You should apply for Housing Benefit as soon as you think you need help. Do not delay in making a claim or you may lose out.
You can only receive Housing Benefit if you are:
on a low income
liable to pay rent or council tax
living in the property
you and your partner are of pension age
of working age living in supported, sheltered or temporary housing (bed and breakfast, refuge, hostel, supported housing with care, support or supervision)
People who work full time or part time, are self-employed or retired can claim, as well as people who are unemployed or can not work because of illness or because they are caring for someone.
The amount you receive depends on your financial and personal circumstances and the local housing allowance rate at the time of application.
How to claim
There is no automatic entitlement to benefit, an application form along with supporting evidence must be submitted. You can collect an application form at the council offices, or contact us and we will post one out to you.
The application form states what supporting evidence is required to allow us to process a claim. These documents must be the originals, photocopies will not be accepted.
If you cannot provide evidence straightaway you should send in the form and submit the evidence later.
Receipts will be given for claims accepted at your local office, if requested.
There are a number of documents that must be provided in support of a benefit application to allow benefit entitlement to be determined. All of these documents must be original. Photocopies will not be accepted.
Supporting evidence
Proof of identity
You need to send proof of both you and your partner's identity and National Insurance numbers. Please send at least two of the following for both you and your partner:
original birth certificate
driving licence
divorce or annulment papers
UK residence permit
life assurance policy
letter from a solicitor, doctor, social worker or probation office, or the Inland Revenue
wage slips from the current employer
Home Office acknowledgement letter
passport
marriage certificate
gas, electric or water bill
HM Forces certificate of employment
EC or EBA national identity card
NHS medical card
DWP benefit entitlement letter
bank statement (dated within the last four weeks)
Universal Credit award letter
Proof of income
If you are employed you must provide five wage slips in a row if you are paid weekly; three wage slips in a row if paid fortnightly, or two wage slips in a row if paid monthly. Alternatively, you can provide a letter from your employer on official company paper.
Your proof must include:
the name and address of your employer
the number of hours worked and the period covered
your income before deductions in the year so far
your income before deductions for the pay period
the income tax deducted
National Insurance contributions deducted
your pay before and after deductions, and any other deductions for a five-week period
occupational pension or personal pension payments
how you are paid, for example, cheque, cash or into a bank account
If you receive Universal Credit, we may need to see your award letters.
If you or your partner are self-employed, you must send us your most recent accounts. If you can not provide these or have only recently become self-employed, please contact our benefits team.
If you or your partner receive any other benefit, we will need to see proof of the amount you receive from the DWP, such as an award letter, or bank statement showing payments.
Proof of capital
We will need to see two recent months' bank statements for all accounts, plus statements, passbooks, or certificates showing all savings and investments and how they are invested.
Proof of residency and rent
Tenancy agreement or rent book (or rent account along with a letter from your landlord)
This proof must include:
date the agreement started
amount you pay
how long the tenancy will last
how often you pay the rent
the name and business address of your landlord and of the managing agent, if applicable
what is included in the rent, such as meals, gas, electricity
details of rent already paid and the date of payment
