Notification letters - Key terms

If you are unsure about any other terms, please contact us.

• Partner - We use partner to mean someone of the opposite sex who you are married to or live with as if you were married or a person of the same sex with whom you have formed a civil partnership or are living together with as if you were civil partners.
• Earned Income explanation - Any earnings will be shown on your notification as a weekly figure, less tax, National Insurance and half of any pension contributions. We use figures provided by the DWP for working customers receiving universal credit.
• Any Other Income - All other types of income, child benefit, state pensions, other state benefits, private pensions, universal credit, working tax and child tax credits, student loan and student grant etc. will be shown on your notification.
• Your Total Capital - This is the total amount of capital and savings held.
• Your Weekly Eligible Rent - This is the amount of rent on which benefit can be paid and can be less than the amount of rent that you actually pay, due to rent restrictions and other ineligible charges.
• Ineligible Weekly Fuel and Service Charges - This amount is an estimate made for any charges in your rent for fuel, water rates, laundry provision etc. These can be amended if evidence of actual charges is provided.
• Applicable Amount - This is the weekly figure that the government has worked out as the amount needed for day-to-day living expenses, dependent upon your individual circumstances.
• Payment on Account - is a type of payment made pending receipt of further information. When the required information is received your payment will be reassessed. Any overpayment resulting from a payment on account is recoverable.
• Non-Dependant Deductions - Non-dependants are all other adults (including university students) who normally live in your home. Some of them may be expected to contribute towards your rent and council tax. A deduction from your benefits may be made, according to the individual’s income. All non- dependants should be shown on your notification. If not, you must tell us immediately.
• Late Notification - Where changes are notified to the council more than one calendar month after the event, the claim is amended from the following Monday, unless the change has meant that benefit has been overpaid.
• Expenses - These deductions are for any childcare costs you have declared. You must tell us immediately if you no longer pay for childcare or the amount you pay increases or decreases.