10 top tips about Housing Benefit

  1. It’s available if you’re on a low income and you need help paying your rent.
  2. There’s no upper or lower age limit.
  3. You don’t have to have a tenancy agreement to get Housing Benefit.
  4. You don’t have to receive Income Support to get Housing Benefit.
  5. If you don’t receive Income Support, the Local Authority will apply its own test to decide if you can get Housing Benefit.
  6. If you’re a private tenant and have supplied all the information and complied with all the rules, the Housing Benefit authority has to start making provisional payments within 10 days of your claim.
  7. Even if you receive Income Support, Housing Benefit may not cover all your rent.
  8. If you’re under 25, the amount of Housing Benefit you can claim may be limited.
  9. Even if you haven’t moved into a property, the Local Authority can tell you how much Housing Benefit you will receive (give them five working days to let you know).
  10. If you’re already living in the property and the rent goes up above the usual maximum that Housing Benefit normally pays or you’re claiming for the first time, you may be entitled to a top-up called discretionary housing benefit.

For more information, contact Glenn Craig on 01206 578282

Useful organisations

Shelter

88 Old Street
London EC1V 9HU
Tel: 020 7505 2000
Freephone helpline: 0808 800 4444
Fax: 020 7505 2169
E-mail: info@shelter.org.uk
Website: www.shelter.org.uk

Who Cares Trust

Kemp House
152-160 City Road
London EC1V 2NP
Tel: 020 7251 3117 (admin)
E-mail: mailbox@thewhocarestrust.org.uk
Website: www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau

Look in the yellow pages, visit your local library or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk for details of your nearest office.