Housing Benefit

If you pay rent, you may be able to claim Housing Benefit to help with your rent payments.

We pay Housing Benefit depending on your landlord:

• if you're a council tenant, we pay it directly into your rent account
• if you're a private tenant or a housing association tenant, we pay it by BACS directly to you or your landlord

How Housing Benefit is calculated and paid

See information on:

• how we calculate the amount of Housing Benefit you receive
• how we'll pay you

Claim Housing Benefit

If you claim Housing Benefit, we'll also work out any Council Tax Support you can claim to help with your council tax bill.

Changes to Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit changed in 2013 - the changes related to:

• under occupancy of social housing and the bedroom tax
• Local Housing Allowance (LHA) - we use this to work out most new Housing Benefit claims for tenants renting from a private landlord

Contact our Benefits Team if you need advice about these changes and how they may affect you.

Also see

• Get benefits advice
• Who can claim housing benefit
• Report a change in circumstances
• Housing benefit appeals
• Housing benefit advice for landlords
• Benefits