Notional income

The amount of means-tested benefits you receive depends on your income.

In some situations, you are treated as having income even if you do not actually receive it. This is called notional income.

You can be treated as having notional income when:

• You have deliberately got rid of income so that your benefit entitlement is higher
• You did not apply for income that you were entitled to
• You have not received income that is due to you
• Your income is paid to someone else on your behalf.