Benefits Calculator

revenues.benefits@kirklees.gov.uk

This calculation is an estimate, based on the information you give us.  It is a rough guide only and not an official calculation claim, notification or guarantee of housing benefit or council tax benefit.  The form should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.  It will save you time if you have wage slips, benefit awards or tenancy details to hand before starting.

If the calculator will not let you answer a question, this is because of answers you have already given.  For example you have said that you are a couple, so cannot be a single parent.  If you think you should answer a question and it is locked, check your previous answers.

If you have any problems when using the form, please tell us about about it using our feedback form.

Unfortunately, JavaScript needs to be enabled in your browser to use the benefits calculator.  There is a BBC guide which explains how to do this.  We are working on a version of the calculator that does not require JavaScript.

Go to the BBC guide about enabling javascript

Section A - Your Rent

1. What rent do you pay? (Do not include council tax or water rates or the costs of hot water, lighting, heating, cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, meals or garage rent). £ 2. How often is the rent paid? (monthly means on the same day each month - on the first day of each month for instance) weekly fortnightly monthly 3. How many rent-free weeks (if any) do you have a year?

Rules can limit how much rent the housing benefit can cover.  The maximum you can receive on your household, the type of home it is and where it is.  For example your landlord may say the rent is £60 a week, but housing benefit may only cover £50.  So it's a good idea to find out in advance the maximum amount of rent which housing benefit could cover.

You can do this by asking for a 'pre-tenancy determination'.  You can view an online 'pre-tenancy determination' form (PDF 73kb) , or alternatively the forms are available from any Kirklees Information Point, or by contacting customer services on 01484 414950.

Fill in the form, get your landlord to sign it, and send it back to us.  An independent organisation called The Rent Service will tell you the rent level that we would use to work out your housing benefit at that address.  If it's less than the rent the landlord is charging, you would have to find the rest yourself, even if you qualify for maximum housing benefit.  We will arrange for The Rent Service to tell you and your landlord about the determination, usually within 5 working days.  A pre-tenancy determination is not an award of housing benefit.

Go to The Rent Service (external link)

Section B - Your council tax details

4. How much is your yearly council tax before discounts? (without taking off any Council Tax Benefit you already get). £ 5. Which discount do you have? No 25% off 50% off

Section C - General Information

6. Are you on income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance or the guarantee credit element of pension credit? If YES please jump forward to Section L No Yes 7. Are you single or are you in a couple?, see for definition of a couple single couple 8. What is your age, or your partner's age if they are older?

Section D - Only complete if you or your partner are disabled or a carer

9. Do you or your partner receive any of the following? Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance or Disability Working Allowance Invalid Vehicle Scheme payment War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement Severe Disablement Allowance Incapacity Benefit received for more than 52 weeks Or are you or your partner sick and incapable of work for 52 weeks registered blind No Yes 10. Do you or your partner get the highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance? No Yes 11. Do both of the statements below apply to you? (a) You and your partner get the care component of disability living allowance or attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance (or your partner is blind and you get one of these benefits) and no-one else gets invalid care allowance to look after you and, (b) No other adult lives in your household except your partner, another disabled person, your carer, landlord or other tenants or boarders. No Yes 12. Is the disabled person in the household (either you or your partner) working an average of 16 hours or more per week? No Yes 13. Do you or your partner receive carers allowance or invalid care allowance? None One Both

Section E - Requests details of children and young persons for whom child benefit is paid.

14. How many children aged under 16 do you get child benefit for? 15. Do you have a child aged under 1? No Yes 16. How many young adults aged 16 to 19 years do you or your partner get child benefit for? 17. How many children in your family are disabled (receiving disability living allowance or registered blind)? 18. How many children in your family receive disability living allowance at the highest care component rate?

