Benefits
What are housing benefit and council tax benefit?
Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance are government
schemes to help people on low incomes or getting some state
benefits to pay their rent.
Council Tax Benefit is a government scheme to help people pay
their council tax. Anyone who pays council tax can claim, including
owner-occupiers - you do not have to be a tenant.
Can I apply if I work, or get other benefits?
Yes, you can claim if you are working and on a low income.
You can also claim if you receive other benefits such as job
seekers allowance, income support, employment support allowance, or
a pension (depending on how much your pension is).
The amount of benefit you get will depend on your income,
savings, and family circumstances. You can use the online Benefits
Calculator to get an estimate.
There is also the second adult rebate to help with council tax.
You can claim this even if you are not on a low income but are
responsible for the Council Tax and share your home with one or
more adults in certain circumstances. Find out more about the
second adult
rebate.
.
What is Local Housing Allowance?
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) has taken effect from 7 April
2008. It is an easier and fairer way to work out how much Housing
Benefit we can potentially pay. It is based on your household
requirements not the actual size of the property. For more
information on What is LHA and LHA rates please follow the
link.
LHA explained
**The Charter Mark sign no longer applies to Benefits
& Community Welfare. However the new Customer Excellence Mark
has been applied for. **
Downloadable leaflets and application forms
Please click here for our application form and information
leaflets.