What is Housing Benefit?
The purpose of the scheme is to help people on low income who pay rent for where they live. You can claim if you pay rent to a private landlord or to a housing association.
You can make an application for Housing Benefit if you are liable to pay rent for the accommodation that you live in. You will be treated as liable if you or your partner have a legally enforceable agreement to pay rent to your landlord.
There are situations where you may pay rent for your accommodation but you are not eligible to claim Housing Benefit:
- if you or your partner live with a close relative;
- if the agreement between you and your landlord is not on a commercial basis;
- if you would be allowed to live in the property even if no payment was made.
Housing Benefit can only help you to pay the rent. If your payment covers other services such as water rates or bills for heating or electricity or meals we will have to make a deduction from your housing benefit. Please contact us if you need further details.
What is Council Tax Benefit?
Council Tax Benefit is also a means tested benefit to help people on low incomes pay their Council Tax bill.
What is Local Housing Allowance?
From 7 April 2008 there is a change for private tenants. For those making a new claim with a private landlord, have a break in that claim of a week or more, or who move to a new private tenancy, the rent will be based on a figure called the Local Housing Allowance.
This figure is set at the beginning of each month by the Rent Officer Service and is based on the number of people in the household, not the actual rent charged for the property by the landlord.
In most cases the Local Housing Allowance will be paid directly to the tenant and a bank account will be needed for this.
In a small number of cases Housing Benefit may be paid to the landlord in order to protect the tenancy. An application must be made for payment direct to landlord and proof (evidence) will be required of the reasons given for this request. A Safeguard Policy has been created to help the Local Authority to make that decision.
St Edmundsbury Benefit Service is setting up links with money advice services including Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and the Suffolk Credit Union, to help tenants who need advice in how to budget and set up a bank account or credit union account.
Can I find out what you will pay toward my rent before taking on a tenancy?
You can complete a Pre-tenancy Determination. We will send it to the Rent Officer Service who will tell you the valuation we will use to assess your claim. Once we have received this we can look at your income and work out what we can pay. Please click on leaflet Application for a Pre- tenancy Determination (PDF 408Kb)
How much money can I have in savings and investments?
You can usually only claim if you have savings of less than £16,000. Please see leaflet Savings and Investments (PDF 40Kb)
If you are over 60 years of age you may still be able to claim if you have over £16,000. This will apply if you are in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee. If you would like more details on this please click on the link to the Pension Service
What income can I have?
You can claim if you are receiving Pension Credit, Retirement Pension and/or an occupational pension. If you would like more details please click on the link to Pension Service
You can claim if you are unemployed, claiming Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support or Incapacity Benefit. If you would like more details please click on the link to Jobcentre Plus
You can claim if you are working and on a low income, working full, part-time or self employed.
You can use the quick calculator on our website to work out if you may be eligible. To do this click of quickcalc and complete the questions.
When to claim
Benefit is usually paid from the Monday following the week we receive the claim from you. If you do not have all the details we need then let us have the form and then provide all the other information within one month. Any delay may lead to a loss in benefit. In exceptional circumstances you may be able to make a backdated claim. Please see the leaflet Request for backdating (PDF 88Kb)
You can make a claim up to 13 weeks before you wish Housing and/ or Council Tax benefit to start.
What can I do if I cannot leave the house?
Please ring us and we will arrange for someone to contact you. Our Benefit Service contact telephone number is 01284 757269.
Who do the payments go to?
It is your choice; payments can either go to yourself or to your landlord. Please see form Request to pay Landlord direct (PDF 12Kb) and or leaflet A Landlord’s Guide (PDF 43Kb). If you are or if you become over eight weeks in arrears a Landlord can request that all payments go direct to him.
What happens if my circumstances change?
You will need to inform the Benefits Service straightaway. If you don’t do this and you are entitled to more benefit you may lose this. If you are entitled to less we will claim it back from you. Please complete the Online notification or see leaflet Change of Circumstances (PDF 37Kb)
Who is in your household?
When assessing your claim your household will consist of you, your partner and any dependent children. Any other household member who is over the age of 16 and child benefit is not received for them will be classed as a Non-dependent. If that non-dependent is over 18 years of age your Housing and Council Tax Benefits may be reduced by a non-dependent deduction. Please see the leaflet Second Adult Rebate (PDF 48Kb)
Can I claim if I am a student?
Students studying at degree level do not normally qualify unless they are part of a couple or are a lone parent with children or are disabled. Please see leaflet Housing Benefits and Students (PDF 60Kb) to see if you fall within the groups who may get help.
Can I get help with Council Tax because I have another adult living with me?
If the other adult is not your partner and not living with you on a commercial basis (such as a lodger) and you have lost the 25 percent single occupier discount and that person is on a low income you can claim Second Adult Rebate. Please see the leaflet Second Adult Rebate (PDF 48Kb)
I pay a lot in child care, is this taken into account?
We may be able to ignore that part of your earnings which is used to pay child care costs. Please see leaflet Child care costs (PDF 58Kb)
What would happen if I had to move quickly and pay my new rent, but also had to pay for my notice period on my old home?
Rent can be paid for up to four weeks on both properties but only if the need to pay is unavoidable. Please see leaflet How to claim an overlap of benefit (PDF 48Kb)
What happens if I disagree with your assessment?
You can ask us to explain it to you, you can ask us to check it again and if you still disagree you can ask for it to be heard by the Appeals Service. Please see the leaflet Appeals Housing and Council Tax Benefits (PDF 1.3Mb)
What can I do if you do not pay the full rent?
If you are having difficulty meeting the part of the rent you should pay you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Award. This is usually paid for a short time to help during exceptionally difficult periods. Please see leaflet Extra help for rent or Council Tax (PDF 172Kb) and/or complete the Application for Discretionary Housing Award (PDF 20Kb)
What happens if I have been overpaid?
We will write and let you know the details of the overpayment and enclose a leaflet which explains how you can appeal against it if you disagree. You can download a copy of the leaflet/form by clicking on Appeals Housing and Council Tax Benefit (PDF 1.3Mb). Our notification letters will also give a direct line number and name for you to contact if you wish to discuss the overpayment with a member of our staff.
You can help reduce an overpayment of benefits by telling us straight away if your circumstances change. You can do this by completing the Online notification or by downloading the Change of circumstances leaflet.
Do I have to renew my claim?
We carry out a review of claims by contacting a random sample each month, some by simply sending a review form to be completed and returned to the Benefits Service and some will receive a form and visit by a member of our visiting team. You need to complete the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Review Form and be available to receive a visit if this has been arranged in order to continue to receive benefit but remember you should also inform us immediately when your circumstances change.
