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LRD guides and handbook April 2017
State benefits and tax credits 2017
Further information
Introduction [pages 5-11] (2,745 words)
State Benefits and Tax Credits 2017 is the latest edition of the Labour Research Department’s annual guide to the benefits system. It focuses on ...
Subscribers only
Chapter 1
1. Universal Credit [ch 1: pages 12-13] (536 words)
The single benefit Universal Credit (UC) is gradually replacing the previous system of working-age benefits and tax credits. The main differences ... Subscribers only
How Universal Credit works [ch 1: page 13] (201 words)
Transitional protection [ch 1: page 14] (76 words)
Waiting for the first UC payment [ch 1: pages 14-15] (392 words)
The introduction of Universal Credit [ch 1: page 15] (299 words)
Disability [ch 1: pages 15-16] (298 words)
Carers [ch 1: pages 16-17] (461 words)
Housing costs [ch 1: pages 17-18] (251 words)
Owner-occupier housing costs [ch 1: page 18] (160 words)
Children [ch 1: pages 18-19] (305 words)
Childcare costs [ch 1: page 19] (111 words)
Work allowances [ch 1: pages 19-20] (169 words)
Taper rate [ch 1: page 20] (210 words)
The Claimant Commitment and sanctions [ch 1: page 20] (191 words)
In-work conditionality and sanctions [ch 1: page 21] (279 words)
Universal Credit and health costs [ch 1: page 21] (129 words)
Universal Credit and European Union nationals [ch 1: page 21] (52 words)
Chapter 2
2. The Benefit Cap [ch 2: page 21] (207 words)
There is now a limit on the total amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to 64 can get. This is called the Benefit Cap. It came into force in 2013 ... Subscribers only
What is covered? [ch 2: pages 22-23] (103 words)
What is the Benefit Cap level? [ch 2: page 23] (161 words)
Cap doesn’t apply [ch 2: pages 23-24] (240 words)
Impact of the reduced Benefit Cap [ch 2: pages 24-25] (337 words)
Cap on welfare spending [ch 2: page 25] (133 words)
Chapter 3
3. Other help for low-paid and unemployed workers [ch 3: page 26] (184 words)
There are a number of benefits — primarily Working Tax Credit, Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance, as well as Universal Credit — for ... Subscribers only
Working Tax Credit [ch 3: pages 26-27] (276 words)
What hours of work are needed? [ch 3: pages 27-28] (307 words)
What happens to payments if income changes? [ch 3: page 28] (272 words)
Backdated payments [ch 3: page 28] (84 words)
Income Support [ch 3: pages 28-29] (408 words)
Income Support and lone parents [ch 3: pages 29-30] (206 words)
If you are currently claiming [ch 3: pages 30-31] (291 words)
How much can you get? [ch 3: page 31] (367 words)
Other rules relating to Income Support [ch 3: pages 31-32] (451 words)
Jobseeker’s Allowance [ch 3: page 33] (275 words)
Who can get it? [ch 3: page 33] (144 words)
Contribution-based JSA [ch 3: page 34] (189 words)
How much can you get? [ch 3: page 34] (224 words)
Income-based JSA [ch 3: pages 34-35] (111 words)
How much can you get? [ch 3: page 35] (242 words)
How to claim [ch 3: page 35-36] (294 words)
Claimant Commitment [ch 3: page 36] (188 words)
Jobseeker’s directions and sanctions [ch 3: pages 36-38] (603 words)
‘Good reason’ why a sanction should not be applied [ch 3: page 38] (146 words)
People with disabilities and carers [ch 3: page 38] (168 words)
Impact of sanctions [ch 3: page 39] (343 words)
The Work Programme [ch 3: pages 39-40] (175 words)
Other Financial Help [ch 3: pages 40-41] (635 words)
Chapter 4
4. Help for sick and disabled workers and those injured at work [ch 4: pages 42-43] (417 words)
There are a number of benefits that you may be able to claim if you are sick, injured at work or disabled. What you get depends on whether you are in ... Subscribers only
Incapacity Benefit [ch 4: pages 43-44] (263 words)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) [ch 4: page 44] (60 words)
Who can get it? [ch 4: page 44] (182 words)
Exceptions [ch 4: pages 44-45] (218 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: page 45] (132 words)
Qualifying days [ch 4: page 45] (46 words)
When to claim [ch 4: page 45] (189 words)
Notification rules for SSP [ch 4: pages 45-46] (201 words)
How is it paid? [ch 4: page 46] (82 words)
Other rules [ch 4: pages 46-47] (184 words)
How to appeal [ch 4: page 46] (198 words)
Acas Early Conciliation [ch 4: page 47] (171 words)
Employment tribunal fees and fee remission [ch 4: pages 47-48] (353 words)
The Fit for Work service [ch 4: page 49] (263 words)
Employment and Support Allowance [ch 4: pages 48-49] (288 words)
How does it work? [ch 4: pages 49-50] (349 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: pages 50-51] (269 words)
Previous cuts to ESA [ch 4: page 51] (167 words)
Work Capability Assessments [ch 4: pages 51-52] (97 words)
Severe Disablement Allowance [ch 4: pages 51-52] (121 words)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit [ch 4: page 52] (67 words)
Who can get it? [ch 4: page 52] (290 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: pages 52-53] (204 words)
How to appeal [ch 4: page 53] (59 words)
Extra help for those claiming IIDB [ch 4: pages 53-54] (192 words)
Campaign against closure of Phoenix House [ch 4: page 54] (143 words)
Reduced Earnings Allowance and Retirement Allowance [ch 4: pages 54-55] (169 words)
Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment [ch 4: page 55] (275 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: pages 55-56] (171 words)
New claims [ch 4: page 56] (147 words)
Problems with PIP [ch 4: pages 56-57] (210 words)
Attendance Allowance [ch 4: page 57] (124 words)
Carer’s Allowance [ch 4: pages 57-58] (329 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: page 58] (72 words)
How to claim [ch 4: page 58] (21 words)
The Independent Living Fund [ch 4: page 58] (129 words)
Chapter 5
5. Support for parents-to-be and parents [ch 5: page 59] (275 words)
Benefits available to help parents and guardians raise their children include:
... Subscribers only
Rights of parents-to-be and new parents at work [ch 5: pages 59-60] (190 words)
Statutory Maternity Leave [ch 5: pages 60-61] (299 words)
Returning to work [ch 5: page 61] (159 words)
Statutory Maternity Pay [ch 5: page 61] (121 words)
How much can you get? [ch 5: pages 61-62] (163 words)
How is it paid? [ch 5: page 62] (96 words)
Maternity Allowance [ch 5: page 62] (320 words)
How to claim [ch 5: page 63] (64 words)
Sure Start Maternity Grant [ch 5: page 63] (208 words)
Shared Parental Leave and Pay [ch 5: pages 63-64] (330 words)
Eligibility [ch 5: pages 64-65] (477 words)
Shared Parental Leave rules [ch 5: page 65] (314 words)
Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave [ch 5: page 66] (305 words)
Statutory Adoption Leave, Pay and Surrogacy Leave [ch 5: pages 66-68] (569 words)
Child Benefit [ch 5: page 68] (397 words)
Guardian’s Allowance [ch 5: pages 68-69] (94 words)
Child Tax Credit [ch 5: page 69] (71 words)
How much can you get? [ch 5: page 69] (212 words)
If your circumstances change [ch 5: pages 69-70] (152 words)
If your child is disabled [ch 5: page 70] (66 words)
How to claim [ch 5: page 70] (56 words)
Expansion of free childcare from September 2017 [ch 5: page 70] (64 words)
New Tax-Free Childcare scheme launched [ch 5: pages 70-71] (121 words)
Chapter 6
6. Pensions [ch 6: page 72] (166 words)
The right to claim certain benefits changes once you reach State Pension Age (SPA). For example, you cannot claim Disability Living Allowance or ... Subscribers only
State Pension Age [ch 6: pages 72-73] (390 words)
Women Against State Pension Inequality [ch 6: page 76] (211 words)
New State Pension — for people reaching State Pension Age on or after 6 April 2016 [ch 6: page 73] (151 words)
What you may get [ch 6: pages 73-74] (795 words)
Deferring the new State Pension [ch 6: page 74] (62 words)
Qualifying for the new State Pension [ch 6: page 74] (127 words)
Reaching State Pension Age before April 2016 [ch 6: page 74] (100 words)
Basic State Pension [ch 6: pages 74-75] (93 words)
Who can get it? [ch 6: page 75] (300 words)
Married women, married men and civil partners [ch 6: page 76] (130 words)
How to claim [ch 6: page 76] (70 words)
Deferring your state pension [ch 6: page 77] (78 words)
Over 80 pension and Age Addition [ch 6: page ] (94 words)
Additional State Pension [ch 6: pages 77-79] (343 words)
Contracting out of Additional State Pension [ch 6: page 80] (202 words)
Graduated pension [ch 6: page 80] (57 words)
Defending the triple lock [ch 6: page 77] (167 words)
Pension Credit [ch 6: page 80] (233 words)
Entitlement to Pension Credit [ch 6: page 81] (246 words)
Pensioners who work and Universal Credit [ch 6: pages 81-82] (114 words)
Winter Fuel Payment [ch 6: page 82] (145 words)
Chapter 7
7. Help with housing costs [ch 7: page 83] (322 words)
The previous coalition government focused particularly on Housing Benefit as a means of cutting public spending. The Housing Benefit bill may have ... Subscribers only
Housing Benefit [ch 7: pages 83-84] (344 words)
Social rented sector claims — the 'bedroom tax' [ch 7: pages 84-85] (271 words)
Legal challenge to the ‘bedroom tax’ [ch 7: page 85] (228 words)
How is Housing Benefit paid? [ch 7: pages 85-86] (65 words)
How much do you get? [ch 7: page 86] (89 words)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) [ch 7: pages 86-87] (294 words)
'Bedroom tax mark 2' [ch 7: page 87] (49 words)
Help with a mortgage [ch 7: page 87] (135 words)
Mortgage Interest Run On [ch 7: pages 87-88] (111 words)
Council Tax Support [ch 7: page 88] (142 words)
Impact of introduction of Council Tax Support [ch 7: page 88] (244 words)
Chapter 8
8. Help if your husband, wife or civil partner dies [ch 8: page 89] (157 words)
Until April 2017, if someone’s husband, wife or civil partner died, they may have been entitled to:
... Subscribers only
Bereavement Support Payment [ch 8: pages 89-90] (274 words)
Impact of changes on parents and children [ch 8: pages 90-91] (297 words)
Inheriting State Pension entitlement [ch 8: pages 91-92] (415 words)
Funeral Payments [ch 8: page 92] (256 words)
Chapter 9
9. Calculating means-tested benefits [ch 9: pages 93-94] (459 words)
Income Support (IS), income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Housing Benefit (HB) are means-tested ... Subscribers only
Further information
Further help and information [pages 95-96] (614 words)
The state benefits system is run mainly by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), while HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) administers Tax Credits. ... Subscribers only