Benefits
Housing and Council Tax Benefits
Housing and Council Tax Benefits are national means tested welfare benefits. The purpose of the Housing Benefit scheme is to help people who have a low-income pay their rent. The Council Tax Benefit scheme provides help with Council Tax charges. From April 2008, the Government is introducing the Local Housing Allowance which will affect most private tenants.
Making a claim
- Who can claim
- How to claim
- How much could you claim
- What period will your claim run for
- Backdating
- Second Adult Rebate
- Students
Calculating
and Payment of Housing and Council Tax benefit
- How your benefit entitlement is worked out
- How your benefit will be paid
- What you do if you disagree with our decision
- What changes of circumstances you must report
- Housing Benefit Overpayments
Helpful Leaflets
The National benefit website, gives you general advice and guidance on Housing and Council Tax Benefit. The leaflets on the site may be able to answer your benefit questions. The national benefit leaflets can be translated into the following languages:
Polish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Somali, Urdu and Vietnamese
If you require this, please contact the Benefit department on 01322 343705.
Extra help
- Discretionary Housing Payment
- Extended Payments
- Reporting Benefit Fraud
- Check your Benefit Account
- National benefit leaflet
The method by which payment of benefit is made depends on the type claim you have. Housing Benefit for Council tenants will be paid direct to their rent accounts.
Private tenants are paid by BACS to themselves or direct to their landlord/housing association. Council tax benefit is credited directly to your Council Tax Account.
Most tenants who rent their accommodation from private landlords (except Housing Association tenants and certain other tenants) will have their rent referred to the Rent Service, before their Housing Benefit is calculated.
The Rent Service looks at the accommodation that is being rented and makes an independent valuation of the rent. Housing Benefit is awarded based on the Rent Service's assessment of the rent.
