This chapter covers:

1. Income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance and housing benefit (below)

2. Other benefits (►)

3. Financial support from the local authority (►)

4. Other help from the local authority (►)

5. Other help (►)

6. Challenging local authority decisions (►)

Many 16/17-year-olds who have been ‘looked after’ and accommodated by the local authority (often called ‘looked after away from home’) cannot get income support (IS), income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or housing benefit (HB). Instead, the local authority is responsible for providing support. Local authorities often refer to this help as ‘after-care’, ‘after-care services’ or ‘leaving care services’. Young people in this situation are commonly referred to as ‘care leavers’. Once someone becomes 18 there are no special rules about benefits for care leavers.

Note: benefits other than IS, income-based JSA and HB are not affected.