Benefit and
pension rates
April 2012
2
Contents
4 Attendance Al owance
18 Severe Disablement
4 Bereavement benefits
Al owance
5 Carer’s Al owance
18 Social Fund
5 Christmas Bonus
18 State Pension
5 Disability Living Al owance
19 Statutory Adoption Pay
6 Employment and Support
19 Statutory Maternity Pay
Al owance
20 Statutory Paternity Pay
8 Incapacity Benefit
20 Statutory Sick Pay
8 Invalidity Al owance
20 Widow’s benefits
9 Income Support
22 Winter Fuel Payments
12 Industrial Injuries
23 Workmen’s Compensation
Disablement Benefit
Supplementation
14 Jobseeker’s Al owance
23 Extra amounts for
16 Maternity Al owance
dependants
16 Pension Credit
24 Earnings rules
17 Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis
26 Common rules
and Miscel aneous Diseases
Benefits Scheme
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
3
How much money you could get
If you are claiming or are thinking of claiming
a benefit, you may want to know how much
money you could get.
If you are already getting a benefit you may
want to check the amount you get.
This leaflet can help, but it is only a general guide.
It provides a list of standard benefits and their basic
rates from April 2012. It then sets out some rules on
extra amounts payable for dependants, and on how
income and savings can affect entitlement to benefits.
It does not list al the rules which explain whether or
not you can get a benefit, or guarantee that you will
get any amount shown. There are other leaflets which
provide more detailed information on benefits and
you should read these alongside this leaflet. The rules
which decide how much benefit you can get can be
complicated. We can only work out what benefit, and
the amount you may get, when you apply for a benefit.
Most rates change from the first Monday of the new
tax year. The tax year always starts on 6 April. However
some rates may change from an earlier date in April.
The rates published in this leaflet apply from April 2012.
4 Benefit and pension rates
Attendance Allowance
Higher rate
£77.45
Lower rate
£51.85
Bereavement benefits
Bereavement Payment (lump sum)
£2,000.00
Widowed Parent’s Al owance
£105.95
Bereavement Al owance (standard rate)
£105.95
Age-related Bereavement Allowance
Your age when your wife, husband or civil partner dies,
or when your Widowed Parent’s Al owance stops:
54
£98.53
53
£91.12
52
£83.70
51
£76.28
50
£68.87
49
£61.45
48
£54.03
47
£46.62
46
£39.20
45
£31.79
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
5
Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Al owance
£58.45
Christmas Bonus
A bonus of £10 is paid to those entitled with certain
qualifying benefits. However, you wil not qualify for the
bonus on the basis of State Pension entitlement if you
are deferring your State Pension.
Disability Living Allowance
Care component
Highest rate
£77.45
Middle rate
£51.85
Lowest rate
£20.55
Mobility component
Higher rate
£54.05
Lower rate
£20.55
6 Benefit and pension rates
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Single person
Under 25 – assessment phase
£56.25
25 or over
£71.00
Any age – main phase
£71.00
Lone parent
Under 18 – assessment phase
£56.25
18 or over
£71.00
Any age – main phase
£71.00
Couple (Income-related ESA) 1
Both under 18
£56.25
One 18 or over, the other under 18 - higher rate3
£111.45
Both 18 or over
£111.45
Both under 18 - higher rate3
£84.95
Claimant aged 18 to 24, partner is under 18
£56.25
Claimant aged 25 or over, partner is under 18
£71.00
Claimant is main phase, partner is under 18
£71.00
Claimant is main phase, partner is under 18
- higher rate3
£111.45
1 Contribution-based ESA not listed as it is a single person benefit.
3 A higher rate may be paid where either member of the couple is
responsible for a child or, were they not a couple each member
would be entitled to Employment and Support Al owance,
Income Support or Jobseeker’s Al owance in their own right.
