Online Benefits calculator

Step 1: Rent and LHA

This section requests rent and LHA details for a Housing Benefit claim (skip this step if you just want help with your Council Tax bill).

How much is your actual "contractual" rent? Warning - excessive amounts may be restricted for claim purposes. Do not include charges for ineligible services such as meals and heating.

And, if applicable, enter your Local Housing Allowance. If this is a fresh claim and the rental is from a private landlord (not a Housing Association or similar) then the LHA figure will (mainly) be used instead of the contract rent. Weekly LHA rates depend on the area and the number of bedrooms appropriate for the claim. If the actual rent is higher than the LHA, you pay the excess - if less, you are rewarded with a potential maximum housing benefit of up to £15 more than the rent!

Step 2: Council Tax

This section requests your Council Tax details (skip this stage if you do not want help with your Council Tax bill)

Step 3: General information

This section requests some general information about you. If you answer "yes" to the last question you can skip all income questions (steps 7 to 11) because your income is assumed to be zero.

Are you single or living with a partner (can be same gender) as a couple?

Are you (the claimant) on Income Support, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Guarantee Credit?

Step 4: Disabilities

This section looks for claimant (and partner) disability or carer details (if any) - otherwise skip this block

Disability applies if you (or partner) "meet" one of these qualifying conditions:

• Do you get Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Invalid Vehicle Scheme or Motability, War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement, Severe Disablement Allowance, Incapacity Benefit (and you are the claimant, who is sick and been incapable of work for at least 52 weeks)?
• Are you registered blind (or have regained your sight in the last 28 weeks)?

Do these two statements apply to you? (only say "yes" if both of them apply)

1. You (and partner) get care component of Disabilty Living Allowance (middle/high rate) or Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance (or partner blind and you get one), and
2. No other adult lives in your home except your partner, other than disabled persons, your carer, landlord or other tenants.

Step 5: Children and young persons

This section requests details of your children and young persons for whom Child Benefit is paid.

Step 6: Single lone parents

This section requests details for single lone parents only - otherwise skip this step

Step 7: Earnings

This section requests your earnings details - skip to step 12 if you are on Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or Pension Guarantee Credit. Give figures for the claimant (and partner). Include average earnings from employment and self employment.

Step 8: Unearned income

This section requests your unearned income figures for you (and your partner). Please make them weekly. Based on the number of children you have told us about you should get Child Benefit of £ - (automatically calculated)

Unearned income from all other sources each week - This includes Retirement Pensions, Incapacity Benefit, Carer's Allowance and Severe Disablement Allowances. But do not include Tax/Pension/Return to Work Credits, interest on savings or Attendance, Disability Living, Mobility and Fostering Allowances or Community Care Payments.

Step 9: Savings, investments and other assets

This section requests your savings, investments and other assets (claimant and partner). You cannot qualify for any Housing Benefit or (most) Council Tax Benefit if you and any partner have £16,000 or more in savings and investments. The home you live in and personal possessions do not count.

Step 10: Other expenses

This section requests your eligible childcare charges (up to £175 p/w for 1 child or £300 for more) and student expenses. Charges for registered or approved childcare can be deducted from the income of couples or lone parents in remunerative work (at least 16 hours p/w) or on Statutory Sick, Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay or a similar benefit (up to 28 weeks). Couples still qualify if one works and the partner is incapacitated, in hospital or prison. Costs of childcare in the child's own home by a close relative are excluded.

Step 11: Tax and Pension Credits

This section looks at income from Tax Credits and Pension Credits

Step 12: Other adults

This section looks for other adults who live with you and pay no rent (often grown-up children) - but don't count your partner or students.

These are called "non-dependants" and are assumed to be contributing to the household income so a deduction is made from any benefit for each one. So do enter the number of non-dependants in each of these income categories but skip this step if you (or your partner) is disabled due to blindness, or in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance care component or Attendance Allowance has been awarded.

Result

You've now entered all of the information required. Press the "calculate" button to work out your estimated entitlement.

How your benefit is worked out

If the total applicable amount is higher than net weekly income, maximum benefit is awarded. But if net weekly income is higher than the total applicable amount, 65% of the "excess income" is deducted from maximum housing benefit to find the award. For Council Tax Benefit, 20% of the "excess income" taper is deducted from the maximum award. Non-dependant deductions are also taken off at this stage.

Alternative results

Alternative Council Tax Benefit is often called Second Adult Rebate. It is based on the income of the non-dependants. The program calculates if you are better off with a benefit award based on your circumstances or your non-dependants.