Income Support

What is Income Support

Income Support is an income-related social security benefit which is available to certain people who are either not working, or who work for less than 16 hours a week, and who don't have enough money to live on. It ensures they have enough money to meet their basic needs.

Basic qualifying conditions

You must be aged 16 or over to qualify for Income Support.

Normally you must satisfy the 'Isle of Man residential condition'. However, in exceptional circumstances you may still get Income Support even if you don’t satisfy the Isle of Man residential condition. More information is provided below.

The following are the main groups of people who may qualify for Income Support:

• A person who has reached state pension age
  
  
• A person who is incapable of work due to illness or disability
  
  
• A person who cares for a disabled person full-time
  
  
• A lone parent who is responsible for at least one child aged under 6 years
  
  
• A lone parent who is getting Bereavement Support Payment and is responsible for at least one child of any age
  
  
• A woman who is or has been pregnant, but only for the period commencing 11 weeks before she expects to give birth and ending 15 weeks after she gives birth (or her pregnancy ends for another reason)
  
  
• A person on parental or paternity leave from their employment who is not being paid by their employer whilst they’re off work
  
  
• A student living away from their parents (but only in limited circumstances)
  
  
• A deaf student

If you don’t fall into any of the above categories but think that you may qualify for Income Support, get in touch with us for further information. However, if you’re unemployed, under state pension age and capable and available for work, you should claim Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Isle of Man residential condition

You will satisfy the Isle of Man residential condition if you:

• Were born in the Isle of Man (IoM)
  
  
• Have been ordinarily resident in the IoM for a continuous period of at least 5 years at any time
  
  
• Have been ordinarily resident in the IoM for 3 or more periods which, when added together, amount to at least 10 years

Or you are:

• The husband, wife or civil partner of a person who satisfies any of the conditions listed above
  
  
• The widow, widower or surviving civil partner of a person who satisfied any of the conditions listed above
  
  
• The former husband, wife or civil partner of a person who satisfies any of the conditions listed above
  
  
• The child of a person who satisfies any of the conditions listed above and that person was (or their spouse or civil partner was) serving in HM Forces when you were born

If you don’t satisfy the Isle of Man residential condition but you do meet the other qualifying conditions for Income Support, then you may still be entitled to Income Support if you can show that it would be exceptionally harsh or oppressive to deny you Income Support. Please complete and send in the Form A17 ‘Isle of Man Residential Qualification’ if you think this applies to you.

Working whilst claiming Income Support 

Income Support is not normally payable to you if you work for 16 or more hours a week, or if you have a partner who works for 24 or more hours a week. 
However, if you work for 16 hours or more (or your partner works for 24 hours or more) a week, you may still be able to get benefit if, for example, the person who works: 

• Is caring for another person
  
  
• Is a part-time fire-fighter, an auxiliary coastguard, a lifeboat man or a member of the Territorial 
  
  
• Army or another reserve force or
  
  
• Is employed by a charity or voluntary organisation and is only paid expenses for that work

If you are not entitled to Income Support because of the hours you or your partner work, you may be able to get Employed Person's Allowance instead. 

How much you could get

The amount of Income Support which can be paid to you is the difference between the amount the law says you need to live on, including any housing costs you may have, and the amount of money (if any) you already have coming in.

Payments

Payments will usually be made into your bank account or online account.

Income Support (under state pension age)

Normally we pay Income Support to people under state pension age every 2 weeks, but you can choose to be paid weekly.

Income Support (for Pensioners)

Normally we pay Income Support to people who have reached state pension age every 4 weeks, but you can choose to be paid weekly.

Applying for Income Support

You should make your claim as soon as you think you may be entitled. If you wait you could lose money you might otherwise be entitled to.

Apply online for Income Support - you will need your National Insurance Number to enrol for this service.

Alternatively, contact us for a claim form (A2 - Income Support and Income Support for Pensioners Claim Form), complete it and take or send it to either:

or at our Ramsey office.

If you can’t get to a Social Security office, we can arrange to visit you at home and help you with making your claim.

We may need to see a number of documents to support your claim, such as:

• Your birth certificate
  
  
• Proof of how much rent, rates, mortgage interest, service charges or lodging charges you have to pay
  
  
• Bank or building society statements or proof of any other savings, investments, land or property you have
  
  
• Proof of any other money you have coming in, for example an occupational (or 'works') pension or a personal pension

Don’t delay making your claim because you don’t have all the documents to hand. You can bring or send them to us later.

Changes in your circumstances

We’ll work out how much Income Support you’re entitled to from the information you give us. If any of this information changes you must tell the Income Support Team straightaway, before collecting any further payments. If you think there is something you may need to tell us about but aren’t sure, tell us anyway.

Work focused conversations

If you get Income Support and you haven’t reached state pension age, you and your partner (if you have one) may be required to take part in work-focused conversations as a condition of you getting the full amount of Income Support.

Other help you might be able to get

If you’re awarded Income Support you, and your partner and children, may also be able to get:

• Exceptional Needs Grants or Budgeting Loans
  
  
• Help with the expenses of a new baby or adopting a child
  
  
• The Winter Bonus
  
  
• Help with paying for your TV licence (but only if you have reached state pension age)
  
  
• Free NHS prescriptions
  
  
• Free NHS dental treatment
  
  
• Vouchers to help with the cost of glasses
  
  
• Help with the cost of travelling to hospital for treatment
  
  
• Free school meals and transport to and from school
  
  
• Help with the cost of enrolling onto Sports Development Schemes

More information

You can get more information via the downlodable documents on this page.