We pay your first housing benefit within two weeks of getting all the information we need to work out your claim.

If you are a council tenant your benefit is paid weekly into your rent account.

If you are a private tenant or a housing association tenant your benefit is paid by BACS direct credit or by cheque in arrears. You can choose whether benefit is paid to you or your landlord. If you are more than eight weeks in arrears we have to pay the landlord direct.