Housing Benefit
What will Housing Benefit pay?
Housing Benefit payments
What if my circumstances change?
You may be able to get Housing Benefit to help pay some or all of your rent. This depends on your income, savings and your family circumstances. You have to go on-line to the form via the website of the Borough where you live. Please click the relevant external link below.
If you need any help with your application, your Income Officer will be happy to help you.
If your claim is a new one, there may be a delay before Christian Action Housing receives Housing Benefit payments while your claim is being assessed by your local Housing Benefit Office. If this happens you must contact the Housing Benefit Office as often as necessary to find out what is happening with your claim. If they require additional information you must provide it immediately so that they can process it.
You must complete the Housing Benefit claim form immediately when you first became entitled to benefit. The Housing Benefit Office will suspend or cancel your claim if you do not apply in time or fail to supply the information requested.
What will Housing Benefit pay?
All rents and most service charges are covered by Housing Benefit depending upon eligibility to claim it. However items that are not usually covered by Housing Benefit include heating costs, TV licences, water rates, support services and nursing care. For full details please contact your Local Council Housing Benefit Office or a member of the HousingServices team. You are responsible for paying any rent or service charge that Housing Benefit does not pay.
Housing Benefit payments
If some or all of your rent is paid by Housing Benefit it will usually be paid direct to Christian Action Housing. If Housing Benefit is paid direct to you or only part of the rent is paid by Housing Benefit, you must pay the full amount due. Housing Benefit is intended for rent payments only.
What if my circumstances change?
You must advise the Housing Benefit Office at once if your circumstances change, for example, you start work, receive any additional benefits or someone leaves your household, as your claim may need to be reassessed.
It is a criminal offence to fail to tell the Housing Benefit Office about changes which may affect your claim. You can be fined or even imprisoned. In addition your payments will be stopped, and the Housing Benefit Office will recover any overpayments. You are responsible for any rent arrears which result from a Housing Benefit overpayment.
Help from the council if you can't pay the rent:
You can apply for a discretionary housing payment (DHP) if you're claiming housing benefit or the universal credit housing element.
This is an extra payment from your council that could help if you're struggling to pay rent because of the benefit cap.