You can only make a claim for housing benefit if one of the following applies:
If you do not fall into any of the above categories you need to claim Universal Credit instead.
Please note: Universal Credit does not include help towards council tax. If you need help with your council tax payments you can claim Council Tax Reduction online by clicking the 'Make your claim online' button below.
To make a claim, you must complete an application form and provide us with the appropriate proof. See the types of evidence below.
Completing this service should take around 15 minutes.
To complete this service you will need.
Claims are dealt with as quickly as possible but may be held up if any information is missing from your application.
We will write to you if further information is required from you. Failure to provide all required information can delay your claim's processing, and you could lose out on benefits.
If the claim form is received with all the supporting documentation we need, assessments will generally be made within 14 days. You will then receive notification of any entitlement and how this will be paid.
How much benefit will I receive?The amount you receive will be calculated based on the following:
If you have not claimed Housing Benefit before you may need to provide personal identification documents for you and your partner, proof of rent (private tenants only), and proof of income. We also have to check your National Insurance Number.
The number of proofs you will need to supply depends on your circumstances and is fully explained in the claim form.
If you are a private tenant we will need to see proof of your rent. Only original documents are acceptable. This can be one of the following:
You may also need to provide original proof of your income and of your capital and savings. Photocopies are not acceptable. All the information you provide is private and confidential. This may include:
We want to make sure your claim is assessed correctly from the start. It also has to comply with government regulations and guidance and all evidence asked for on the application form are needed to assess your claim. If you do not provide this, your claim cannot be assessed.
What if I have recently moved to the UK?If you have been in the UK for less than 5 years we will need to ask for evidence of your immigration status. This will include either your passport, Home Office papers, visa documents, worker registration documents etc. We will also need proof of your National Insurance Number(s) or evidence that you are to be allocated one.
We have to gather additional details about you and your individual circumstances to make sure you are entitled to claim Housing Benefit.
Can I claim if I'm over 60?The Pension Service pays Pension Credits.
When you make a claim for a Pension Credit, if you do not already get Housing Benefit you will be asked whether you want to make a claim.
When the Pension Service has assessed your entitlement to Pension Credits, they will tell us about this. With this information, we will assess any entitlement to Housing Benefit.
You may not get Pension Credit if your income or savings are too high
You should claim Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction directly from us by filling in a claim form. Once you have filled in the form, send it back to us as soon as possible.
Can I still claim if I have savings?You can still claim if you have savings.
Working-age customers - The lower capital limit is £6,000 and the maximum is £16,000. If your savings are under £6,000 it will be disregard. If your savings are over £16,000 you will not be entitled.
For any capital over £6,000 but under £16,000;
We count each £250 (or part of £250) and include £1 as income in the benefit assessment.
If you receive Jobseekers Allowance (Income based), Income Support or Guarantee Pension Credit then all your capital is disregarded.
Customers aged 60+ - The lower capital limit is £10,000 and the maximum is £16,000. If your savings are under £10,000 it will be disregard. If your savings are over £16,000 you will not be entitled.
For any capital over £10,000 but under £16,000;
We count every £500 (or part of £500) and count £1 as income in benefit assessment.
If you receive Jobseekers Allowance (Income based), Income Support or Guarantee Pension Credit then all your capital is disregarded.
What happens if I'm overpaid?Please click here for more information