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This information is a short summary of the benefits available to people depending on their circumstances. For more detailed advice contact The Benefit Enquiry Line free phone 0800 882 200 or visit DirectGov…
You can also use the benefits advisor tool which gives you an estimate on the amounts you may be able to claim on a range of benefits.
Which benefit do you want to find out about?
Housing Benefit
Job Seekers Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance & Income Support
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Community Care Grant
Budgeting Loan
Crisis Loan
Where to go: Council offices. Pick up the forms and return them in the week of signing a tenancy.
You must be: The person whose name is on the tenancy. Receiving a low income. You do not need to be on benefit as they look at the amount of money you receive and not where it comes from.
You can also claim: JSA, IS, Incapacity Benefit, DLA
If you are unhappy with a decision the essential thing to know is that you can always appeal, no matter what the decision.
Remember to get a receipt for everything. It doesn’t matter how organised you are or how elegant your handwriting, you have to be able to prove that you have handed the information to Housing Benefit. And if you have to post it, get a ‘certificate of postage’ or take a photocopy of the form. The only way lost forms will be found again is if you can produce a receipt; without this you have no way of proving you produced the forms and you may not get paid the benefit.
What is Housing Benefit for?
Housing Benefit is the payment of rent on your behalf. It depends on your income, which you must prove to the Housing Benefit department. If the income cannot be proved to the satisfaction of the Housing Benefit department then the Housing Benefit will not be paid.
If you are claiming benefit then:
- Proof of income must be shown at the Housing Benefit offices, e.g. benefit book
- Housing Benefit Department will then contact the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) to confirm the information; if the DWP have different information then the claim may not be paid. The new address, name of claimant, date of birth etc must all tally. If the address the DWP have is different then you will not receive any benefit.
If you are working then:
- Payslips are essential. Five weekly ones or two monthly ones. Or get your employer to write and say how much is to be earned in the next few weeks. This way Housing Benefit can calculate the claim and how much they will pay.
- Housing Benefit will disregard the first £5.00 of earnings. After that you lose 65% in every pound i.e. You earn a pound, Housing Benefit stop paying 65p.
In all cases there are requirements on identification, which must be shown. The easiest ID to obtain are possibly a birth certificate and medical card but these are not usually enough.
Handing the form in and the start of the claim
When you are making a new claim for a new property you can hand the form in at any time in the first week of the claim. The money will be paid from the Monday of that week.
Housing Benefit is always paid from week to week, Monday to Sunday, if you have a tenancy.
Discretionary Housing Payments
In cases of unexpected Hardship, a claim can be made to top up Housing Benefits (including Council Tax). As the name suggests this is a discretionary payment, evidence or proof of hardship will need to be submitted before a decision will be made.
Housing Benefit for more than one home
This benefit can be paid on two different properties for up to four weeks. The definition of when you can claim for this is usually when the person, “could not have reasonably avoided liability in respect of two dwellings for up to four weeks.”
So what needs to happen is that the person moves to the new property and claims rent for the old property at the same time. They must explain that it is not possible to wait before they move and the reasons why. It may be a bit of a struggle to get Housing Benefit to pay this money but a bit of perseverance should pay off.
If a claim has started and there is a change of circumstances then obviously you inform Housing Benefit of this. The Housing Benefit payments will be adjusted from the week after you inform them.
So, you’re signing on. You get a job on Monday to start immediately; you give Housing Benefit all the information they need to sort the new claim out on that very same day. Your claim will be adjusted from the next Monday, leaving a week without Housing Benefit being paid, possibly. The solution could be to put in a form in advance of starting work (the week before starting work.
Finishing a claim
This can be done by simply informing Housing Benefit in writing that you want the claim to stop.
The vital thing to remember is that is YOUR responsibility to inform Housing Benefit of any change in your circumstances.
More information on the DirectGov website…
Where to go: Job Centre. Get forms from Reception and book an appointment to make a claim.
You must be: You must be sixteen or older. Actively seeking work and able to prove this if necessary. Not working, studying or training for more than sixteen hours per week.
You can also claim: Housing Benefit, Community Care Grants, Crisis Loans, and Budgeting Loans.
Please note:
More information on the DirectGov website…
Employment and Support Allowance & Income Support
From 27 October 2008 Employment and Support Allowance replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on incapacity grounds for new customers.
If you already receive Incapacity Benefit, you will continue to receive it. It is intended that recipients move to the new benefit between 2010 and 2013.
Where to go: Department of Work and Pensions – DWP (used to be the Benefits Agency or DSS) and not the Job Centre. Get forms by calling in, writing or phoning. To start your claim, call 0800 055 66 88
You must be: Unable to actively seek work and can prove this e.g. have a doctor’s sick note, be caring for children.
You can also claim: Housing Benefit, Community Care Grants, Crisis Loans, and Budgeting Loans.
Please note:
More information on the DirectGov website…
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Where to go: Phone up to get forms. The number is available from the DWP.
You must be: Having difficulty walking, getting around or need personal care. You do not have to be receiving personal care but should need it.
You can also claim: JSA, IS, Incapacity Benefit, Housing Benefit, CCG, Crisis and Budgeting Loans.
Please note:
- A questionnaire needs to be completed and sent off. This is followed up by a home visit for a health assessment to be carried out.
- If you get DLA this will not affect any other benefits and so other money will not be cut.
More information on the DirectGov website…
You can apply for a Community Care Grant if you are either:
- already getting Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, or payment on account of one of these benefits
- likely to start getting one of these benefits within the next six weeks because you’re moving out of care
and any one of the following applies:
- you’re moving out of residential or institutional care to live independently
- you’re moving to a new home which will be more suitable for you following an unsettled period in your life and are being resettled by an organisation like a local council or voluntary organisation
- you need help to stay in your home and not go into residential care or hospital
- you need help because you and your family face exceptional pressure, such as family breakdown or because one of you has a long-term illness
- you look after someone who is ill or disabled, or has been released from custody on temporary licence
- you need help with expenses such as visiting someone who is ill, or to attend a relative’s funeral
More information on the DirectGov website…
You may be able to get a Budgeting Loan if you or your partner have been claiming or getting payment of one of the following benefits for at least 26 weeks:
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
and you need help to pay for any of the following:
- furniture or household equipment
- clothing or footwear
- advance rent or removal expenses for a new home
- travelling expenses
- things to help you look for or start work
- improving, maintaining or securing your home
- repaying hire purchase or other debts you took out to pay for any of the above
More information on the DirectGov website…
You can apply for a Crisis Loan if all the following apply:
- you’re aged 16 or over
- you don’t have enough money to meet your (or your family’s) immediate short term needs in an emergency or as the result of a disaster
- without the loan there will be serious damage or risk to your (or your family’s) health or safety
or if you’re aged 16 or over and you’ve:
- been getting a Community Care Grant but you’re moving out of institutional or residential accommodation and don’t have enough money to pay advance rent to a non-local authority landlord
There is no set amount of Crisis Loan. The amount you may be able to borrow will depend on:
- your individual circumstances
- any savings you have
- whether or not you have borrowed from the Social Fund before
If you are unhappy with a decision regarding the Social Fund you can contact the Independent Review Services on 0800 096 1926 (between 9:00 and 16:30)
More information on the DirectGov website…
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Disclaimer: Our advice section is here to offer you general guidance, however we strongly recommend that you also seek independent professional advice that is specific to your needs.
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