Housing Benefit :Cross Stitch – Money, tax and benefits

If you’re on a low income, whether you’re working or not, and need financial help to pay all or part of your rent, you may be able to get Housing Benefit. Find out more, including who is eligible and how to claim.

You may get Housing Benefit if you pay rent and your income and capital (savings and investments) are below a certain level. You could qualify if you are out of work, or in work and earning a wage.

Use the online benefits adviser to get an estimate of the benefits, including Housing Benefit, you may get.

You can’t usually get Housing Benefit if:

  • you have savings of over £16,000, unless you are getting the ‘guarantee credit’ of Pension Credit
  • you live in the home of a close relative
  • you’re a full-time student (unless you’re disabled or have children)
  • you’re an asylum seeker or are sponsored to be in the UK

Other restrictions

If you live with a partner or civil partner only one of you can get Housing Benefit.

From 1st January 2012 if you’re single and under 35 you can only get Housing Benefit for bed-sit accommodation or one room in shared accommodation.

Ask your local authority for details of how the changes will affect you and about the exceptions that can apply in certain situations.

From April 2013, if you live in council accommodation or other social housing and are assessed as having at least one extra bedroom in your house, your Housing Benefit could be reduced by:

  • 14% if you have 1 extra bedroom
  • 25% if you have 2 or more extra bedrooms

Ask your local council for details of how the changes will affect you.

Child Benefit is no longer counted as income when working out how much Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you can get.

This means that some people currently receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit payments will receive more benefit with which to pay their rent and council tax.

In addition, some low income families may now get Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as a result of this change. If you think you may now be entitled, contact your local council.

If you rent a property or room from a private landlord, your Housing Benefit will be calculated with the Local Housing Allowance rules.

If you live in council accommodation or other social housing, the most Housing Benefit you can get is the same as your ‘eligible’ rent.

What is ‘eligible’ rent?

Eligible rent includes:

  • rent for the accommodation
  • charges for some services, such as lifts, communal laundry facilities or play areas

Even if it’s included in your rent, you won’t get any Housing Benefit for:

  • water charges
  • charges for heating, hot water, lighting, or cooking
  • payments for food or fuel in board and lodgings or hostels

The amount of Housing Benefit you may get also depends on:

Your local council will look at:

  • money you and your partner or civil partner have coming in, including earnings, some benefits and tax credits, and occupational pensions
  • your savings (and your partner’s or civil partner’s savings)
  • your circumstances: such as your age, the size of your family and their ages, whether you or any of your family are disabled, and whether anyone who lives with you could help with the rent

The particulars of your home and the rent you pay

Your council will also look at whether:

  • the amount of rent is reasonable for your particular home
  • your home is a reasonable size for you and your family
  • the amount of rent is reasonable for the area where you live

Your ‘eligible’ rent may be limited to an amount that’s reasonable for a suitably sized property in the area you live.

If you are a council tenant, your council will pay any Housing Benefit straight into your rent account.

If you’re not a council tenant, your Housing Benefit will be paid:

  • to you by cheque
  • by Direct Payment into your bank or building society account

Contact your council if you’re worried about how Housing Benefit is paid.

Effect on benefits

Housing Benefit won’t affect any other benefits you get.

You can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate) with your claim for the following benefits:

  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance

Call Jobcentre Plus on 0800 055 6688.

If you speak Welsh, call 0800 012 1888, or if you can’t speak or hear clearly, call the textphone 0800 023 4888.

Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm (lines are normally less busy before 9.00 am).

Jobcentre Plus will send details of your claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to your local council.

If you’re claiming Pension Credit

You can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate) with your claim for Pension Credit.

Call The Pension Service on 0800 991 234. If you can’t speak or hear clearly, call the textphone 0800 169 0133. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Saturday 9.00 am to 1.00 pm.

If you speak Welsh, call 0800 012 1888 (textphone 0800 023 4888). Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.

An adviser will help you apply for these benefits and let you know what happens next.

The Pensions service will send details of your claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to your local council.

If you’re not claiming Pension Credit, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker’s Allowance you can get a form for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate) from your local council.