Working age

Definition

1. You are of working age if you are under state pension age.  The state pension age is now 66 or over.  

Couples

2. You also have a working age claim if:

1. you are a couple and both of you are under pension age; or
2. you are a couple and (from 15th May 2019) one of you is under pension age. 

Significance for HB/UC

3.  HB helps pay the rent for: 

1. existing working-age claimants who haven’t yet transferred to UC; and 
2. new working age claimants who:
   1. live in specified accommodation or
   2. are homeless and the council has placed you in temporary accommodation. 

Severely disabled

4.  You normally qualify as severely disabled if you receive the Severe Disability Premium within your existing benefits. 

5.  Before the 27 January 2021 new working age claimants who were severely disabled could also claim HB. Now, unless you live in specified or temporary accommodation you should get help with the rent through UC.

Pension age

6. If you have a pension age claim HB is available to help you pay your rent (subject to a test of your resources).