Applicable amount table

The information below is to help you with the calculation of your Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction.

Your applicable amount is the amount the Government says you and your family need to live on each week. It is either personal allowances only, or a combination of personal allowances and premiums. Which of these apply to your claim will depend on your age, circumstances, and who is in your household. When we calculate your applicable amount, we compare it with your income. We do this to work out your benefit entitlement.

You can find out your entitlement to Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit.

See if the Local Housing Allowance Rate applies to you if you are renting from a private landlord. A private landlord does not include a housing association.

Applicable amounts for 2023-2024

These do not apply if you are on

  • Income Support
  • Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
  • Universal Credit
  • Guaranteed Pension Credit
Personal allowances
Claimant £ per week
Single 18 - 24 67.20
Single 25 or over 84.80
Couple - both aged less than 18 101.50
Couple - at least one aged between 18 and under state pension credit age 133.30
Child or Young Person 77.78
Single – has reached state pension credit age before 01/04/2021 217.00
Single – has reached state pension credit age after 01/04/2021 201.05
Couple – both have reached state pension credit age before 01/04/2021 324.70
Couple – both have reached state pension credit age after 01/04/2021 306.85

Please note:

  1. You normally must be in receipt of Child Benefit for the young person. This is if adding the personal allowance for the young person to your applicable amount.
  2. If you are 60 years of age or over, the personal allowance may not apply to you right away. This is due to the equalisation of state pension age.
Premiums
Premium type £ per week
Family premium - claimants with children 18.53
Family premium (lone Parent) protected for certain claimants  22.20
Disability premium for single claimant 39.85
Disability premium for a couple 56.80
Enhanced disability premium for single claimant 19.55
Enhanced disability premium for couple 27.90
Enhanced disability premium for child 30.17
Severe disability premium for single claimant 76.40
Severe disability premium for couple (one qualifies) 76.40
Severe disability premium for couple (both qualify) 152.80
Carer premium 42.75
Disabled child premium (for each child) 74.69
Component for certain claimants in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance
Component type £ per week
Work related activity component 33.70
Support component 44.70

Amenity charges

If you pay rent to a landlord and your rent includes payment for:

  • meals;
  • fuel; and/or
  • water charges

we have to deduct these from the rent. If included in your rent, but the amounts are not specified, we have to deduct the following:

Meal charges

Meal deductions
Number of meals provided Adult Child (under 16)
Full board (at least three meals per day) 33.15 16.80
Breakfast only 4.05 4.05
Part board 22.10 11.05

Fuel charges

Fuel charge deductions for more than one room
Fuel type £ per week
Heating 35.25
Hot water 4.10
Lighting 2.85
Cooking 4.10
All fuel 46.30
Fuel charge deductions for one room
Fuel type £ per week
Heating and any hot water and/or lighting 21.10
Cooking 4.10

Water charges

The Rent Officer usually works out what amount to deduct for water charges.

If you receive Local Housing Allowance, the above amenity charges do not apply.

Non-dependant deductions

We deduct an amount per week if an 18 year old, or older, lives with you. This is if you are not getting Child Benefit for them:

Non-dependant deductions for Housing Benefit and Council Tax
Age and income Council Tax Reduction/Income Housing Benefit Council Tax Reduction
Age 18 years or over, gross earnings £511 or more (Council Tax Reduction £511 or more) 116.75 14.15
Age 18 years or over, gross earnings £410 to £510.99 (Council Tax Reduction £410 to £510.99) 106.35 11.80
Age 18 years or over, gross earnings £308 to £409.99 (Council Tax Reduction £308 to £409.99) 93.40 9.40
Age 18 years or over, gross earnings £236 to £307.99 (Council Tax Reduction £236 to £307.99) 57.10 9.40
Age 18 years or over, gross earnings £162 to £235.99 (Council Tax Reduction £162 to £235.99) 41.60 4.60
Age 18 years or over, works 16 hours or more and income less than £162   18.10 4.60
Age 18 years or over and not working 16 hours or more   18.10 4.60
Age 25 years or over on Income Support, or Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance   18.10 0
In receipt of main phase Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)   18.45 0
Under 25 years of age on Income Support, or on Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance, or Universal Credit (and there is no income)   0 0
Not in receipt of main phase Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)   0 0
In receipt of Pension Credit in and/or not in remunerative work   0 0

There is no non-dependant deduction if:

  • you or your partner are registered blind
  • you are receiving the care component of the Disability Living Allowance
  • you are receiving Attendance Allowance
  • you are receiving any rate of the daily living component of PIP payments

If you or your partner are:

  • aged 66 years or over
  • and a non-dependant moves in

there is no deduction for the first 26 weeks from the date they move in.

If you or your partner are 66 years of age or over and the non-dependant's income increases, we do not make the change until 26 weeks after the increase. Although we do not put it in place immediately, it is important that you notify us of these changes as they happen.

If you or your partner are working, we disregard one of the following amounts from your earned income:

Disregarded amounts

Disregarded amounts
Status £ per week
Single Parent 25.00
If your applicable amount includes the Disability Premium, Severe Disability Premium, or Higher Pensioner Premium 20.00
Couples 10.00
Single Person 5.00
Widowed Parents' Allowance and Widowed Mother's Allowance 15.00
Additional disregard for single persons. This is over 25 years of age and couples without children. At least one must be 25 years or over. They must be working at least 30 hours per week 17.10
Single parents, couples with children, and disabled people working at least 16 hours per week 17.10

Working at least 16 hours per week and paying child care charges in respect of one child. This is up to a maximum of £175 per week of the child care charges. In respect of two or more children, up to a maximum of £300 per week of the child care charges. These are the main earnings deductions. You should contact us if you need more details.

We disregard certain benefits, such as:

  • Child Benefit
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payments

We also disregard maintenance received for a child.

If you have more than £16,000 worth of capital assets, you are not entitled to benefit. If you have more than £6,000, for every £250 or part of £250 above £6,000, we add £1.00 to your weekly income. If you have reached state pension credit age, we disregard the first £10,000. We will add £1.00 for every £500 between £10,000 and £16,000.

Last updated: Tuesday, 11 April, 2023.