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you are in temporary accommodation provided by our housing options team.
If you want to claim housing benefit
Make your claim as soon as you believe you may be entitled to housing benefit as there are time limits for when claims can be submitted. If you delay, you may lose benefit.
We can also accept advance claims (for example, if you know you are moving into a new property in two weeks' time).
You are responsible for giving us the information and proof we need to support your housing benefit claim. The application form will tell you what proof you need to provide.
If you can’t get all the proof needed to send with the claim form, send the form to us anyway and include a covering letter explaining that you will send further information later.
It is important that you provide proof for you and your partner and for any other adults living in your home.
Much of the evidence and information required for your claim can be verified through other sources available to us (for example HMRC and DWP). However we may need you to provide further evidence to help us to complete your claim faster.
Examples of further evidence you may need to provide
Scenario
Evidence you must provide
You or your partner have not claimed housing benefit or Council Tax Support with us before
Proof of your identity and National Insurance Number
You or your partner pay into a salary sacrifice scheme from your wages or receive a bonus
Your two most recent wage slips and confirmation in writing explaining what the scheme is for or how frequently you receive the bonus
Complete and return a student form and provide evidence of their student finance
We try to pay housing benefit within 14 days of getting all the information we need to work out your claim. However, benefit is often delayed because we are waiting for information.
We can normally only pay housing benefit from the Monday following the date we receive your claim. We can treat your claim as being made from the date you ask for a form from us, providing we receive your fully completed claim form within one month of sending it to you.
To avoid missing any housing benefit, new tenants should claim just before they move in. Existing tenants should claim as soon as they need help.
Housing benefit is usually paid into your bank account and it is your responsibility to pay your rent to your landlord. If your rent is more than your housing benefit, you will have to make up the difference.
This means that you will need to open a bank account if you don’t have one already. You can then arrange for your bank or building society to pay your rent to your landlord automatically by direct debit or standing order.
If you have not yet provided your bank details, or want your housing benefit paid into a different account, you need to complete a payments form.
In most cases, housing benefit is paid from the Monday after we get your claim form, but sometimes we can pay it from an earlier date. It may be possible to backdate your claim for up to:
three months from the date you ask if you are of pensionable age
one month from the date you ask if you are under pensionable age and there is a good reason why you didn't claim earlier.
If you would like your claim to be backdated, you will need to request this in writing and you must have a good reason for not claiming earlier.
Self-employed people are those workers who are not employed under a contract. A person can be self-employed as a sole trader or as part of a business partnership.
We can no longer accept new claims for housing benefit unless you:
are of pensionable age
are in exempt accommodation
are in temporary accommodation placed by our housing options team
are currently in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium, or have been within the last month.
If you don’t fall into one of these categories, you will need to make a claim for Universal Credit to help with your housing costs.
There are four types of supported accommodation where housing benefit will cover the housing costs instead of Universal Credit.
Accommodation provided by a housing association, a registered charity, a not for profit voluntary organisation or a non-unitary county council is exempt if the landlord or someone on their behalf gives more than minimal care, support or supervision to tenants who need it.
Accommodation provided by a housing association, a registered charity, a not for profit voluntary organisation or a non-unitary county council is exempt if a tenant who needs more than minimal care or support, moves in specifically to receive that help. The care is provided by someone other than the landlord or someone acting on their behalf.
Refuges provided by a housing association, a registered charity, a not for profit voluntary organisation, a non-unitary county council or local authority is included as supported accommodation.
Hostels that are owned or managed by a local authority where the tenant receives more than minimal care, support or supervision are included as supported accommodation.
In these circumstances, you will need to make a claim for housing benefit. If you are in supported accommodation your landlord will normally let you know this and assist you with applying.
Landlord and care providers (supported accommodation)
If you are a landlord and care provider you will need to complete additional forms about your accommodation and the care and/or support you provide as part of the housing benefit claim.
Vulnerable students may be eligible for housing benefit.
This includes students who are
lone parents
under 21 and not in higher education who were enrolled, accepted or started that course while they were 19 or younger
students who have reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit or whose partner has
couples where both partners are full-time students or lone parents and in either case responsible for a child or young person
in receipt of some other benefits
have an allowance for deafness included in their grant
who qualify for the disability premium or severe disability premium
treated as being incapable of work
students unable to get a grant or student loan following an absence from their studies (with consent of their educational establishment) due to illness or providing care.
Housing benefit is usually only paid for the home in which you are living and paying rent. There are some circumstances in which you may be able to get help for two homes, for example:
You have moved into another rented property due to fear of violence
You are a student or trainee, one of a couple, and have to live in separate rented property because of your course or work
You have a large family and the council has housed you in two separate properties
You have moved to a new home which you have to pay rent for but you must still pay rent for your old home.
If your circumstances change
You need to tell us straight away if something changes, including if you move, if you start work, increase your earnings, if you start or stop getting benefits or someone moves in.
