Income Support is paid to people under 60 who are unable to work because they are:
a carer
a lone parent of a child under 16 or
due to ill health and have passed the DWP rules for being treated as incapable of work.
The benefit is income-based ( means tested) and will be affected by most income that you or your partner have coming in. Income Support cannot be paid if you have a partner who works 24 hours per week or more or you have savings over £16,000 (the first £6,000 you have do not affect the amount of benefit you are paid). Income Support can help with mortgage payments but there is usually a wait of some months before this is given. To claim Income Support call the contact centre on 0800 0556688. They will take the details needed for your Income Support claim – including any claim for housing benefit and council tax benefit and mortgage costs – and you will then be called for a work focused interview at the local Jobcentre. Extra help for children is claimed through Child Tax Credit.
Working Age Benefits
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits
If you are over age 60 then you need to look at claiming Pension Credit and not Income Support.
See our section: Benefits - age 60 plus
The Pension Service (part of the Department for Work and Pension)
www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/pensioncredit/