Benefit Calculator

This calculation is an estimate and should only be used as a guide. A claim form can be downloaded here - Housing and Council Tax Benefit Application Form. Usually Benefit will only start from the Monday after the Council receive your form. For further information or help filling in this form telephone 01827 719365

Step 1: Rent

Skip Step 1 if you just want help with your Council Tax bill

How much is your rent? Do not include charges for meals or bills.

How often are you charged rent?

Enter the number of rent free weeks (if any) in your rent year. North Warwickshire Council tenants have 4 free weeks.

If applicable, enter your weekly Local Housing Allowance. To find out your Local Housing Allowance you will need to use our Bedroom calculator and then find out the rate for your area. Use the Bedroom Calculator then Find out your Local Housing Allowance. If the actual rent is more than the LHA, you pay the excess - if less, you may be awarded up to £15 more per week than the rent.

Step 2: Council Tax

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? e.g. single person discount

Step 3: General

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)

Step 4: Illness and Disabilities

Skip this step if you are not disabled or off work due to illness.
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 Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

If applicable, enter your Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) details for ESA Phase, ESA element and ESA component.

And your partner's Employment and Support Allowance details for ESA Phase, ESA element and ESA 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/or your partner get the care component of Disability Living Allowance (middle/high rate) or Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance (or your partner is blind and you get one of these allowances), 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 you or your partner, or both of you ?

Does the person who is disabled or on ESA, Employment and Support Allowance, (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

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

Is there a baby (any child aged under one) in your family ?

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?

After October 2009 Choose Yes as Child Benefit no longer counts as income. Before October 2009 choose No as Child Benefit is counted as income.

Step 6: Single Lone Parent

Skip this step if you are not a single lone parent

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

Step 7: Earnings

Skip to step 12 if you are on Income Support, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit (Guaranteed Credit). Give figures for yourself (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.

£ Weekly

£ Monthly

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 ?

How many hours are you (or your partner) each working in an average week? Select the highest.

Are you (or partner) 50 or over and recently off state benefits after at least six months on them - because now working 16 hours or more ?

Step 8: Unearned Income

Please enter weekly figures here. You do not need to tell us about Child Benefit here.

Rent from non-family sub-tenants (meals not included). Deduct £20.00 from the weekly rent received from each one.

Income from non-family boarders (meals included). Deduct £20.00 for each one.

Maintenance received from a former partner ? Child support/maintenance payments are disregarded so do not include them.

We do not count War Pensions, charitable payments or payments made as a result of personal injury as income. So do not enter them below.

Unearned income from all other sources each week - This includes Retirement Pensions, Incapacity Benefit, Carer's or Severe Disablement or Contribution-based Jobseeker's or Contributory Employment and Support Allowances. But do not include Tax/Pension/Return to Work Credits, interest on savings or Attendance, Disability Living, Mobility and Fostering Allowances or Community Care Payments.

Step 9: Savings

You cannot usually qualify for any Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit (other than second adult rebate) if you and any partner have £16,000 or more in savings and investments. The home you live in and personal possessions do not count.

How much is the value of all cash, savings, bank deposits, Tessas, PEP's, Unit Trusts, ISA's, building society accounts, Tax Credit arrears etc. and all "liquid assets".

How much is the value of "fixed" or non liquid assets and investments - shares, buildings and land (but not the house you are living in). Deduct 10% of the value to cover cost of sale.

Step 10: Childcare

Costs of childcare in the child's own home by a close relative are excluded.

Enter the weekly childcare charges paid. Children count up to the September following their 15th birthday (or 16th if disabled).

Enter the weekly student loan or grant contribution which can also be set off against claimant (and partner) income.

Step 11: Tax and Pensions

Enter weekly Working Tax Credit and (unless you or partner have reached the age of 60) Child Tax Credits here.

If you receive Pension Credit (savings credit) then enter your weekly Pension Credit figure here. This information is on your award letter from the pension service.

If you are not getting Tax or Pension credits or you don't know how much you are receiving we can estimate it here if you check the box.

Between you and your partner, are you working 30 hours or more in an average week?

Are you (or your partner) a disabled adult on High Rate Attendance Allowance ?

Step 12: Non Dependants

Skip this step if you (or your partner) are disabled due to blindness, or in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance care component or Attendance Allowance. Non dependants are any other adults who live with you but are not a joint tenant or co-owner of the property. For example: an elderly parent, a grown up child, a grown up brother or sister etc. Do not include your partner or any student. Non-dependants are assumed to be contributing to the household income so a deduction is made from any benefit for each one. Please enter the number of non-dependants in each of these Income Categories below.

in the Top Earnings Category (£382+ p/w gross)

between £306 and £381.99 p/w gross earnings

between £231 and £305.99 p/w gross earnings

between £228 and £230.99 p/w gross earnings

between £178 and £227.99 p/w gross earnings

between £175 and £177.99 p/w gross earnings

between £120 and £174.99 p/w gross earnings

under £120 p/w gross but works at least 16 hours

The number of non-dependants (working or otherwise) in receipt of any Pension Credit at all

Number of non-dependants (any age) on Employment and Support Allowance Contribution-based (C)

Not on Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance (I.B.), ESA or any Pension Credit and not working at least 16 hours p/w

Non-dependants who are under 25 and are on IS, JSA or assessment phase income-related ESA(IR)

Non-dependants who are 25 or over and are on IS, income-related ESA (IR) or JSA: Or under 25 and on main phase income-related ESA(IR).

That's all you need to do! Click and let the program work it out.