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LRD guides and handbook April 2018
State benefits and tax credits 2018
Introduction
Introduction [pages 5-10] (2,417 words)
State Benefits and Tax Credits 2018 is the latest edition of the Labour Research Department’s annual union reps’ guide to the benefits system. It ...
Subscribers only
Chapter 1
1. Universal Credit [ch 1: page 11] (139 words)
What's new? ... Subscribers only
Universal Credit roll-out [ch 1: pages 11-12] (621 words)
Claiming Universal Credit [ch 1: pages 12-13] (157 words)
Universal Credit payments [ch 1: pages 13-14] (470 words)
Other support [ch 1: pages 14-15] (181 words)
Will working people be worse off with Universal Credit? [ch 1: pages 15-16] (520 words)
The self-employed and Universal Credit [ch 1: page 16] (278 words)
Transitional protection [ch 1: page 17] (254 words)
Waiting for the first Universal Credit payment [ch 1: pages 17-18] (520 words)
Cuts to housing support [ch 1: pages 18-19] (415 words)
Cuts to support for those with children [ch 1: pages 19-21] (1,188 words)
Taper rate [ch 1: page 22] (209 words)
Creating chaos in family finances — the pay-day effect [ch 1: pages 22-23] (519 words)
The Claimant Commitment, in-work conditionality and sanctions [ch 1: pages 23-24] (453 words)
Universal Credit and health costs [ch 1: page 24] (89 words)
Universal Credit and European Union nationals [ch 1: page 24] (49 words)
Legal challenge to Universal Credit [ch 1: page 25] (302 words)
Universal Credit: Key points for reps [ch 1: page 26] (396 words)
Chapter 2
2. The Benefit Cap [ch 2: page 27] (170 words)
The Benefit Cap imposes a limit on the total amount of benefit that people aged 16 to 64 can get. It came into force in 2013 and applies to ... Subscribers only
What is covered? [ch 2: page 27] (102 words)
What is the Benefit Cap level? [ch 2: pages 28-29] (519 words)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appeal process [ch 2: pages 29-30] (442 words)
Chapter 3
3. Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Working Tax Credit [ch 3: page 31] (90 words)
In addition to Universal Credit (UC) (see Chapter 1) there are a number of benefits — primarily Working Tax Credit (WTC), Income Support (IS) and ... Subscribers only
Working Tax Credit [ch 3: pages 31-33] (938 words)
What happens to payments if income changes? [ch 3: pages 33-34] (286 words)
Income Support [ch 3: pages 34-35] (374 words)
Jobseeker’s Allowance [ch 3: pages 35-36] (413 words)
Contribution-based JSA [ch 3: pages 35-36] (410 words)
Income-based JSA [ch 3: page 37] (245 words)
How to claim [ch 3: page 38] (175 words)
Claimant commitment and sanctions [ch 3: pages 38-39] (258 words)
Other benefits [ch 3: page 39] (84 words)
Cold Weather Payment [ch 3: page 39] (206 words)
The Social Fund and Local Welfare Assistance [ch 3: pages 39-41] (475 words)
Budgeting Loans [ch 3: page 41] (251 words)
Chapter 4
4. Help for sick and disabled workers and those injured at work [ch 4: page 42] (227 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 ... Subscribers only
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) [ch 4: page 42] (60 words)
Who can get it? [ch 4: pages 42-43] (159 words)
Exceptions [ch 4: page 43] (219 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: page 43] (130 words)
Qualifying days [ch 4: page 43] (46 words)
When to claim [ch 4: page 44] (189 words)
Notification rules for SSP [ch 4: page 44] (171 words)
How is it paid? [ch 4: page 44] (80 words)
If you are pregnant [ch 4: page 45] (68 words)
Independent medical examination [ch 4: page 45] (114 words)
How to appeal [ch 4: page 45] (195 words)
Acas Early Conciliation [ch 4: pages 45-46] (172 words)
