income threshold: £6,420
First withdrawal rate: 39%
Second income threshold: £50,000
Second withdrawal rate: 6.67%
First threshold for those entitled to child tax credit only: £16,040
Income disregard: £25,000
Capital Limits – Common Rules
For income support (IS), income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA), income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), pension credit (PC), housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) unless otherwise stated.
Capital rules
Upper limit: £16,000
Upper limit – PC and HB/CTB guarantee credit: no limit
Amount disregarded: £6,000
Child disregard: £3,000
Upper limit (living in a care home): £16,000
Amount disregarded (living in a care home): £10,000
Income from capital – tariff income
£1 for every complete £250 or part between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit.
Income from capital – tariff income (PC and HB/CTB)
Claimant or partner 60 or over: £1 for every complete £500 or part between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit.
Expenses for subtenants
Furnished or unfurnished: £20.00
Deductions – Common Rules
For income support (IS), jobseeker's allowance (JSA), employment and support allowance (ESA), pension credit (PC), housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) unless otherwise stated.
Deductions for non-dependants
Gross income under £120.00 or not in remunerative work: £7.40
Gross income £120.00-£177.99, in remunerative work: £17.00
Gross income £178.00-£230.99, in remunerative work: £23.35
Gross income £231.00-£305.99, in remunerative work: £38.20
Gross income £306.00-£381.99, in remunerative work: £43.50
Gross income £382.00 or more and in remunerative work: £47.75
Extra Benefits for Dependants
These payments are made in addition to the basic rates of NI and some non‑contributory benefits.
Dependent children
With retirement pension, widowed mother’s allowance, widowed parent’s allowance, short-term incapacity benefit paid at the higher rate or if beneficiary over pension age, long-term incapacity benefit, carer’s allowance, severe disablement allowance, higher rate industrial death benefit or unemployability supplement, you may get: £11.35
Dependent adults
For a spouse or a person looking after children, you may get:
With state pension on your own NI contributions: £57.05
With long-term incapacity benefit: £53.10
With unemployability supplement: £53.10
With carer’s allowance: £31.70
With severe disablement allowance: £31.90
With short-term incapacity benefit over state pension age: T*£51.10
With short-term incapacity benefit and maternity allowance: T£41.35
* Taxable for higher rate incapacity benefit only.
Source: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
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