Family premium abolished
The government are making a number of changes to benefits and tax credits for people with children. One of these is to remove the extra amount of £17.45, given to people with children, which is known as the 'family premium'.
This change will affect the following benefits:
- In Housing Benefit the family premium will be abolished for new claims or new births on or after 1 May 2016.
- In Council Tax Support/Reduction it is up to each local authority to decide whether to abolish the family premium for new claims or new births from April 2016.
This change will affect you if you:
- are making a new claim for these benefits
- have one or more children and
- have some income or earnings coming in
If you are already claiming one of these benefits, have some income or earnings, and your first child is due after the family premium is abolished, you will also be affected because of the new births rule.
If you are already claiming one of these benefits and have a child you will keep the family premium. However, you may be affected if you need to make a new claim in the future, for example, if you move to a property which falls outside your current local authority area.