Section F - Single Parents

19. Have you been receiving housing benefit/council tax benefit without a break since 5 April 1998? ("lone parent premium") No Yes 20. Do you receive lone parent child benefit? No Yes

Section G - Details of what you and your partner earn

Include earnings from employment and self-employment.  Try to give your average wage (which may include regular overtime).  If you are in a couple and you both work, add your wages together. £ Weekly £ Monthly 21. How much do you and your partner earn (before deductions)?  (Do not count expenses paid by your employer) week month 22. If you work as a childminder how much do you earn from this?  (Do not include income from child minding above) week month 23. How much is deducted for income tax and national insurance? week month 24. How much is your pension contribution? week month 25. Decide whether you or your partner work the most hours.  Tell us how many hours that person works. Select the highest. 30 or more 16 to 30 under 16 26. Are you (or partner) 50 or over and recently "off state benefits" after at least six months on them - because you are now working 16 hours or more? No Yes

Section H - Weekly unearned income

If you have stated the number of children in your family correctly this box will show how much child benefit you already receive. £ (automatically calculated) If it is incorrect check your answers to questions 14,16, and 20 27. How much rent do you receive from sub-tenants?  Before you enter the weekly amount, from the rent they pay you take off £4 for each one, and an extra £11.95 for each one if you pay for the heating.  If you are a pensioner please take off £20 for each one. £ 28. Do you have any boarders?  If yes, state the amount they pay you after taking off £20 for each one. £ 29. How much maintenance and Child Support payments do you receive? - we will disregard a maximum of £15. £ 30. What other unearned income do you have per week? Please include: retirement pensions incapacity benefit disability working allowance invalid care allowance severe disablement allowance Do not include: tax credits pension credits war pensions interest on savings attendance allowance disability living allowance mobility allowance fostering allowance community care payments charitable payments payments made as a result of personal injury £

Section I - Capital

If you have capital over £16,000 you are unlikely to qualify for benefit unless you get guarantee credit.  Capital under £6,000 is ignored. 31. Please state the value of all cash, savings, bank deposits, Tests, PEPs, unit trusts, ISAs, building society accounts. £ 32. What is the current value of your shares, buildings and land? (but not the house you are living in) Deduct 10% of the value to cover cost of sale. £

Section J - Childcare and student expenses

Formal childcare fees (up to £175 per week for one child or £300 for two or more) can be deducted from the income of couples or lone parents who work at least 16 hours per week or on Statutory Sick, Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay or a similar benefit (up to 28 weeks).  Couples still qualify if one works and the partner is incapacitated, in hospital or prison. 33. How much are your weekly childcare fees (for children up to the September following their 15th birthday, or 16th for disabled children)? £ 34. Do you or your partner pay towards the upkeep of a student, if so how much per week? £

Section K - Tax and pension credits

If you do not currently receive tax credits, uncheck this box.  If you would like a calculation including a tax credit estimate please answer questions 39 & 40. Otherwise continue to question 41. calculate using tax credit 35. If you get working tax credit and/or child tax credit enter your total weekly tax credit here. £ 36. If you get pension credit, enter your weekly pension credit figure here. £ If you don't currently get tax credit or pension credit, this program will calculate an estimate based on the information you have already supplied.  The result may not be the same as the Inland Revenue or Pension Service figure but should be very close.  To get this estimate please give us these extra family details.... 37. Add up the hours you and your partner work. Is this 30 hours or more in an average week? No Yes 38. Are you or your partner receiving attendance allowance at the highest rate? No Yes

Section L - Adults living with you (non-dependants)

They are assumed to be contributing to the household income so a deduction is made for each one.  Do not include anyone who you have already included as a sub-tenant or boarder.  Tell us about their Gross Income (before any deductions).  If you have adults living with you as a couple, add their income together and enter their details only once. 39. How many non-dependants earn more than £338 per week? 40. How many non-dependants earn £271 - £337.99 per week? 41. How many non-dependants earn £204 - £270.99 per week? 42. How many non-dependants earn £157 - £203.99 per week? 43. How many non-dependants earn £106 - £156.99 per week? 44. How many non-dependants earn £106 or less but work at least 16 hours per week? 45. How many non-dependants (working or otherwise) receive pension credit? There are also 3 categories of "not working" non-dependants (i.e. not working at least 16 hours per week) 46. How many non-dependants are not working or working less than 16 hours and are not on income support, jobseeker's allowance (income based), or any Pension Credit and not working? 47. How many non-dependants are under 25 and are on income support or jobseeker's allowance? 48. How many non-dependants are 25 or over and on income support or jobseeker's allowance?

