Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

Income Support - Premiums

Premiums are special additions in the calculation of Income Support. They recognise that special groups of customers have extra needs.

There are various categories of Premiums

Premiums for people with children

Any new claim to Income Support awarded from the 6th April 2004 will not include child-related elements because support for children will be provided by Child Tax Credit (CTC). Families already on Income Support in April 2004 who have not already claimed CTC will be moved across to CTC at a future date.

The Family Premium/The Family Premium (Lone Parent)

Since 12 April 2004 the Family Premium and the Family Premium (Lone Parent) have been paid at the same rate. They are payable if you or your partner are responsible for, and in the same household as, a child or young person under the age of 20.

The Family Premium/Family Premium (Lone Parent) can be awarded in addition to other premiums.

The Disabled Child Premium

If you are responsible for a child or young person under the age of 20, you will get this premium if:

  • the dependant is getting Disability Living Allowance; or
  • the dependant is no longer receiving Disability Living Allowance because of admission to hospital; or
  • the dependant is registered blind.
  • CTC is not in payment

This Disabled Child Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums.

You will not qualify if the child or the young person has capital of more than £3,000.

The Disabled Child Premium can be paid for each child that satisfies the above qualifying conditions.

The Enhanced Disabled Child Premium

You will get this premium if you have a dependant who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance Higher Rate Care Component.

You will not qualify if the dependant child has capital of more than £3,000.

Premiums for long-term sick people and people with disabilities

The Disability Premium

If you are under the age at which you can get Pension Credit, you may be able to get this premium if you are in receipt of:

  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Incapacity Benefit-long term rate
  • An invalid vehicle or in receipt of Mobility Payments
  • The disability element or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit (WTC) or;
  • Are registered blind; or
  • Your partner is getting any of the above; or
  • Attendance Allowance

If blindness ends, you will still get the payment for up to 28 weeks after you cease to be registered blind.

You may also get the disability premium if you are accepted as being incapable of employment (or are receiving Statutory Sick Pay) for at least 364 days (196 days if terminally ill). Periods of incapacity separated by 56 days or less can be linked together when calculating the qualifying period.

The Severe Disability Premium

Single rate

If you are single you may get the lower rate premium if:

  • you live alone and get the middle or the higher care component of Disability Living Allowance and
  • no one gets ·Carer's Allowance for looking after you

Couples (higher rate)

If you have a partner you may get the higher rate premium if:

  • you both get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, or
  • you get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and your partner gets Attendance Allowance, and
  • no one else lives with you, and
  • no one gets Carer's Allowance for looking after either of you

Couples (lower rate)

If you have a partner you may get the lower rate premium if no one else lives with you and:

  • the middle or highest rate of Disability Living Allowance care component is paid to both, and Carer's Allowance is in payment for only one of you; or
  • you get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and your partner gets Attendance Allowance, and Carer's Allowance is in payment for only one of you; or
  • the middle or highest rate of Disability Living Allowance care component is paid to the customer; and
  • the partner is blind; and
  • Carer's Allowance is not in payment to a person caring for the customer

In this situation the person with the Disability Living Allowance must be the customer.

The Severe Disability Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums (usually Disability Premium or Higher Pensioner Premium) and can be paid to customer or partner or both.

The Enhanced Disability Premium

Single rate

If you are single or under the age at which you can get Pension Credit, you may be able to get this premium if you are:

  • Receiving Disability Living Allowance Higher Rate Care Component; or

Couple rate

You may be able to get this premium if both you and your partner are under the age at which you can get Pension Credit or either you or your partner are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance Higher Rate Care Component.

The Enhanced Disability Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums.

Carer Premium

You may be able to get this premium if you or your partner are:

  • receiving Carer's Allowance
  • have claimed Carer's Allowance but could not be paid it because the person who claimed already had another higher benefit

Couples can get a double premium if each partner satisfies one of these conditions. The Carer Premium is normally payable for 8 weeks after a Carer's Allowance award ceases. The Carer Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums and can be paid to both the claimant and partner.

Premiums for people whose partner has reached the Qualifying Age for Pension Credit

If your partner has reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit, you may get a Pensioner Premium.

How many premiums can be paid?

In most situations each family will only be able to get one premium at a time even if it qualifies for several. The one paid will be the highest. Out of eight premiums, four can be paid in addition to another premium.

Rates of Income Support Premiums

Current Weekly Amount Premium Criteria
£17.40 Family
£17.40 Family (lone parent rate)
£103.75 Pensioner - couple
£28.85 Disability - single
£41.10 Disability - couple
£55.30 Severe Disability - single
£55.30 Severe Disability - couple (one qualifies)
£110.60 Severe Disability - couple (both qualify)
£14.05 Enhanced Disabled Premium - single
£20.25 Enhanced Disabled Premium - couple
£53.62 Disabled child
£21.63 Enhanced Disabled Child Premium
£31.00 Carer