Benefits

Housing Benefit

What is Housing Benefit?

Housing Benefit is a national welfare benefit which is paid by the Council to help meet the cost of your rent. Anyone who pays rent for their home can claim. It does not matter whether your landlord is a housing association, a private company or an individual. However, you cannot normally be awarded benefit if you live with a member of your family and are paying them rent.

Benefit can help meet the cost of your rent if you:

  • have a low income - whether you work or not
  • are responsible for paying the rent
  • live in the property
  • do not have savings above £16,000*

    (*unless you claim and qualify for Guarantee Credit)

    The amount of benefit depends on:

  • the amount of rent you pay
  • whether anyone else (such as lodgers or grown-up children) live with you
  • the amount of money you have coming in each week
  • the amount the Government says you need to live on

    You may not be eligible to apply for benefit if:

  • you have come to live in the
    • UKwithin the last two years**
  • you are subject to immigration control
  • you are from outside the Common Travel Area and are 'economically inactive'
  • you have a second property elsewhere
  • you are a student
  • you are a prisoner
  • you are absent from your home

    ** special rules apply to people who are not British nationals. For further information you can click on the “Benefit for people from abroad” link on the left hand side of this page. Alternatively you can contact Customer Services on 01234 221797.


    Applications:

    downloadable document iconHousing and Council Tax Benefit application form - DOWNLOAD

    For Housing Benefits Information Leaflets please go to the 'Benefit Information Leaflets' Sections



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    Benefits
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