Child benefits Eldest child £15.00 Other children £10.00 Eldest child of lone parent £1...
Child benefits
Eldest child £15.00
Other children £10.00
Eldest child of lone parent £17.50
Maternity benefits
Statutory maternity pay (subject to tax and NI)
90% of average earnings for first six weeks
12 weeks £60.20
Maternity allowance (not taxable) Employees £60.20
Others £52.25
Social fund maternity payment
If in receipt of income support, income-based JSA,
Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance £200.00
Disability and incapacity benefits
Attendance allowance
Higher rate £53.55
Lower rate £35.80
(Higher rate for day and night care, lower rate for day or night care)
Disability living allowance
Tax free benefit for those needing help with personal care and mobility. The care component provides for ill and disabled who need help with washing, dressing, and so on. The mobility component is for those who cannot or have difficulty walking.
Care component Highest £53.55
Middle £35.80
Lowest £14.20
Mobility component Higher £37.40
Lower £14.20
Invalid care allowance
Weekly rate £40.40
Additional payments: eldest child £9.85
Children £11.35
Dependant adult £24.15
Incapacity benefit
Short-term
First 28 weeks £50.90
Weeks 29-52 £60.20
Long-term
Weeks 53+ £67.50
Over State pension age
Short-term lower rate £64.75
Short-term higher rate £67.50
Age addition with long-term incapacity benefit based on age at start of incapacity
If under 35 when incapacity began £14.20
If between 35-44 when incapacity began £7.10
Severe disablement allowance
A tax free benefit for those unable to work for at least 28 weeks due to illness or disablement but who have not paid adequate NI contributions to qualify for incapacity benefit.
Basic rate £40.80
Increase Incapacity under 40 £14.20
40-50 £9.00
50-60 £4.50
Addition may be payable for dependent adults and children.
Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance
Person aged under 18 £31.35
Person aged between 18-24 £41.35
Person aged 25 and over £52.20
Income-based jobseeker's allowance
Single people Under 18 £31.45
Under 18-24 £41.35
Aged 25 and over £52.20
Couple Both over 18 £81.95
Income support
Examples of weekly rates
Single person
Aged 16-17 £31.45
Aged 18-24 (16-17 living independently) £41.35
Aged 25-59 £52.20
Couple
One or both aged over 18 with 2 children aged 10 and 12 £149.40
Working families' tax credit benefit
Available to low income families with at least one child and savings not in excess of £8,000. The claimant or their partner must work at least 16 hours per week.
Rate depends on family circumstances
Full-time workers (35 hours) guaranteed income of at least £200 per
week
Maintenance disregarded
Minimum income guarantee
Claimants must be aged 60 or over with capital not exceeding £12,000 or £16,000 for those in residential care or nursing homes.
Single person
60-74 £78.45
75-79 £80.85
80 or over £86.05
Couple
60-74 £121.95
75-79 £125.35
80 or over £131.05
Residential and nursing home costs
Independent residential care homes and nursing homes: Maximum help with fees depends on type of care provided. Between £221 and £303 for residential care homes, and £330 and £373 for nursing homes.
Maximum amounts can be increased by up to £46 for a residential care home in Greater London and up to £51 for a nursing home in Greater London.
Personal expenses £15.45
Expenses for dependent children £6.15-£15.00
Residential allowance £61.30
Residential allowance (Greater London) £68.20
Local authority residential accommodation allowance £67.50
Retirement pension
Basic Pension
Single £67.50
Couple £107.90
Dependency addition
Adult £40.40
Child £11.35
Eldest child £9.85
Over 80 addition £00.25
Widows' benefit
Widow's payment (lump sum) £1,000
Widow's pension (standard rate) £67.50
Widowed mother's allowance £67.50
Eldest eligible child £9.85
Younger child £11.35
NHS dental treatment
If an individual is not entitled to free treatment or help with the cost, then the cost is 80% of the cost of the treatment up to maximum, £340 (as of 1 April 1998).
Basic examination £4.52
Extensive clinical examination £6.44
Simple scale and polish £7.24
Two small x-rays and one small filling from £8.08
One large filling from £12.68
A precious metal crown from £59.68
A full set of plastic dentures from £100.00
An upper or lower metal denture from £88.08
Sight tests
NHS sight test (from 10 November 1997) *£14.10
NHS sight test at home (from 10 November 1997) *£39.04
* NHS prescriptions, dental treatment and sight tests are free for those on disability working allowance, income support and jobseeker's allowance.
For more detailed information on social security benefits, visit the DSS website at www.dss.gov.uk
