How to Claim

You must complete an application form in order to be considered for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction

If you make a claim for Income Support / Job Seekers Allowance (income based) or Employment Support Allowance then you can make your initial claim only for Housing Benefit at Jobcentre plus. If you wish to claim Housing Benefit / Council Tax Reduction Scheme then do not delay as your claim generally starts from the first Monday after we receive your claim form.

Do not delay returning the form if you do not have all of the extra information that we require.
You can send in documents at a later date.

Before you claim:

Do you and/or your Partner have more than £16,000.00 in savings/capital? If so then you will not be entitled to any Housing Benefit / Council Tax Reduction Scheme (unless you are in receipt of guaranteed credit)
Do you live with your parents/other close relative? If so then you will not be entitled to Housing Benefit / Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
Do you pay rent on the property that you live in? If not then you cannot claim Housing Benefit.
Are you responsible for the Council Tax at your property (is the Bill in yours or your partners' name)? If not, then you will not be able to claim Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

What to include with your application form:

Identification for you and any partner (wage slips, benefit books, passport, drivers license etc.).
Proof of yours and any partner's National Insurance Number (Benefit award letter, pension book, benefit book etc.)
Proof of yours and any partner's income and savings
Proof of any rent that you pay (Tenancy agreement, Rent Book, letter from Landlord, Landlord statement form)
Proof of any Child Benefit that you receive
Proof of the income of any other people in your home over 18 years old and not on your Child Benefit book

The amount of benefit that you will be entitled to depends upon how much your weekly income is and what your circumstances are, for example, your age, the size of your family and whether anyone in the house is elderly or disabled.

Once we have looked carefully at your income and your circumstances, we then do a calculation.

Generally speaking, the higher your income is, then the less your weekly benefit will be. In certain cases you will be able to have all of your Rent and Council Tax paid. For example, if you are in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (income based), and you have no grown up people living with you other than your partner, then you may qualify for full eligible Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Full Eligible Housing Benefit may not be your full Rent.