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Benefits Calculator

By completing the following questions you can gain an instant estimate of the amount of housing and council tax benefit you can receive. Please note if you are renting from a private landlord and haven't claimed housing and council tax benefit in the last calendar month, you will need to find out your current local housing allowance before completing this form.

Go to local housing allowance calculator (link opens in a new window)

This form has 13 steps and we recommend that you allow yourself approximately 15 minutes to complete it as it cannot be saved and returned to later.

More information about housing and council tax benefit

Step 1 of 13: Rent

In this section we ask about your rent. If you are liable to pay rent please answer the questions below, otherwise go to step 2.

1a. How much is your actual "contract" rent including any service charges. Warning - excessive amounts may be restricted and we may not be able to pay all of your service charges. For customers who rent from a private landlord their rents will be restricted to Local Housing Allowance rates (see calculator above).

1b. Select the "rent period" (how often the contract rent is paid). Fortnightly and monthly figures are automatically converted to weekly amounts.

1c. Enter the number of rent free weeks (if any) in your rent year. Some tenancies can have two or four rent free weeks so if you are unsure, please check with your landlord.

1d. If you do not rent your home from a private landlord please go to step 2. If you rent your home from a private landlord (not a housing association or similar), you will need to find out the weekly local housing allowance (LHA) bedroom rate that your household is entitled to. Use the local housing allowance calculator to find your rate (this link opens in a new window).

Step 2 of 13: Council Tax

In this section we ask about your council tax. If your landlord pays your council tax or you do not want help to pay it, go to step 3.

2a. Enter the actual amount of your annual council tax bill (without taking off any council tax benefit you already get).
More information about council tax bands (link opens in new window)

2b. Has this council tax bill already been discounted? For example, 25 per cent single person discount.
More information about exemptions(link opens in new window)
More information about discounts (link opens in new window)

Step 3 of 13: General

In this section we ask you general information about yourself and your partner. If you answer "Yes" to question 3a, you do not need to answer steps 7 to 11 as your other income will have been taken into account when you applied for that benefit.

3a. Are you or your partner (if you have one) on income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or pension guaranteed credit?

3b. Are you single or living with a partner?

3c. Enter your age (or the age of your partner if they are older)

3d. Because you (or your partner) are 60/61, you could reach the State Pension qualifying age in this financial year. So select the date that covers your 60th birthday - it can make a huge difference to your claim.

3e. And then select a start date you wish this claim to start from. Again, different start date slots could produce very different results.

Step 4 of 13: Disabilities and carers

In this section we ask you about any work capacity, health or disability issues you or your partner have. We also ask about carer's allowance. If this does not apply to you, go to step 5.
If you (your partner) receive employment and support allowance (ESA), and the award letter states that you are a permitted work earner, different rules apply and you should ensure that you make a claim for benefit as soon as possible. Please make sure you enter the amount of ESA that you receive in step 8 as other unearned income. If your partner receives the higher ESA support component, you may wish to swap claim roles to increase potential housing and council tax benefit.

4a. If applicable, enter your employment and support allowance details for ESA Phase, ESA element and ESA component.

4b. And your partner's employment and support allowance details for ESA phase, ESA element and ESA component, if applicable.

4c. Do you or your partner have a disability?
Please note disability will apply to your claim if you meet one of these conditions - You or your partner receive attendance allowance, constant attendance allowance, disability living allowance, invalid vehicle scheme or motability, war pensioners' mobility supplement, severe disablement allowance, incapacity benefit (paid at the long term rate)
or you or your partner are registered blind or have regained your sight in the last 28 weeks
or you (claimant only) have been off work sick for at least 52 weeks (28 if you are terminally ill) with medical evidence or sick notes.

Do you (or your partner) get the highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance?

4e. If both of the following statements apply to you, please select yes -

You and your partner both either receive the care component of disability living allowance (middle/high) rate, attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance or one of you are registered blind and the other person receives one of the above allowances
No other adult lives in your home except your partner, other than disabled persons, your carer, landlord or other tenants

4f. Is anybody being paid (or entitled to be paid) carer's allowance to look after either you, your partner, or both of you?