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
7
Premiums (Income-related ESA) 2
Pensioner premium
Single, assessment phase
£71.70
Single, entitled to work-related
activity component
£43.55
Single, entitled to support component
£37.65
Couple, assessment phase
£106.45
Couple, entitled to work-related
activity component
£78.30
Couple, entitled to support component
£72.40
Severe Disability Premium
Single
£58.20
Couple, one qualifies
£58.20
Couple, both qualify
£116.40
Carer premium
£32.60
Enhanced Disability Premium
Single
£14.80
Couple
£21.30
2 Premiums are not awarded in contributions-based ESA.
8 Benefit and pension rates
Components
Work-related activity component
£28.15
Support component
£34.05
Incapacity Benefit
Under State Pension age
Short-term lower rate
£74.80
Short-term higher rate
£88.55
Long-term basic rate
£99.15
Over State Pension age
Short-term lower rate
£95.15
Short-term higher rate
£99.15
Incapacity Age Addition
Lower rate
£5.90
Higher rate
£11.70
Invalidity Allowance
Only applies to claims prior to 13 April 1995
Lower rate
£5.90
Middle rate
£5.90
Higher rate
£11.70
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
9
Income Support
Personal allowances
Single person
Aged 16 to 24
£56.25
Aged 25 or over
£71.00
Lone parent
Aged 16 to 17
£56.25
Aged 18 or over
£71.00
Couple
Both aged under 18
£56.25
Both aged under 18 - higher rate3
£84.95
Claimant aged 18 to 24, partner aged under 18
£56.25
Claimant aged over 25, partner aged over 18
£71.00
One over and one under 18 - higher rate3
£111.45
Both aged 18 or over
£111.45
Dependent children
£64.99
Premiums
Family
£17.40
Disabled child
£56.63
Carer
£32.60
3 A higher rate may be paid where either member of the couple is
responsible for a child or, were they not a couple each member
would be entitled to Employment and Support Al owance,
Income Support or Jobseeker’s Al owance in their own right.
10 Benefit and pension rates
Severe disability (single)
£58.20
Severe disability (couple lower rate)
£58.20
Severe disability (couple higher rate)
£116.40
Pensioner (couple)
£106.45
Disability (single person)
£30.35
Disability (couple)
£43.25
Enhanced Disability (single person)
£14.80
Enhanced Disability (couple)
£21.30
Enhanced Disability (child)
£22.89
Housing costs – deductions for non-dependants
No deductions for non-dependants are made if the
customer or partner is:
• blind or treated as blind
• receiving Attendance Al owance or the care
component of Disability Living Al owance for
themselves.
The fol owing deductions are made where the
non-dependant is:
In receipt of Pension Credit
nil
In receipt of training al owance, ful -time student
(including students not working in summer vacation)
co-owners or joint tenants, patients (for more than
52 weeks) or prisoners
nil
Aged less than 25 and on IS or income-based
JSA or assessment phase rate income-related ESA nil
Normal y living elsewhere
nil
A non-dependant in respect of whom a deduction
has already been applied in Housing Benefit
nil
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
11
Aged 25 and over and on IS or
income-based JSA
£11.45
Any age and in receipt of income-related ESA
at main phase rate
£11.45
Aged 18 or over and not in remunerative work
£11.45
Aged 18 or over, in paid work and with a gross weekly
income (before tax and National Insurance are taken
off) of the fol owing:
Less than £124
£11.45
£124 to £182.99
£26.25
£183 to £237.99
£36.10
£238 to £315.99
£59.05
£316 to £393.99
£67.25
£394 and above
£73.85
Reduction in benefit for people
in work who are on strike
£38.00
12 Benefit and pension rates
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
The amount paid is based on a person’s age and the
level of disability, assessed by a GP on a scale from
20 per cent to 100 per cent.
