How your self-employed income will be assessed
To assess your weekly income after tax and national insurance, we consider your -
- business related income, expenses and any pension contributions
- savings
- partner's income
- income from any other source
If you are applying for, or are already receiving, Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Reduction, we must calculate your average weekly income. What you must submit for us to do this depends on how long you have been trading.
If you have been trading for -
- less than 6 months, or 26 weeks, complete a self-employed projection of earnings form
- 6 to 12 months, or 25 to 52 weeks, complete the Income and Expenses form. They need to cover the full period you have been trading
- more than 1 year, or 52 weeks or more, complete an Income and Expenses form covering your last 52 weeks of trading
If you have more than 1 business, you must complete the appropriate form for each business.
Important - you may have to supply proofs of your business receipts and expenses. We write to you if this information is needed. For example -
- day books
- petrol receipts
- invoices
- certified accounts
The Self-Employed Income and Expenses form and the Self-Employed Projection of Earnings form are available to download.
Self-employed childminders
If you are a self-employed childminder, you do not need to submit your business expenses with your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claim.
When we calculate your entitlement to benefit, we disregard one-third of your income amount. This is to allow for payment of -
- income tax
- national insurance
- half of any applicable pension payments