Income Support is extra money to help people on a low income. It’s for people who don't have to sign on as unemployed. Whether you qualify or not and how much you get depends on your circumstances. Find out more, including who can get it.
It's for people who all the following apply to:
You may get Income Support if you are one of the following:
Young people in relevant education may also get Income Support. This might apply if you:
You can get Income Support as well as some other benefits.
If you or your partner have a low income and are over 60, you may need to know about Pension Credit.
Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level.
The minimum age you can get Pension Credit is rising in stages between April 2010 and 2020, from 60 to 65. It's linked to the changes to women's State Pension age.
You can claim Income Support for yourself and your partner.
Social Security/Jobs & Benefits offices will treat you as a couple if you live with:
Social Security/Jobs & Benefits offices call this other person your partner.
Income Support is no longer paid for children if you're making a new claim. To get money for children, you must now claim Child Tax Credit instead.
Only one person in a family can claim Income Support at any one time. There are several types of premiums (extra amounts) you may get based on your and your partner's circumstances.
There are changes to Income Support that may affect your entitlement if you're receiving it because you're a lone parent.
You can claim Income Support if you work less than 16 hours a week. The Social Security/Jobs & Benefits office will take into account some of the amount you earn when they assess your claim for benefit. The amount they ignore will depend on your circumstances.
You may also get Income Support if you're a disabled worker who earns less than someone in the same job without the same disability.
If you take unpaid parental leave, or paternity leave (paid or unpaid), you may get Income Support. You must meet all other conditions for getting Income Support, and be entitled to one of the following benefits:
If you're not entitled to one of the benefits listed above and you take unpaid parental leave, you may still be able get Income Support.
You can volunteer as long as you meet the conditions for getting Income Support.
If you volunteer, you must tell your Social Security/Jobs & Benefits office. They will ask you to fill in a form.
As a volunteer, you may be paid some of your expenses, like travel costs for example. These aren't normally counted as income. You'll need to keep receipts for any payments you get, to prove these are for expenses only.
Find out how you can claim Income Support and how much you might get.
Money, tax and benefits