4g. If you or your partner are disabled and receiving employment support allowance, does that person work an average of 16 hours or more a week?

4h. Are you, your partner, or both of you, being paid (or entitled to be paid) a carer's allowance for looking after someone?

Step 5 of 13: Children and young persons (under 19)

In this section we ask you about any children or young persons in your household and the child benefit you receive.

5a. How many children aged under 16 do you or your partner get child benefit for?

5b. How many young adults aged 16 to 19 years old do you or your partner get child benefit for?

5c. How many children included above are disabled and receiving Disability Living Allowance or are registered blind?

5d. How many of those children are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance at the highest care component rate?

Step 6 of 13: Single Lone Parent

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

6a. Have you been receiving Housing/Council Tax Benefit without a break since 5th April 1998?

Step 7 of 13: Earnings

In this section we ask you about any earnings you or your partner receive. If you or your partner are getting income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income related employment and support allowance or pension guaranteed credit, please go to step 12.
For the following questions, please give figures for both you and your partner. You should include average earnings from employment and self employment.

Please make sure you enter weekly figures in the weekly column only, and monthly figures in the monthly column only.

£ Weekly

£ Monthly

7a. How much do you and your partner earn (before deductions)? (Do not count expenses paid by your employer)

7b. If you or your partner work as a childminder how much do you earn from this? (Any earnings from childminding need to be counted separately from other earnings)

7c. How much income tax and national insurance is deducted?

7d. How much do you pay towards a pension scheme?

7e. Who works the highest number of hours in an average working week you or your partner? Enter this higher value here.

7f. Are you or your partner aged 50 or over, have been receiving state benefits for at least 6 months and have recently stopped receiving them because you or your partner are now working 16 hours or more per week?

Step 8 of 13: Unearned income for you and your partner

In this section we ask about unearned income you and your partner receive. Please only tell us weekly figures.

8a. Do you receive rent from non-family sub-tenants? Please deduct £20 from the weekly rent you receive from each one and enter the reduced amount here (do not include any money for meals).

£ pw

8b. Do you receive any income from non-family boarders? Please deduct £20 from the income your receive from each one and enter the reduced amount here (include any income received for meals)

£ pw

8c. Do you or your partner receive any maintenance from a former partner or absent parent? Please enter the amount here. Please do not include any child support/child maintenance payments that you receive as these are disregarded in full.

£ pw

8d. What is the total amount of income you receive from all other sources each week? Please note: You should include income from retirement pensions (state and occupational), incapacity benefit, Maternity or carer's allowance, severe disablement allowance, contribution-based jobseeker's allowance, contributory employment and support allowance.
You should not include income from any child benefit, war pensions, charitable payments, payments made as a result of personal injury, tax credits, pension credits, return to work credits, interest on savings, attendance allowance, disability living allowance, mobility allowance, fostering allowance, community care payments.

£ pw

Step 9 of 13: Savings and capital

In this section we ask about any savings, investments or other assets you and your partner have. If you and your partner have £16,000 or more in savings and investments, you cannot qualify for any housing or council tax benefit. (Unless you receive guaranteed pension credits as different rules apply.) The home that you live in and your personal possessions do not apply.

9a. What is the total value of all cash, savings, bank deposits, TESSAs, PEPs, unit trusts, ISAs, building society accounts, tax credit arrears.

9b. What is the value of "fixed" assets and investments - for example, shares, buildings and land (but not the house you are living in). Deduct 10 per cent of the value to cover cost of sale.

Step 10 of 13: Childcare charges and student expenses

In this section we ask you about childcare charges and student expenses that you pay.
Charges for registered or approved childcare (up to £175 per week for 1 child or £300 for more then 1 child) can be deducted from the income of couples or lone parents in remunerative work or on Statutory Sick, Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay or a similar benefit (up to 28 weeks). Each parent must be working at least 16 hours a week - but couples still qualify if one works and the partner is incapacitated, in hospital or prison. Please note costs of childcare in the child's own home by a close relative are excluded.

