You can apply for Housing Benefit and / or Council Tax Reduction online using the same online form.
If you are claiming for help with your rent you can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if one of the following applies:
- you and your partner are pension age
- you're staying in a refuge, hostel or some types of supported or temporary housing
If you need to apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, the same form is used for both. You only need to complete it once.
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Housing Benefit is normally awarded the Monday after we have received the application. Complete the form as soon as you can so you don’t lose out on any benefit.
- If you can't complete all the application form straight away, you can still make a start and come back to finish it later, you will be given a code which you will need to remember. To go back to an application that you have already started just click on the link above and use the code to return to your application.
- If we need any further evidence, you will be advised once you have submitted your application.
- If you are already in receipt of Housing Benefit and have changed address, please select ‘Report a Change of Address’ once you've accessed the system. You will need your claim number.
You can ask for a paper application on 029 2087 1071 or at one of our local Hubs. You can also get help to complete the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction application form.
How Housing Benefit is paid
If your claim is successful, your Housing Benefit will usually start from the Monday after the day your claim was received.
If you are a:
- Council Tenant – Your benefit will be paid straight into your rent account each week one week in advance.
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Housing Association Tenant – You can choose to receive your benefit yourself or have it paid directly to your landlord. This is paid at the end of every four week period.
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Private Tenant – Your benefit is normally paid directly to you. This is paid at the end of every four week period. We recommend that you have your benefit paid straight into your bank account but we can also release payments via cheque if you do not have an account (this is only intended to be a short term solution and we recommend that you open an account so you can receive your benefit directly via BACS).
If you are a private tenant we may pay your Housing Benefit directly to your landlord under the following circumstance:
- You have accrued eight weeks rent arrears or you are unlikely to pay your rent
- You are unable to manage your money
- Your landlord has taken steps to help you secure or retain a tenancy
If your benefit does not cover your rent in full, and you cannot afford to pay the shortfall, you may be able to claim a
Discretionary Housing payment.
Once you are told about your benefit you can ask us how we made our decision. You can also ask us to look at the decision again if you think it is wrong. Find out
how to appeal a decision.