Claimants must be between 16 and Pension Credit age,[1] work fewer than 16 hours a week, and have a reason why they are not actively seeking work (caring for a child under 5 years old or someone who receives a specified disability benefit).
Claimants can receive income support if they are a lone parent and responsible for a child under five who is a member of their household.
If too few contributions had been made for the full rate of Incapacity Benefit to be paid, Income Support may have been paid to top up the amount the claimant received to Income Support rates.
Enhanced disability premium applies if the claimant or partner is in the Employment and Support Allowance support group or is under the qualifying age for Pension Credit and receiving the higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance, the Personal Independence Payment enhanced rate of the daily living component or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Since Pension Credit has features that make it more attractive than Income Support (in particular the way savings are treated) this is unlikely to occur frequently.
[7] Severe disability premium applies if all of the following conditions are met: For home-owners with a mortgage, Income Support may, depending on various qualifying conditions, help pay towards mortgage interest costs.