10a. Enter the weekly childcare charges paid. Children count up to the September following their 15th birthday (or 16th if disabled).

£ pw

10b. Enter the weekly student loan or grant contribution that you pay. This amount will be deducted from claimant (and partner) income.

£ pw

Step 11 of 13: Tax and Pension Credits

In this section we ask you about tax and pension credits you receive.
If you or your partner do not receive tax or pension credits and would like an estimate please tick section 11c.

11a. If you (and your partner) are of working age, please enter the full amount of any working tax and/or child tax credit you get.

11b. If you (and your partner) are of pensionable age, only enter any working tax credit you get as child tax credit will not be included as income.

11c If you are not actually being paid any tax or pension credits, and you would like an estimate, please tick this box.

11d. When you add together the average weekly hours you and your partners work, does this total more than 30 hours a week?

11e. .Are you (or your partner) receiving high rate attendance allowance?

Step 12 of 13: Other adults who live with you but do not pay rent

In this section we ask you about adults who are non-dependants. These adults are assumed to be contributing to your household income so a deduction from the benefit you receive will be made for each one. If you or your partner are registered blind, in receipt of the care component of disability living allowance or receiving attendance allowance, you do not need to answer the questions below, please go to step 13.

12a. Please enter the number of non-dependants who live with you into one of the income categories below. You should not include your partner or any students.

in the Top Earnings Category (£387+ p/w gross)

between £310 and £386.99 p/w gross earnings

between £234 and £309.99 p/w gross earnings

between £231 and £233.99 p/w gross earnings

between £180 and £230.99 p/w gross earnings

between £177 and £179.99 p/w gross earnings

between £122 and £176.99 p/w gross earnings

under £122 p/w gross but works at least 16 hours

12b. How many non-dependants (working or otherwise) are getting any pension credits?

12c. How many non-dependants receive contribution-based employment and support allowance?

12d. How many non-dependants are in receipt of income support, job seekers allowance income based, employment and support allowance or pension credit and are working at least 16 hours per week.

12e. How many non-dependants are under 25 and receive income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or assessment phase income-related employment and support allowance?

12f. Non-dependants who are 25 or over and are on income support, income-related employment and support allowance, income related or job seekers allowance income based, or under 25 and on main phase income-related employment and support allowance.

The following estimated figures are for your information only, to help give you an idea of whether you should make a claim. If you are still unsure whether you qualify for housing and council tax benefit, we recommend that you make a claim so that a benefits specialist can assess your true entitlement.

The total amount that the government states that you should be able to live on is: (automatically calculated)

The total Net Weekly Income figure is (automatically calculated). This includes an estimate of tax credits or pension credits per week that you may be able to claim for of

How your benefit is worked out.If your income is less than the amount the government states that you should be able to live on your full rent* and council tax would be paid.
* Full rent is different for private rented accommodation as there are other rules that state how much rent can be paid.
If your income is more than the amount the government states that you should be able to live on, 65 per cent of the additional income is deducted from your rent*. For council tax benefit 20 per cent of the additional income is deducted.
Please note: any non-dependant deduction will have been taken off your weekly estimate.

Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your rent:
Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your council tax bill:

An alternative council tax benefit is called second adult rebate. It is based on the income of the non-dependants. The calculation will show if you are better off with a benefit award based on your circumstances or the non-dependants in your household.
Weekly estimate of second adult rebate:

Print a copy of this estimate.

If you would like to change your figures please scroll back.

If you would like to start again select (This will clear all information that you have already entered).

Hull City Council, Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull, HU1 2AA

Tel: 01482 300 300
Text phone: 01482 300 349
Email: info@hullcc.gov.uk

Benefits Calculator

Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your rent: Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your council tax bill:

Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your rent:
Weekly estimate of how much you may get towards your council tax bill: