If your income is low, you have a large young family, you are unemployed, or you are long- term sick, disabled or a pensioner, you will probably be able to claim help with your rent in the form of Housing Benefit as well as other benefits (please contact us if you are not sure).

If you receive Housing Benefit, you can choose to have it paid directly to us. You have the responsibility to make sure that your local authority is paying your rent correctly and on time even if they are paying Housing Benefit directly to us. Your local authority or advice centre will help you with more information on benefits.

Applying for Housing Benefit

Please remember the following.

• You are responsible for applying for Housing Benefit and chasing your claim with the council.
• Payments are not usually backdated so you should apply before you move into your home or when your circumstances change.
• Claims often take weeks to assess.
• If you have given the benefit office all the relevant documents and your claim is agreed, but the final decision has not been made, you can ask for a temporary payment of Housing Benefit. They should pay you this within 14 days. Please phone your local advice centre for more information.

Once Housing Benefit has been awarded, you must tell the benefit office about the following changes and any others they could not reasonably know about.

• A dependant becoming independent, for example, when a child turns 18
• Moving to a different address
• A change in income or benefit of anyone living in your household
• A person leaving or moving into your home, for example, a new partner
• An increase or decrease in savings
• If your claim for income support stops

If your Housing Benefit is overpaid because your circumstances have changed, this will be taken from future payments or may be invoiced direct to your landlord for payment in full. This could result in arrears on your rent account.

Council Tax

If you are eligible for income support or are on a low income, you may be eligible for Council Tax Benefit depending on your circumstances. You should apply direct to your local Council Tax and Housing Benefit office.