8 April 2024 – from Helen Wild, DSA Benefits Adviser
Benefit has been increased from April, you will have received a letter from DWP with the new weekly rate. More detail can be found in our updated benefit literature.
Carers Allowance earnings rules mean that up to £151 (from £139) can be earned (after tax, N.I conts and half of any pension contribution), before it affects the allowance.
ESA: Earnings within permitted work, generally for our members receiving ESA, has increased from £167 to £183.50 per week. This is the amount a person can earn before benefit is affected.
UC: The work allowance within UC – for those who have limited capability for work – has increased from £631 to £673 monthly for those without housing cost in their benefit, and for those with housing cost, increased from £379 to £404. This is the amount which can be earned before it starts to affect benefit at a reduction of 55p for each £1 earned.
Tax Credits: You will be invited to claim Universal Credit if you are currently receiving Tax Credits. You will need to claim UC, or benefit will stop. UC has replaced Tax credits.
As UC is means tested and Tax credits aren’t, your savings will now affect benefit. Because of this, DWP will ignore savings over 16k for the first 12 months of the new award, savings from 6k up-to 16 will still affect benefit.
These temporary rules are to avoid people being given a nil award of UC because they have had to claim a benefit subject to different savings rules.
After this 12-month period, general rules will apply. These rules are that savings over 16k will mean UC is not payable until savings drop below this amount, and savings between 6k up to 16k will affect UC on a sliding scale (roughly £1 deduction for each £250 or part thereof of savings over 6k up to 16k).
NHS Prescription Charges: Due to increase by 25p per item from 1st May from £9.65 to £9.90. The 3 month pre-payment certificate will raise from £31.25 to £32.05 , 12 month £114.50 (from £111.60) and 12 month hormone replacement therapy certificate from £19.30 to £19.80.
To check whether you qualify for free presciptions, you can go to nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dont-get-caught-out-penalty-charges/check-you-tick
Childcare Cost: Up to 30 hours free childcare is available for working parents for children from aged 3 to 4 ,and from April, children from age 2 will be able to access 15 hours free childcare. Applications should be made online and reconfirmed every 3 months. Find out more here gov.uk/apply-free-childcare-if-youre-working
Child Benefit income threshold change: Previously, if you or your partner earned 50k to 60k per year, child benefit was affected and reduced accordingly. Once income reached 60k, child benefit could be claimed, but it was reclaimed back in their tax.
This threshold has now been raised which means a parent earning up-to 60k will receive full child benefit. For a parent earning between 60 – 80k, child benefit will be reduced accordingly.
Child benefit is currently £25.60 weekly for a first child and £16.95 for additional children.
If you have any questions, please get in touch via email – Helen.wild@downs-syndrome.org.uk – or call 0333 1212 300 and select Option 2.