Abolition of employment tribunal fees [ch 4: page 46] (80 words)
Employment and Support Allowance [ch 4: pages 46-47] (327 words)
How does it work? [ch 4: page 47] (328 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: pages 47-48] (196 words)
Previous cuts to ESA [ch 4: page 48] (163 words)
Incapacity Benefit [ch 4: page 40] (119 words)
Severe Disablement Allowance [ch 4: page 48] (34 words)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit [ch 4: page 48] (67 words)
Who can get it? [ch 4: page 49] (285 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: page 49] (157 words)
How to appeal [ch 4: page 50] (59 words)
Extra help for those claiming IIDB [ch 4: page 50] (192 words)
Reduced Earnings Allowance and Retirement Allowance [ch 4: page 50] (153 words)
Disability Allowance and Personal Independence Payment [ch 4: page 50] (273 words)
How much can you get? [ch 4: pages 51-52] (190 words)
New claims [ch 4: page 52] (158 words)
Problems with PIP and ESA assessments [ch 4: page 52] (428 words)
Chapter 5
5. Support for parents-to-be and parents [ch 5: page 54] (109 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: page 54] (177 words)
Statutory Maternity Leave [ch 5: pages 54-55] (297 words)
Returning to work [ch 5: page 55] (144 words)
Statutory Maternity Pay [ch 5: pages 55-56] (367 words)
Maternity Allowance [ch 5: pages 36-37] (374 words)
Sure Start Maternity Grant [ch 5: page 57] (206 words)
Shared Parental Leave and Pay [ch 5: pages 58-60] (1,094 words)
Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave [ch 5: page 60] (299 words)
Statutory Adoption Leave, Pay and Surrogacy Leave [ch 5: pages 61-62] (521 words)
Child Benefit [ch 5: page 62] (198 words)
Guardian’s Allowance [ch 5: page 62] (94 words)
Child Tax Credit [ch 5: pages 62-64] (599 words)
Free childcare for three and four-year olds [ch 5: pages 64-66] (593 words)
Tax-Free Childcare scheme [ch 5: page 66] (411 words)
Chapter 6
6. Pensions [ch 6: page 67] (105 words)
The right to claim certain benefits changes once you reach State Pension Age (SPA). For example, you cannot claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) ... Subscribers only
State Pension Age [ch 6: page 67] (248 words)
The new single-tier State Pension [ch 6: pages 67-68] (533 words)
Old State Pensions [ch 6: page 68] (94 words)
Basic State Pension [ch 6: pages 69-70] (659 words)
Additional State Pension [ch 6: pages 70-72] (543 words)
Graduated pension [ch 6: page 72] (57 words)
Pension Credit [ch 6: pages 72-73] (434 words)
Pensioners who work and Universal Credit [ch 6: page 73] (136 words)
Winter Fuel Payment [ch 6: page 73] (140 words)
Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign [ch 6: page 74] (163 words)
Chapter 7
7. Help with housing costs [ch 7: page 75] (240 words)
The Tory-led coalition government focused particularly on Housing Benefit (HB) as a means of cutting public spending. The HB bill may have increased ... Subscribers only
Housing Benefit [ch 7: pages 75-76] (350 words)
Social rented sector claims — the ‘bedroom tax’ [ch 7: pages 76-77] (557 words)
How is Housing Benefit paid? [ch 7: page 77] (63 words)
How much do you get? [ch 7: pages 77-78] (489 words)
Help with a mortgage [ch 7: page 79] (193 words)
Council Tax Support [ch 7: pages 79-80] (169 words)
Chapter 8
8. Help if your husband, wife or civil partner dies [ch 8: page 81] (115 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 81-82] (354 words)
Inheriting State Pension entitlement [ch 8: pages 82-83] (410 words)
Funeral Payments [ch 8: page 83] (265 words)
Chapter 9
9. Calculating means-tested benefits (456 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 (644 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