Assessed level
Aged 18 and over,
Aged under
of disability
or under 18 with
18 with no
dependants
dependants
100%
£158.10
£96.90
90%
£142.29
£87.21
80%
£126.48
£77.52
70%
£110.67
£67.83
60%
£94.86
£58.14
50%
£79.05
£48.45
40%
£63.24
£38.76
30%
£47.43
£29.07
20%
£31.62
£19.38
Maximum life gratuity (lump sum)
£10,500
Constant Attendance Allowance
Exceptional rate
£126.60
Intermediate rate
£94.95
Normal maximum rate
£63.30
Part-time rate
£31.65
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
13
Industrial Death Benefit
Widow’s or widower’s pension
Higher rate
£107.45
Lower rate
£32.24
Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance
£63.30
Unemployability Supplement
Basic rate
£97.75
Amounts added for early incapacity
Higher rate
£20.25
Middle rate
£13.00
Lower rate
£6.50
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Maximum rate
£63.24
Retirement Allowance
Maximum rate
£15.81
14 Benefit and pension rates
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Contribution-based JSA
Person aged 16 to 24
£56.25
Person aged 25 or over
£71.00
Income-based JSA
Personal allowances
Single person
Aged 16 to 24
£56.25
Aged 25 or over
£71.00
Couple
With both people aged 16 or 17
£56.25
With both people aged 16 or 17,
payable in certain circumstances
£84.95
With one person aged 16 or 17,
and one person aged 18 to 24
£56.25
With one person aged 16 or 17,
and one person aged 25 or over
£71.00
With both people aged 18 or over
£111.45
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
15
Lone parents
Aged under 18
£56.25
Aged 18 or over
£71.00
Dependent children
£64.99
Premiums
Family
£17.40
Disabled child
£56.63
Carer
£32.60
Amount added for severe disability
Single
£58.20
Couple (where one person qualifies)
£58.20
Couple (where both people qualify)
£116.40
Pensioner
Single person
£71.70
Couple
£106.45
Disability premium
Single person
£30.35
Couple
£43.25
16 Benefit and pension rates
Enhanced disability premium
Single person
£14.80
Couple
£21.30
Child
£22.89
Housing costs – deductions for non-dependants.
Amounts are the same as for Income Support.
Benefit for people in work who are
on strike – reduction in benefit
£38.00
Maternity Allowance
Paid for 39 weeks at a weekly rate equal
to 90 per cent of your average gross weekly
earnings up to a maximum of
£135.45
Pension Credit
Guarantee Credit
Single person
£142.70
Couple
£217.90
Amount added for severe disability
Single person
£58.20
Couple (where one person qualifies)
£58.20
Couple (where both people qualify)
£116.40
Amount added for carers
£32.60
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
17
Savings Credit
Maximum for single people
£18.54
Maximum for couples
£23.73
Threshold for single people
£111.80
Threshold for couples
£178.35
Housing costs – deductions for non-dependants.
Amounts are mainly the same as for Income Support.
Assumed income
For each £500, or part of £500, of capital (for example,
savings and investments) you have above £10,000,
your entitlement is reduced by £1 a week.
Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and
Miscellaneous Diseases Benefits Scheme
Total Disablement Al owance
£158.10
Constant Attendance Al owance or Exceptional Severe
Disablement Al owance (or both) may be awarded with
Total Disablement Al owance.
Partial Disablement Al owance
£58.45
Unemployability supplement
£97.75
Plus increases for early incapacity (where appropriate)
Higher rate
£20.25
Middle rate
£13.00
Lower rate
£6.50
18 Benefit and pension rates
Severe Disablement Allowance
Severe Disablement Al owance
£69.00
Age-related additions
Higher rate
£11.70
Middle rate
£5.90
Lower rate
£5.90
Social Fund
Sure Start Maternity Grant (lump sum)
£500
Funeral Payment specified costs, plus
for other funeral expenses (lump sum)
up to
£700
Cold Weather Payment for the period
1 November 2011 to 31 March 2012
£25.00
State Pension
Basic State Pension – rates shown are for ful entitlement.
Based on your own or late spouse’s or late civil
partner’s National Insurance contributions (NICs)
£107.45
Based on your husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s NICs
£64.40
Any additional State Pension, also cal ed State Earnings
Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) or State Second
Pension (S2P), you were getting before April 2012 is
increased by 5.2 per cent.
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
19
Over 80 Pension
Paid if you receive no State Pension or a
State Pension of less than £64.40 a week
at age 80 as long as residence conditions
are met
£64.40
Age addition
£0.25
Graduated Retirement Benefit
If you reach State Pension age after
5 April 2012, for every £7.50 of graduated
contributions paid, you get
£0.1251
Statutory Adoption Pay
Paid for 39 weeks at a weekly rate of
£135.45 or 90 per
cent of your average gross weekly earnings, if that is
less.
