Housing Benefit
Housing benefit is a benefit to help people pay their rent. This page explains
more about what it is, what it covers and who can claim it.
What is it?
What does housing benefit cover?
Who can claim?
When should I claim?
I am going to claim, can I stop paying rent?
Who gets the housing benefit?
What is it?
Housing benefit, or rent allowance as it is sometimes called, is paid by the
council to help people pay their rent.
You could be:
to get help with paying the interest through income support mortgage
interest (ISMI).
If you live in Edinburgh or Argyll and Bute, and rent from a private landlord,
you will get local housing allowance instead of housing benefit.
What does housing benefit cover?
Housing benefit can cover:
Who can claim?
You may be able to claim housing benefit if you:
have a low income, or are receiving welfare benefits.
If you think that you might be entitled to housing benefit you should submit
a claim form.
The housing benefit department will let you know if you will be entitled to
any help depending on your circumstances. See the page on how housing
benefit is calculated.
When should I claim?
If you think that you might be entitled, you should claim as soon as possible.
Housing benefit will usually be paid from the date that you notify the housing
benefit department that you wish to make a claim. It would be best to do
this by phone or in person, as a letter could get lost in the post. A claim form
should be sent out to you for you to complete and return with all the
necessary information to support your claim within one calendar month.
If you think that you might have been entitled at any time in the last year
and you have a good reason for not having claimed earlier (for example,
because you were ill), you may be able to get your benefit backdated.
I am going to claim, can I stop paying rent?
Don't stop paying your rent unless you are confident that you will receive
full housing benefit. You may not be entitled to housing benefit or you might
only get help with part of the rent, leaving you to make up the rest.
Claims can take a long time to process and you could be left with huge rent
arrears.
If possible, try to find out approximately how much help you might be
entitled to when you hand in your form. If you rent from a council or a
housing association, you should ask if they have a welfare rights officer who
would be able to help you. You could contact a housing aid centre or Citizens
Advice Bureau, your local council or other local advice centre. Use the Advice
Services Directory to find agencies in your area.
If you are having difficulty paying your rent and you are not sure if you will
be entitled to full housing benefit, try to keep making payments at a level
you can afford, but be sure and tell your landlord that you have claimed
housing benefit.
Who gets the housing benefit?
You can ask to have housing benefit paid directly to yourself or directly to
your landlord.
If you have more than eight weeks rent arrears, your landlord can ask for
your housing benefit to be paid directly to them.
more about what it is, what it covers and who can claim it.
What is it?
What does housing benefit cover?
Who can claim?
When should I claim?
I am going to claim, can I stop paying rent?
Who gets the housing benefit?
What is it?
Housing benefit, or rent allowance as it is sometimes called, is paid by the
council to help people pay their rent.
You could be:
- a tenant of the council
- a tenant of a housing association
- a tenant of a private landlord
- a sharing owner (but you can only claim for the rent or occupancy
payments).
to get help with paying the interest through income support mortgage
interest (ISMI).
If you live in Edinburgh or Argyll and Bute, and rent from a private landlord,
you will get local housing allowance instead of housing benefit.
What does housing benefit cover?
Housing benefit can cover:
- your rent
- some service charges, such as upkeep of communal areas or a
caretaker.
- charges for heating, hot water, lighting or cooking
- payments for any food or meals provided.
Who can claim?
You may be able to claim housing benefit if you:
have a low income, or are receiving welfare benefits.
If you think that you might be entitled to housing benefit you should submit
a claim form.
The housing benefit department will let you know if you will be entitled to
any help depending on your circumstances. See the page on how housing
benefit is calculated.
When should I claim?
If you think that you might be entitled, you should claim as soon as possible.
Housing benefit will usually be paid from the date that you notify the housing
benefit department that you wish to make a claim. It would be best to do
this by phone or in person, as a letter could get lost in the post. A claim form
should be sent out to you for you to complete and return with all the
necessary information to support your claim within one calendar month.
If you think that you might have been entitled at any time in the last year
and you have a good reason for not having claimed earlier (for example,
because you were ill), you may be able to get your benefit backdated.
I am going to claim, can I stop paying rent?
Don't stop paying your rent unless you are confident that you will receive
full housing benefit. You may not be entitled to housing benefit or you might
only get help with part of the rent, leaving you to make up the rest.
Claims can take a long time to process and you could be left with huge rent
arrears.
If possible, try to find out approximately how much help you might be
entitled to when you hand in your form. If you rent from a council or a
housing association, you should ask if they have a welfare rights officer who
would be able to help you. You could contact a housing aid centre or Citizens
Advice Bureau, your local council or other local advice centre. Use the Advice
Services Directory to find agencies in your area.
If you are having difficulty paying your rent and you are not sure if you will
be entitled to full housing benefit, try to keep making payments at a level
you can afford, but be sure and tell your landlord that you have claimed
housing benefit.
Who gets the housing benefit?
You can ask to have housing benefit paid directly to yourself or directly to
your landlord.
If you have more than eight weeks rent arrears, your landlord can ask for
your housing benefit to be paid directly to them.