Benefits for people who work

If you already get Housing Benefit and are about to start work, you should fill in a change of circumstances form. You will only need to provide proof of your earnings.

If you're not claiming benefits already you will need to provide all the usual evidence, such as proof of your identity, proof of your National Insurance Number etc. but we will also need to see:

  • Five pay slips if you are paid weekly
  • Two pay slips if you are paid monthly
  • Three wage slips if you are paid every fortnight.

Your pay slips should be your most recent ones. If you do not have any pay slips, your employer can download and complete an earnings certificate.

If you have just started work, you will need to ask your employer to provide us with details of your likely gross earnings, tax and National Insurance deductions, so that we can estimate your entitlement. When you receive your pay slips, you can send them to us and we will review your claim.

If you are Self-Employed, please fill in our self-employed questionnaire. Please contact our customer services helpline on 0161 912 2220 or call in to any of our Access Trafford Offices if you need more help.

Do you take all my earnings into account?

We ignore a set amount of your earnings every week. This amount will depend on your circumstances.

We disregard:

  • £5 of your weekly earnings (if you are single)
  • £10 of your weekly earnings (if you are a couple)
  • £20 of your weekly earnings (if you are disabled or a carer)
  • £25 of your weekly earnings (if you are a single parent).

We take into account the gross amount you earn less:

  • Tax and National Insurance contributions; and
  • Half of any money you pay into a pension fund.

There is also an additional earnings disregard that is awarded in certain circumstances. We will also need to see proof of any other income, for example Child Benefit and Tax Credits, as well as any savings or capital you have.

If your circumstances change in any way once you have made your claim, you should tell us straight away, it may affect the amount of Benefit you receive. If you don't tell us about a change and we pay you too much Benefit you may have to pay it back.