Taxable and tax-free State Benefits

Posted on 13th September 2022 by Streets - Income Tax

Whilst there are a large number of state benefits available, it is not clear which of these benefits are taxable and which are tax-free.

HMRC’s guidance provides the following list of the most common state benefits that are taxable i.e., Income Tax is potentially payable, subject to the usual allowances and reliefs:

Bereavement Allowance (previously Widow’s pension)
Carer’s Allowance
contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Incapacity Benefit (from the 29th week you get it)
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
pensions paid by the Industrial Death Benefit scheme
the State Pension
Widowed Parent’s Allowance

The most common state benefits you do not have to pay Income Tax on are:

Attendance Allowance
Bereavement support payment
Child Benefit (income-based - use the Child Benefit tax calculator to see if you’ll have to pay tax)
Child Tax Credit
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
free TV licence for over-75s
Guardian’s Allowance
Housing Benefit
Income Support - though you may have to pay tax on Income Support if you’re involved in a strike
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Industrial Injuries Benefit
lump-sum bereavement payments
Maternity Allowance
Pension Credit
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Severe Disablement Allowance
Universal Credit
War Widow’s Pension
Winter Fuel Payments and Christmas Bonus
Working Tax Credit

No Advice

The content produced and presented by Streets is for general guidance and informational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice. Furthermore, it should not be considered a recommendation or an offer to sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities or other form of financial asset. The information provided by Streets is of a general nature and is not specific for any individual or entity. Appropriate and tailored advice or independent research should be obtained before making any such decisions. Streets does not accept any liability for any loss or damage which is incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of obtaining Streets' visual or audible content.

Information

The content used by Streets has been obtained from or is based on sources that we believe to be accurate and reliable. Although reasonable care has been taken in gathering the necessary information, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information we publish and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions in material. You should always seek specific advice prior to making any investment, legal or tax decisions.