Housing Benefit is a means tested benefit paid by Local Authorities to help people on low incomes to meet the cost of rented accommodation.
NOTE: New claims for HB can only be made by claimants who:
Everyone else, not currently getting Housing Benefit, who needs help to pay rent and certain service charges, will need to claim Universal Credit.
But note, someone already getting Housing Benefit who does not fall into one of the groups above, will only need to claim UC if they have received a valid
'Migration Notice', or if they have certain changes in circumstance. Click
here for what changes 'triggers' a new claim for Universal Credit
An award of HB helps the claimant pay the rent for the property occupied by their family. The calculation takes into account the circumstances of the claimant, their partner (if they have one), their dependent children (if they have any) and any 'non-dependants' that live with them.
To claim Housing Benefit:
- the claimant (and their partner) must meet the long list of qualifying conditions, e.g, have joint savings below £16,000 (unless getting Guarantee Pension Credit), and
- the claimant (or their partner) must be liable to pay rent on a property (or be treated as liable), and
- the claimant must occupy that property as their home (or be treated as occupying it), and
- the claimant must fit into one of the categories of people who can make a new claim for HB rather than UC (as listed above).
Click on the links below for more information.