Results

The total amount the government says you need to live on each week is: £ Your total weekly income after deductions is: £ This includes Tax / Pension credits per week of: £ Your estimated weekly housing benefit is: £ There are two types of council tax benefit - 'main' and 'second adult rebate' . We will pay you the one which gives you more money. Your estimated weekly 'main' council tax benefit is: £ Your estimated second adult rebate is: £

This is NOT an application for housing or council tax benefit.  It is an estimate based on the information you have given.  You must complete a benefit claim form to get a proper assessment and apply for housing benefit and/or council tax benefit.  Contact Customer Services on 01484 414950 or call in at any cash and information or housing office for a claim form.

Should you qualify for council tax/housing benefit then your child can get free school meals and a school clothing grant, for more information and details of how to get them click on the following link.

Free School Meals & School Clothing Grants.

Also you can get varying discounts on many council services, for more details click on the following link.

Kirklees Passport.

More information about claiming benefit.

Further Information
Further Information for Question 3
Some landlords give tenants a number of weeks when they do not have to make the usual payment.  If you're not sure, please ask your landlord.

Back to Question 3



Further Information for Question 4
To find your band and the charge visit the valuation bands page.

Back to Question 4



Further Information for Question 6
Income support is a benefit paid to people who are on a low income, and who are not working or working less than 16 hours a week and whose partner (if they have one) works less than 24 hours a week.  If you got Income Support before October 2003 and now get Pension Credit instead, say 'No'.  Job Seekers Allowance is either 'contributory', or 'income-based'.  Only answer 'Yes' if it is 'income-based'.  If you don't know which type it is, look on the award letter from the Department of Work & Pensions or on the benefits book.  Say 'Yes' if you or your partner get income-based JSA and are also on a New Deal or other government training scheme.

Back to Question 6



Further Information for Question 7
A couple is a husband and wife who live together, or two people of the opposite sex who live together as husband and wife.  A couple is also a civil partnership or two people who live together if they are civil partners.  We call the other person in the couple your 'partner'.

Back to Question 7



Further Information for Section E
A dependant child is one that you get Child Benefit for.  Child Benefit is paid to parents (or guardians) for: all children aged under 16; and for children aged 16, 17,18 or 19 who are in full-time education.

Back to Section E



Further Information for Section H
These are people who have a commercial arrangement with you to live in your home and pay you a regular rent.  Although they live in your home, they are not part of your "household" - in other words they would be unlikely to move with you if you moved home.  Members of your family, and long-term friends who live with you "like one of the family" are not in this group, even if they pay you "board" or "keep".

Back to Section H



Further Information for Section I
It may be difficult for you to work out the exact figure - shares and certificates may now be worth more than you paid for them for example.  We need to know how much your savings are worth at today's values.  You can estimate their worth for now, but the more accurate you are, the more accurately we will be able to tell you how much housing benefit to expect.  You will need to provide precise information when you make an official application for housing benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit.  If you and your partner have separate accounts, savings, bonds, shares etc add them together to make one total figure.  (For example if you have £500 in the post office and your partner has £200, put £700).

Back to Section I



Further information on Sub-tenants
A sub-tenant is someone who is contractually liable to pay the claimant for the right to occupy part of the claimant's home, but there are no cooked or prepared meals included.  A sub-tenant is able to claim housing benefit in their own right.  However, if the local authority thinks the sub-tenancy is set up purely to gain benefit, housing benefit cannot be awarded and the sub-tenant is treated as a non-dependant.

Back to Question 25 or Back to Section L



Further information on boarders
A boarder is someone who is liable to pay you, the claimant, a charge which includes payment for some cooked or prepared meals.  Boarders can claim housing benefit in their own right but not Council Tax Benefit.

Back to Question 28 or Back to Section L



Further information on Second Adult Rebate
Second Adult Rebate gives help with your Council Tax bill if you share your home with one or more adults.  To qualify for Second Adult Rebate the person(s) who share with you:

• Must be aged 18 or over
• Must not be your partner
• Must not be paying you rent
• Must not be liable to pay Council Tax themselves