Benefits Calculator

The Web Benefits Calculator - simply fill out this form for an instant on-line Benefits estimate.

Remember this calculation is an estimate based on the information you supply. For a full evaluation make a formal claim asap. Usually Benefit will only start from the Monday after the Council receive your form.

Step 1: Rent

This section requests rent and weekly LHA details for a Housing Benefit Claim ( skip Step 1 if you just want help with your Council Tax bill )

How much is your actual "contract" rent. Warning - excessive amounts may be restricted for claim purposes. Do not include charges for ineligible services such as meals and heating.

Select the "rent period" (how often the contract rent is paid). Fortnightly and monthly figures are automatically converted to weekly amounts.

Enter the number of rent free weeks (if any) in your rent year. Council tenants often have 2 or 4, so check locally.

And, if applicable, enter your weekly Local Housing Allowance. If this is a fresh claim and the rental is from a private landlord (not a Housing Association or similar) then the LHA figure will (mainly) be used instead of the contract rent. Weekly LHA rates are on the local council's website - they depend on the area and number of bedrooms appropriate for the claim. For new claims from April, the weekly LHA on a property cannot exceed £250 for one bedroom, £290 for two, £340 for three and £400 for four (or more) bedrooms. N.B. the Shared Room Rate will apply to your claim if you are under 25 and single.

Step 2: Council Tax

This section requests your Council Tax details (skip this stage if you do not want help with your Council Tax bill)

Enter your actual Annual Council Tax bill ( without taking off any Council Tax Benefit you already get ).

Has this Council Tax bill already been discounted ?

Step 3: General

This section requests some General Information about you. If you answer "Yes" to this first question you can skip all the income questions (steps 7 to 11) because your income will be entirely disregarded for the purposes of this calculation.

Are you (the claimant) on Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Guarantee Credit?

Are you single or living with a partner as a couple ?

Enter your age (or the age of the oldest person in a couple)

Because you (or your partner) are 60/61, you could reach the State Pension qualifying age in this financial year. So select the actual date of birth slot - it can make a difference to your claim.

And then select a start date slot for this claim estimate "run" in the current financial year (April 2011 to the following April). Again, different start date slots could produce very different results.

Step 4: Capacities and Disabilities

This section looks for claimant (and partner) work capacity / health / disability issues or carer functions (if any) - otherwise skip this step. Should you be one of the few Permitted Work earners (on the higher monetary limit) then you are likely to be awarded substantial benefit so do apply asap. Be sure to enter any Employment and Support Allowance payments down at Step 8 as other unearned income. Where a partner gets the (higher) ESA support component, a couple might want to swap claim roles to increase potential HB/CTB.

If applicable, enter your (the HB/CTB claimant's) Employment and Support Allowance details for ESA Phase, ESA element and ESA component.

And your partner's Employment and Support Allowance details for ESA phase, element and component if applicable.

Disability applies if you (or partner) can match one of these qualifying conditions:-
You get Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Invalid Vehicle Scheme or Motability, War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement, Severe Disablement Allowance, Incapacity Benefit (paid at the long term rate) or you are registered blind (or regained your sight in the last 28 weeks)?
Or you (the claimant only) have been off work sick for at least 52 weeks (28 if terminally ill) with medical evidence / sick notes ?

Do you (or your partner) get the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance?

Do these two statements apply to you ? (only say "yes" if both of them apply)

You (and partner) get care component of Disability Living Allowance (middle/high rate) or Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance (or partner blind and you get one), and
No other adult lives in your home except your partner, other than disabled persons, your carer, landlord or other tenants,

Is someone getting (or entitled to) a Carer's Allowance for looking after one of you or your partner, or both of you ?

Does the person who is disabled or on ESA (you or your partner) work an average of 16 hours or more a week ?

Are you, your partner, or both of you, being paid (or entitled to be paid) a Carer's Allowance for looking after someone ?

Step 5: Children and Young Persons

This section requests details of your children and young persons for whom child benefit is paid.

How many children aged under 16 do you or your partner get child benefit for?

How many young adults aged 16 to 19 years old do you or your partner get child benefit for?

How many children included above are disabled and receiving Disability Living Allowance or are registered blind?

How many of those children are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance at the highest care component rate?

Step 6: Single Lone Parent

This section requests details for single lone parents only - otherwise skip this step

Have you been receiving Housing/Council Tax Benefit without a break since 5th April 1998?

Step 7: Earnings

This section requests your earnings details. As mentioned at Step 3, skip to step 12 if you are on Income Support, Income-based JSA, Income-related ESA or PGC. Give figures for the claimant (and partner). Include average earnings from employment and self employment. Be sure to enter weekly figures in the Weekly column only and Monthly figures in the Monthly column only.

	£ Monthly £ Weekly
How much do you and your partner earn (before deductions)? (Do not count expenses paid by your employer)
If you work as a childminder how much do you earn from this? (Any earnings from childminding need to be counted separately from other earnings)
How much Income Tax and National Insurance is deducted ?
How much do you pay towards a pension scheme ?

Weekly Housing Benefit Award: Weekly Main Council tax Benefit is:

Alternative Result is: Second adult rebate weekly CT Benefit. Alternative Council Tax Benefit is often called Second Adult Rebate. It is based on the income of the non-dependants. The program calculates if you are better off with a benefit award based on your circumstances or your non-dependants.

And finally you can use the browser Print button to launch a print or change your figures to calculate again or the form.

If you appear to be entitled to benefit and wish to apply, you can do so by using our online form or otherwise request an application form by contacting this office on 01202 633114 or emailing the Financial Services Mailbox.

in the Top Earnings Category (£387+ p/w gross)
between £310 and £386.99 p/w gross earnings
between £234 and £309.99 p/w gross earnings
between £231 and £233.99 p/w gross earnings
between £180 and £230.99 p/w gross earnings
between £177 and £179.99 p/w gross earnings
between £122 and £176.99 p/w gross earnings
under £122 p/w gross but works at least 16 hours