Statutory Maternity Pay
Paid for 39 weeks.
First 6 weeks are paid at a weekly rate equal to 90 per
cent of your average gross weekly earnings with no
upper limit.
The remaining 33 weeks are paid at a weekly rate of
£135.45 or 90 per cent of your average gross weekly
earnings, if that is less.
20 Benefit and pension rates
Statutory Paternity Pay
Statutory Paternity Pay (Ordinary)
Paid for 2 weeks at a weekly rate of
£135.45 or
90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings,
if that is less.
Statutory Paternity Pay (Additional)
Payable in respect of babies due on or after
3 April 2011. Paid during the mother’s/partner’s
Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Al owance or
Statutory Adoption pay period only.
Paid at a weekly rate of
£135.45 or 90 per cent of your
average gross weekly earnings , if that is less.
Statutory Sick Pay
Statutory Sick Pay is paid at a standard weekly rate of
£85.85.
Widow’s benefits
Widowed Mother’s Al owance
£105.95
Widow’s Pension (standard rate)
£105.95
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
21
Age-related Widow’s Pension
Based on your age when your husband dies, or when
Widowed Mother’s Al owance stops.
If you started getting this after 11 April 1988
Your age
54
£98.53
53
£91.12
52
£83.70
51
£76.28
50
£68.87
49
£61.45
48
£54.03
47
£46.62
46
£39.20
45
£31.79
If you started getting this before 11 April 1988
Your age
49
£98.53
48
£91.12
47
£83.70
46
£76.28
45
£68.87
44
£61.45
43
£54.03
42
£46.62
41
£39.20
40
£31.79
22 Benefit and pension rates
Winter Fuel Payments
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual lump sum
payment. The qualifying week for 2012/2013 is 17 to
23 September 2012. People must have been born on or
before 5 July 1951 and meet the eligibility conditions
to qualify for the winter of 2012/13. Rates are based on
your circumstances during the qualifying week.
People aged up to 79
You are the only eligible person in your household
£200
You get Pension Credit, income-based JSA
or income-related Employment and
Support Al owance
£200
There is more than one eligible person in your
household and you are not getting Pension Credit,
income-based JSA, income-related ESA
£100 each
You live in a care home, and are not getting Pension
Credit, income-based JSA or income-related
Employment and Support Al owance
£100
People aged 80 or over
You are the only eligible person in your household
£300
You get Pension Credit
£300
There is more than one person aged 80 or
over in your household and you are not
getting Pension Credit
£150
You live in a care home and are not getting
Pension Credit
£150
You are the only person aged 80 or over, other eligible
people in your household are aged 79 or below
£200
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
23
Workmen’s Compensation
Supplementation
Major Incapacity Al owance
£158.10
Constant Attendance Al owance or Exceptional Severe
Disablement Al owance (or both) may be awarded with
Major Incapacity Al owance.
Lesser Incapacity Al owance
up to
£58.45
Extra amounts for dependants
Dependent adults
For a wife, husband, civil partner (except in the case of
State Pension) or a person looking after children if you
are receiving any of the fol owing.
State Pension on your own NICs
£61.85
Unemployability Supplement
£58.45
Carer’s Al owance
£34.40
Severe Disablement Al owance
£34.60
Long-term Incapacity Benefit
£57.60
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you
are under State Pension age
£44.85
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you
are over State Pension age
£55.45
Dependent children
With any of the benefits listed above:
For the oldest child who gets Child Benefit
£8.10
For each other child who gets Child Benefit
£11.35
Not available to new claims starting from
6 April 2003 or later.
24 Benefit and pension rates
Earnings rules
Your own earnings
If you get Carer’s Al owance, you can earn up to £100
(after certain expenses) before it affects your benefit.
If you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement
Al owance or Employment and Support Al owance, you
may be able to earn up to £20 or £95 before it affects
your benefit.
If you get State Pension or a Bereavement benefit
(including Widow’s benefit), you can earn any amount
and it does not affect these benefits. But if you also get
Income Support, Pension Credit or income-based JSA,
anything you earn could reduce these benefits.
