Housing Benefit helps people on low incomes to pay their rent. You can claim it if you rent your main home from us, a housing association or a private landlord.
If you rent from a shared ownership scheme or live in a hostel, hotel or mobile home you can still apply. To see if you are eligible, we will look at your and your partner's joint income and capital, taking into account who lives with you.
Housing Benefit cannot help with mortgage repayments, however the Department for Work and Pensions can offer support for mortgage interest in certain circumstances.
You can't usually get Housing Benefit if you:
- live with and pay rent to a close relative
- used to live with your landlord as a member of your family
- are renting a home you used to share with an ex-partner
- are responsible for the landlord's child
- used to own the property which you now rent
- live in the home as part of your job
- live in a care home
- are a full-time student
- have savings of £16,000 or more, unless you or your partner receives Pension Credit Guarantee.
If you are a private tenant we usually pay Housing Benefit directly into your bank account every two weeks, on a Friday. If you are a council tenant your Housing Benefit will be credited to your rent account. If we pay your landlord direct, we pay her/him every four weeks in arrears.
Why not use the online benefit calculator to find out what you could be entitled to? This calculator provides an estimate and you will not be guaranteed the amount shown.
If you have a low income we may be able to help pay your Council Tax.
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