Benefits letters

Depending on the type of income or benefits you are getting, some of the money can be ignored when your benefit is worked out. For example, the following are disregarded in the benefit calculation if you are working:

• £5 per week of a single person's earnings
• £10 per week of a couple's earnings (if at least one works) 
• £20 per week if you receive a disabled or carer's premium, or the support component of ESA, or are a member of an occupation such as part time firefighter, territorial army or lifeboat worker
• £25 per week for a working lone parent

If you work 30 or more hours per week, £17.10 of your earnings is disregarded.

Child maintenance and child benefit are fully disregarded.

Any disability living allowance, personal independence payment or attendance allowance that you get is disregarded.

If you are a single parent or you are a couple and both work 16 hours or more, or you are a couple and one of you works and the other meets disabled conditions and pay for childcare, we will take that into account when calculating your income. (For example, if you have one child under 15, we will disregard up to £175 from your overall income, and if you have two or more children, we will disregard up to £300 from your overall income.) Please note that childcare is disregarded from earned income up until the first Monday in September following your child's 15th birthday, or 16th birthday if they are disabled.

Last updated: ‎22/07/2025 11:01