Other person’s earnings
Amounts added for dependent adults.
If a dependent adult lives with you, you wil not get
extra for them or your benefit wil be reduced if they
earn more than the amount which applies below.
State Pension
£71.00
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you
are under State Pension age
£44.85
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you are
over State Pension age
£55.45
Long-term Incapacity Benefit
£71.00
Severe Disablement Al owance
£71.00
Unemployability Supplement standard rate
£71.00
One of the above benefits and your extra
benefit started before 16 September 1985
£45.09
Carer’s Al owance
£34.40
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
25
If your dependent adult does not live with you, the
limits are as fol ows.
State Pension
£61.85
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you are
under State Pension age
£44.85
Short-term Incapacity Benefit if you are
over State Pension age
£55.45
Long-term Incapacity Benefit
£57.60
Unemployability Supplement
£58.45
Severe Disablement Al owance
£34.60
Carer’s Al owance
£34.40
Amounts added for dependent children
This extra benefit may be affected if your husband,
wife or civil partner lives with you and is paid more than
the fol owing weekly amount:
For one child
£215
For each extra child add the fol owing
to the amount for one child
£28
Amounts added for dependants –
occupational and personal pensions
For claims since 26 November 1984, an occupational
or personal pension paid to your partner counts as
earnings for the purposes of the earnings rules for
amounts added for dependent adults and dependent
children above.
26 Benefit and pension rates
Common rules
Some common rules apply to Income Support,
Income-based Jobseeker’s Al owance, and
income-related Employment and Support Al owance.
Savings rules (also called capital rules)
The fol owing limits apply
• Upper limit (income-based JSA,
income-related ESA and IS)
£16,000
• Lower limit (income-based JSA,
income-related ESA and IS)
£6,000
For people living in care homes, the fol owing limits apply
• Upper limit (income-based JSA,
income-related ESA and IS)
£16,000
• Lower limit (income-based JSA,
income-related ESA and IS)
£10,000
Income from capital rules
These are also cal ed tariff income rules. Owning capital
may mean you get less benefit.
Income-based JSA, income-related ESA and IS
If you have capital over £6,000 up to £16,000. For each
£250 or part of £250 of capital you have, your benefit is
reduced by £1 a week.
If you have capital of over £16,000. You cannot
normal y get these benefits.
If you live in a care home, and have capital over
£10,000 up to £16,000. For each £250 or part of £250 of
capital you have, your benefit is reduced by £1 a week.
Al amounts are paid weekly unless otherwise stated
27
Call charges
Charges were correct as of April 2012.
Cal s to 0845 numbers from BT land lines should cost
no more than 5p per minute with a 13p cal set-up
charge. You may have to pay more if you use another
phone company or a mobile phone, or if you are cal ing
from abroad.
Cal s from mobile phones can cost up to 40p per
minute, so check the cost of cal s with your service
provider.
If you prefer, you can ask us to cal you back. Tel our
operator that this is what you want to do and give
them your phone number.
Textphones
Textphones are for people who find it hard to speak
or hear clearly. If you do not have a textphone, some
libraries and citizens advice bureaus may have one.
We’re always looking for ways of improving our leaflets.
If you have any comments or suggestions about this
leaflet, email us at:
xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
This email address is only used for leaflet feedback. We
cannot answer questions about your pension or benefit.
Important information about this leaflet
This leaflet is only a guide and does not cover every circumstance.
We have done our best to make sure that the information in this
leaflet is correct as of April 2012. It is possible that some of the
information is oversimplified, or may become inaccurate over
time, for example because of changes to the law.
This information is available in other formats on request.
Phone
0845 731 3233
Textphone
0845 604 0210
More information from DWP about benefits and pensions
is published online.
For benefit s information go to
www.direct.gov.uk/benefits
For pensions information go to
www.direct.gov.uk/pensions
We aim to provide a high quality of service to al our
customers. You can find out more in our customer
charter at
www.direct.gov.uk/dwpcharter
Previous code: BRA5DWP1
© Crown copyright
ISBN978-1-84947-930-1
DWP035 | v1.0 (April 2012)