Public QuickCalc

	Introduction to the Housing Benefit &
	Council Tax Benefit QuickCalc tool

	This tool helps you to work out if you should claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit

	To use this tool, just go to each page using the menu at top of the screen - make sure you read the notes that go with each page

	Carefully check all the questions - and make sure you have all the information about your income, rent and Council Tax before you begin

	You can miss any of the pages out if they do not apply to you - for example:
	»	If you do not have any savings or capital, you can miss that page out
	»	If everyone in your household is in good health you can miss out the disability page
	»	If neither you or your partner work, you can miss out the page about wages and so on…

	When you have answered all the questions that apply to you, your results will show on the last page
	»	If you think you have missed something out, just return to that page and check your answers
	»	You can change any of the answers at any time - the results page will automatically change to show the new result


	If you see any messages in red please read them carefully - they tell you that you have made a mistake. They tell you what to do to put it right.

V2009.1b \| 01APR2009…….All content © QuickCalc Ltd 2009

	Can I claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit?


	How much is your Eligible Rent?
	IMPORTANT» Please see the help notes for info about "Eligible Rent"
	How many Rent-Free weeks per year do you get?

	Some Councils and Housing Associations have Rent-Free weeks when no rent needs to be paid. Check with your landlord if you are not sure about this question.

	How much is your Council Tax?

	Are you one of a Couple or Single?

	Enter your age


	How many children do you have?


	What is your work situation?

Do you or your partner receive one of these 4 benefits?

1. Income Support

2. JSA (Income Based)

3. Pension Guarantee Credit

4. ESA (Income Related)

Benefit Income - you and your partner

You

Frequency

Partner

Frequency

Child Benefit per week - Auto Calculated

AutoWeek

Child Tax Credit

Working Tax Credit

Jobseekers Allowance (Contributory)

Incapacity Benefit

ESA(C) Employment & Support Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance

Carers Allowance *(See below)

Bereavement Allowance

Maternity Allowance

Pension Savings Credit

State Retirement Pension

Occupational pension

Disabled Living Allowance (all rates)

Attendance Allowance

Guardian's Allowance

War Pension

Widowed Parent’s Allowance

Total of any other benefit income

Tick here if you have underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance

« You

« Your Partner

See the notes page about this item - you may need to check with an advisor

Wages for you and your partner

	YOUR WAGES - MAIN JOB
	Gross pay (before any deductions)
	Paid towards company or private pension



	YOUR WAGES - SECOND JOB
	Gross pay (before any deductions)
	Paid towards company or private pension




	YOUR PARTNER'S WAGES - MAIN JOB
	Gross pay (before any deductions)
	Paid towards company or private pension



	YOUR PARTNER'S WAGES - SECOND JOB
	Gross pay (before any deductions)
	Paid towards company or private pension



		»






		»





	Use this tool to average your pay over 5 weeks or 2 months
	AVERAGING TOOL
	GROSS Weekly or Monthly Pay Packet 1
	GROSS Weekly or Monthly Pay Packet 2
	GROSS Weekly Pay Packet 3
	GROSS Weekly Pay Packet 4
	GROSS Weekly Pay Packet 5
	GROSS Average Pay Packet
	Now copy this figure into the Gross pay box for you or your partner

Other Income - you and your partner

Charitable/Voluntary/Compensation

You

Frequency

Partner

Frequency

Regular voluntary payments

Regular charitable payments

Occasional charitable payments

Payments from personal injuries trust

McFarlane / Eileen Trust / the Fund / Indep. Liv. Fund

Lodgers/Boarders

You

Frequency

Partner

Frequency

Income Lodger/Boarder 1

Income Lodger/Boarder 2

Income Lodger/Boarder 3

Payments for children

You

Frequency

Partner

Frequency

Maintenance received for a child

Fostering Allowances

Savings and capital - you and your partner

Bank Accounts

Amount

Bank Account 1

Bank Account 2

Bank Account 3

Bank Account 4

Building Society Accounts

Building Society 1

Building Society 2

Building Society 3

Building Society 4

Company Stocks or Shares

Stocks or Shares 1

Stocks or Shares 2

Stocks or Shares 3

Stocks or Shares 4

Enter FULL value of Stocks & Shares - 90% auto calculated

Savings Bonds

Savings Bonds 1

Savings Bonds 2

Savings Bonds 3

Savings Bonds 4

Other Capital

Other Capital 1

Other Capital 2

Other Capital 3

Other Capital 4

Total Capital

Long-term illness or disability questions about you, your partner and your children

» QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU OR YOUR PARTNER

Tick any box below if you OR your partner are:

getting Disability Living Allowance (any type, any rate)

getting Working Tax Credit where a disability or severe disability element is included

getting Incapacity Benefit – long-term rate

getting Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)

provided with an invalid carriage

getting your higher-rate mobility component of DLA paid direct to Motability

registered blind

accepted as being incapable of work for at least 364 days

accepted as being incapable of work for at least 192 days and you are terminally ill

working 16 or more hours per week AND any of the above are true (e.g. worker with disability)

» QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU

» QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PARTNER

Tick ONE of the boxes below if you get:

Tick ONE of the boxes if your partner gets:

the highest rate of Disability Living Allowance (Care Component) OR

the medium rate of Disability Living Allowance (Care Component) OR

Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance

Tick the top box and ONE component box below if you are incapable of work and being paid or credited with:

Tick the top box and ONE component box below if your partner is incapable of work and being paid or credited with:

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) either with or without an extra component

ESA Work Related Activity Component

ESA Support Component

Tick the box below if you:

Tick the box below if your partner:

Have a carer who receives Carers_ _Allowance for providing you with care

Has a carer who receives Carers_ _Allowance for providing them with care

Tick the box below if:

Tick the box below if your partner:

Someone else lives with you - but do not count your partner, anyone under 18 or someone who gets DLA or AA

is registered blind

» QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN

Enter the NUMBER of children who are:

getting Disability Living Allowance OR are Registered Blind

Enter the NUMBER of children who are:

getting Disability Living Allowance at the High Rate (Care Component)

Questions about other people in your household
	FIRST OTHER PERSON	SECOND OTHER PERSON	If you or your partner receive DLA (Care Component) or Attendance Allowance or are registered blind you do not need to complete this page.

	How old is this other person?__	How old is this other person?

	Person with earned income	Person with earned income
	Earns over £382 pw gross	Earns over £382 pw gross
	Earns over £306 pw gross	Earns over £306 pw gross
	Earns over £231 pw gross	Earns over £231 pw gross
	Earns over £178 pw gross	Earns over £178 pw gross
	Earns over £120 pw gross	Earns over £120 pw gross
	Earns below £120 pw gross	Earns below £120 pw gross

	Person with benefit income	Person with benefit income
	Gets DLA (Care Component) or Attendance Allowance	Gets DLA (Care Component) or Attendance Allowance
	On Pension Credit	On Pension Credit
	Aged 60+ not on Pension Credit	Aged 60+ not on Pension Credit
	On Income Support	On Income Support
	On Job Seekers Allowance	On Job Seekers Allowance
	- (Income Based)	- (Income Based)
	On ESA - First Phase	On ESA - First Phase
	On ESA - Main Phase	On ESA - Main Phase

	Any other circumstances	Any other circumstances
	Registered Blind	Registered Blind
	Anyone else	Anyone else
	e.g. on other benefits or no income	e.g. on other benefits or no income

	THIRD OTHER PERSON	FOURTH OTHER PERSON

	How old is this other person?	How old is this other person?

	Person with earned income	Person with earned income
	Earns over £382 pw gross	Earns over £382 pw gross
	Earns over £306 pw gross	Earns over £306 pw gross
	Earns over £231 pw gross	Earns over £231 pw gross
	Earns over £178 pw gross	Earns over £178 pw gross
	Earns over £120 pw gross	Earns over £120 pw gross
	Earns below £120 pw gross	Earns below £120 pw gross

	Person with benefit income	Person with benefit income
	Gets DLA (Care Component) or Attendance Allowance	Gets DLA (Care Component) or Attendance Allowance
	On Pension Credit	On Pension Credit
	Aged 60+ not on Pension Credit	Aged 60+ not on Pension Credit
	On Income Support	On Income Support
	On Job Seekers Allowance	On Job Seekers Allowance
	- (Income Based)	- (Income Based)
	On ESA - First Phase	On ESA - First Phase
	On ESA - Main Phase	On ESA - Main Phase

	Any other circumstances	Any other circumstances
	Registered Blind	Registered Blind
	Anyone else	Anyone else
	e.g. on other benefits or no income	e.g. on other benefits or no income

Estimated results for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

	»This calculator is designed to give you a fair estimate of your entitlement
	»It may not be 100% accurate in all cases
	»IT IS NOT A BENEFIT CLAIM OR A BENEFIT DECISION
	»IF YOU WISH TO CLAIM BENEFIT CONTACT THE BENEFITS DEPARTMENT



	HOUSING BENEFIT - PER WEEK »
	COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT - PER WEEK »








	This information is taken from the answers you entered on all the pages of this calculator
	Please check that you have entered all information correctly
	If you see a mistake, go back to the page where you put the information in
	All the figures below have been converted to weekly amounts

	Your Rent	Your age
	Your Council Tax	Your partner's age
	Your gross wages	Number of children
	Partner's gross wages	Children with a disability
	Your benefit income	Weekly childcare paid
	Partner's benefit income	Your work situation
	Your "other" income	Partner's work situation
	Partner's "other" income	Your/Partner health
	Your joint capital	Other people in household
	Income from capital	With earned income
		On benefit or no income



	Your joint wage income after deductions for Tax, NI conts, Private Pension Payments

	Extra amount ignored from your joint wages (Earnings Disregards)

	Total joint income from Benefits and "Other Income" after set amounts ignored for certain incomes

	WEEKLY JOINT INCOME THE GOVERNMENT SAYS YOU NEED BEFORE HAVING TO PAY SOMETHING TOWARDS YOUR COUNCIL TAX OR RENT



	Amount you have to pay towards the RENT because of your income level	Amount you have to pay towards the COUNCIL TAX because of your income level

	Amount you have to pay towards the RENT because there are other people living in your household	Amount you have to pay towards the COUNCIL TAX because there are other people in your household