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What’s happening in autumn 2008?
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7 October 2008
This information is available to download as a PDF below.
Do you claim Income Support and is your youngest child aged 12 or over?
From November 2008, if you have a child aged 12 or over you may no longer be entitled to Income Support and will have to claim Jobseeker's Allowance (paid at the same rate) instead.
From October 2009, this will apply to lone parents whose youngest child is ten or over, and from October 2010 to lone parents whose youngest child is seven or over.
Some people can carry on claiming Income Support. You may be able to if you are: - caring for someone (including your own child) who is sick or disabled;
- unable to work because of a health problem or a disability (also see below);
- are pregnant and within 11 weeks of your expected week of childbirth;
- studying or training full time and started your course before these changes aff ect you (see below); or
are a foster parent.
Find out more by calling the Lone Parent Helpline and asking for our factsheet Changes to benefits for lone parents: what's going on?
Are you claiming Income Support as a lone parent, but also have a health problem or a disability?
Get advice on whether to make a claim now for Incapacity Benefit. This is because from 27 October 2008, a new benefit, called the Employment and Support Allowance, will be introduced which will replace Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support for people who are sick or disabled and who make a claim from this date. You may be worse off financially if you wait and claim under the new system.
Find out more by calling the Lone Parent Helpline.
Are you thinking about moving into work?
If you have been on Income Support for 12 months or more and you move into work of at least 16 hours per week and you expect the work to last for at least five weeks, you are entitled to the In Work Credit. This is a payment of £40 per week (£60 per week in London) for 52 weeks. For information on other help that may be available, call the Lone Parent Helpline and ask for our factsheet Help with moving into work: a guide for lone parents.
Are you thinking about education or training?
Changes to Income Support may affect your study plans.
As a lone parent you can claim Income Support while you are studying or training full time but there are different rules for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). If you are moved on to JSA you will not be able to study or train full time and continue to claim this benefit.
If, however, you start your course before these changes affect you (see the first question on this bulletin), you may still be able to finish it and continue to claim Income Support. For this year, this means that if you start your course before November, you will be able to remain on Income Support until the course finishes or your youngest child reaches 16.
Do you claim benefits and receive child maintenance?
From 27 October 2008, the amount of child maintenance that can be ignored before it reduces certain benefits will increase from £10 per week to £20 per week for those on Income Support and will be ignored completely for Housing Benefit.
Do you claim Income Support and use the Child Support Agency?
From 14 July 2008 , if you make a new claim for Income Support you will not also be treated as applying to the Child Support Agency (CSA). So you can come to your own arrangements, although you must still tell Jobcentre Plus the amount of maintenance you receive. Some of this is ignored when calculating your benefit - see above. A new Child Maintenance Options Service (0800 988 0988) set up by the CSA can give you information about making your own arrangements if this is what you want to do or, for independent advice, ring the Lone Parent Helpline on 0800 018 5026.
Also from 14 July 2008, if you have been getting a reduced amount of benefits because you decided not to use the CSA, this will be put back up to the full amount.
If you are already on Income Support, from 27 October 2008 it is up to you whether or not you use the CSA, but if you decide to stop using them before then, your benefit will not be reduced.
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