Passporting benefits

The following benefits, received by a relevant person (or by their partner, if any) –

Income Support
Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (not contribution-based ESA)
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (not contribution-based JSA)
Guarantee Pension Credit (not Savings Pension Credit alone)
Housing Benefit
A reduction in Council Tax under a Council Tax Reduction scheme (Wales only)
Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit provided that the annual income for the purposes of assessing entitlement to the tax credit is less than £15,050
Universal Credit (this includes any amount of Universal Credit - which is being progressively introduced from 2013 onwards as a replacement for working age benefits and tax credits).

– are 'passporting benefits' for the purposes of the Renovation/Disabled-facility means-test.

Notes regarding the above

'Housing Benefit' includes a rent allowance paid under the Local Housing Allowance scheme.

'Council Tax Benefit' was a 'passporting benefit' prior to April 2013. In Wales it has been replaced, for 2013, by a national scheme similar to Council Tax Benefit but without Alternative Council Tax Benefit (more commonly known as 'Second Adult Rebate'). The regulations provide for a reduction under either the current Welsh national scheme, or any future Welsh local authority schemes, to be a 'passporting benefit'.

A 25% reduction in Council Tax for single occupancy, exemption from Council Tax on the grounds of severe mental impairment, or paying Council Tax at one band lower than would otherwise be the case (the "Disabled Band Reduction Scheme") are all not 'a reduction in Council Tax under a Council Tax Reduction scheme'. Those receiving any of these concessions only will still need to be means-tested.

See the income-based ESA and contribution-based ESA help topics for background information on these benefits.

The annual income for the purposes of assessing entitlement to a tax credit is cited on the Notice of Award issued by HMRC for the award in payment. This is typically the gross taxable income in the previous tax year, minus some deductions.