Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are means tested benefits administered by the local authority on behalf of the Government (you do not have to be unemployed to claim).
The following information is for guidance only.
- Anyone who has to pay rent can claim, it does not matter if you rent your home from the council, a housing association or a private landlord, You can claim if you live in a hostel or in bed and breakfast accommodation. Owner-occupiers can get assistance to pay their council tax.
- In order to make a claim you must provide proof of your identity, National Insurance Number, income, savings and all capital. This information is also required for your partner if you have one.
- If you are living together as a couple your income is assessed jointly.
You must notify us immediately if there is a change in your circumstances. You can notify us by calling into your local office or by using the details in the contact us box at the top. If you are unsure about whether you need to tell us of the change please contact your local office for information and advice.
From 7th April 2008 the rules governing claims from people who rent their homes from private landlords are changing, please see Local Housing Allowance for further information.
You can ask us for an explanation of how your benefit has been calculated. If you disagree with our decision you can ask us to look at it again. If you are still not satisfied after this, an Appeals Tribunal, who are independent of the council will look at your claim.
We would always encourage you to complete an Housing/Council Tax application form. We will assess your claim and write to you whether you qualify for benefit or not. The application form combines a claim for both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit where appropriate.
We administer a Discretionary Housing Payment scheme. It is an independent scheme and is not a form of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. It can be paid in respect of housing costs, council tax costs or a combination of both.
