Benefits calculator

Web 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 assessment, you must submit a form to Leeds Benefits Service as soon as possible. Usually Benefit will only start from the Monday after the Council receive your form.

Step 1 - Rent details for a Housing Benefit Claim ( skip this step if you just want help with your Council Tax bill )
How much is your rent? (Do not include council tax, water rates or costs of hot water, lighting, heating, cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, meals or garage rent)	£
If applicable, enter your Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate. LHA rates can be found here and will depend on the area you live in and the number of bedrooms your family needs. If you are making a new claim for Housing Benefit, and you are renting from a private landlord (not a housing association), then the LHA rate will be used instead of the actual rent you are charged. If your actual rent is less than the LHA rate, you may receive up to a maximum of £15.00 more than the rent you pay (but not more than the LHA rate). However, if your actual rent is higher than the LHA rate, you will need to pay the difference.	£
How often do you pay your rent? (Monthly means the same day of every month)
How many rent free weeks (if any) do you have each year? For example, Council Tenants usually have four.
Step 2 - 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 ).	£
If your bill includes a discount, how much discount do you get? (For example, single person's discount)
Step 3 - requests some General Information about you
Are you single or living with a partner (can be same gender) as a couple ?
Enter your age (or the age of the oldest person in a couple)
Are you or your partner receiving Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance or Guarantee Pension Credit? If you answer 'Yes' please go to Step 12
Step 4 - Only complete if you or your partner are disabled or a carer.
Disability applies if you (or partner) "meet" one of these qualifying conditions:- Do you get Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Invalid Vehicle Scheme or Motability, War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement, Severe Disablement Allowance, Incapacity Benefit (long term rate) ? Are you or your partner registered blind (or have regained sight in the last 28 weeks) ?
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) (1) You (and partner) get care component of Disabilty Living Allowance (middle/high rate) or Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance (or partner blind and you get one), and (2) 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 (you or your partner) work an average of 16 hours or more a week ?

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

Step 5 - 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 ?
Are any of the above children aged under one?
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 - 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 - requests your earnings details - skip to step 12 if you are on Income Support, IS/JSA 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.	£ 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 ?

Decide whether you or your partner works the most hours. Tell us how many hours that person works.
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 - requests your Unearned income figures for you (and your partner). Please make them weekly.
Based on the number of children you have told us about you should get Child Benefit of £ - (automatically calculated)
Rent from non-family sub-tenants (meals not included). Do subtract £20.00 from the weekly rent received from each one.	£
Income from non-family boarders (meals included). Deduct £20.00 for each one.	£
Any maintenance received from a former partner or an absent parent ? Until the end of October 2008, this includes support/maintenance payments for a child unless you (or your partner) are aged 60 or over.	£
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 Allowance and Severe Disablement 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 - requests your Savings, Investments and other assets (claimant and partner).
If you have capital over £16000 you are unlikely to qualify for benefit unless you get Guarantee Pension Credit. Capital under £6000 is ignored but you still need to tell us about it.
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 - requests your eligible childcare charges (up to £175 p/w for 1 child or £300 for more) and student expenses.
Charges for registered or approved childcare can be deducted from the income of couples or lone parents in remunerative work (at least 16 hours p/w) 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. 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).	£
Do you or your partner pay towards the upkeep of a student, if so, how much per week?	£

Step 11 - Details of Tax and Pension Credits - These will be added to your/your partner's income.
If you do not currently receive tax credits, and you do not want to estimate any entitlement to tax credits, uncheck this box.
If you do get them, enter weekly Working Tax Credit and (unless you or partner have reached the age of 60) Child Tax Credit here.	£
And if you do get Pension Credit then enter your weekly Pension Credit figure here.	£
Otherwise, let this program do an estimate - based on the information you have already supplied. The result may not be fully accurate - but it will be very close.
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 - Looks for other adults who live with you and pay no rent (often grown-up children) - but don't count your partner or students
These people are called 'non-dependants and are assumed to be contributing to the household income so a deduction is made from any benefit for each one. So do enter the number of non-dependants in each of these Income Categories but skip this step if you (or your partner) is disabled due to blindness, or in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance care component or Attendance Allowance has been awarded.

in the Top Earnings Category (£369+ per week gross)		between £296 and £368.99 p/w gross earnings
between £223 and £295.99 p/w gross earnings		between £220 and £222.99 p/w gross earnings
between £172 and £219.99 p/w gross earnings		between £169 and £171.99 p/w gross earnings
between £116 and £168.99 p/w gross earnings		under £116 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
The number not on Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance (I.B.) or any Pension Credit and not working at least 16 hours p/w
The number of non-dependants who are under 25 and are on Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (Income-based)
The number of non-dependants who are 25 or over and are on Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (Income-based)

That is all you need to do! Click and let the program work it out
The total Applicable Amount figure is (automatically calculated)
The total Net Weekly Income figure is (automatically calculated) including Tax / Pension Credits p/w
How your benefit is worked out. If the Total Applicable Amount is higher than Net Weekly Income, Maximum Benefit is awarded. But if Net Weekly Income is higher than the Total Applicable Amount, 65% of the "excess income" is deducted from Maximum HB to find the award. For Council Tax Benefit, 20% of the "excess income" taper is deducted from the maximum award. NB Non-dependant deductions are also taken off at this stage.
Final Calculation result is £ Weekly Housing Benefit Award
Final Calculation result is £ Weekly "Main" Council Tax 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.
Alternative result is £ Second adult rebate weekly CT Benefit
And finally you can use the browser Print button to launch a print or change your figures to calculate again or the whole lot.

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