Who can claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit?

Housing Benefit - who can claim?

Housing Benefit is a government scheme to help you pay for your rent. This section explains how to claim Housing Benefit if you pay rent to a private landlord or landlady. This includes housing associations and sheltered homes.

You can claim Housing Benefit if:

• You are on Income Support or claiming Job Seekers Allowance.
• You are on a low income.

You cannot get Housing Benefit if:

• You, or your partner between you, have more than £16,000 in savings, even if your income is low, unless you are in receipt of Guarantee Credit.
• You pay rent to a close relative who lives in the same house as you.
• You own the place where you live.

Most full-time students cannot claim Housing Benefit unless they are:

• Pensioners.
• Lone parents.
• Disabled.
• Getting Income Support.
• Getting income based Job Seekers Allowance.
• Parents with dependant children or are responsible for a child boarded out with them.

A partner is someone you are married to or in a civil partnership with, or someone you live with as if you were married to them, or in a civil partnership with.

Local Housing Allowance

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is a new type of housing benefit for people renting from private landlords which was introduced nationally in April 2008. We will pay LHA to people who:

• Make a new claim for help with paying rent.
• Already get Housing Benefit but move to a new address.
• Have a break of 1 week or more in current Housing Benefit.
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• More about Local Housing Allowance.

Council Tax Benefit is a national means tested benefit designed to help people on a low income pay their Council Tax. You can claim Council Tax Benefit if you are liable to pay Council Tax. The amount of benefit you would qualify for depends on:

• Your income (and that of your partner if you have one).
• Your personal circumstances.
• If any other adults (apart from your partner) live with you.
• The amount of rent and Council Tax you pay.

You may:

• Have a partner or be single.
• Be a pensioner.
• Be employed or self employed.

You can claim Council Tax Benefit if:

• You are on Income Support or claiming Job Seekers Allowance.
• You are on a low income (this includes people who are self employed).

You cannot get Council Tax Benefit if:

• You, or your partner between you, have more than £16,000 in savings, unless you are in receipt of Guarantee Credit.

A partner is someone you are married to or in a civil partnership with, or someone you live with as if you were married to them, or in a civil partnership with.

If you have other non-dependants on a low income living with you, you may qualify for a second adult rebate, which could make up for the single persons discount you cannot receive because you have another adult living in the property with you.

This benefit is based on the second adult's income as opposed to the Council Tax payer's. We can calculate it at the same time as your Council Tax Benefit. You cannot get both Council Tax Benefit and second adult rebate at the same time. If you qualify for both, we will give you the one that reduces your Council Tax bill the most.