KEY FACTS:
- Most working age people cannot make new claims for Housing Benefit: they have to claim Universal Credit instead. Click here for more details.
But some are wrongly told they have to claim UC when they don't need to! Click here.
- A person can only receive an award of Housing Benefit if they make a claim for it.
- This does not have to be the tenant - it could be the tenant's partner, former partner, appointee or someone else who is treated as liable to pay the rent.
- Although couples make one claim, only one of them will be deemed the HB claimant (the one that goes on the claim as 'you').
- A new claim will be needed when the claimant does not currently have a 'live' claim with the Local Authority in which they live; this can include a surviving member of a couple if their partner was the HB claimant prior to their death: click here.
- A claim is generally made directly to the Local Authority, either in writing on the LA's claim form, or by the HB Office's online claim. Sometimes the claim will be made via the Pension Service i.e. when claiming Pension Credit.
- The default is for any HB to be awarded from the Monday after the date of claim - but there are exceptions and some claims can be backdated.
- If the claimant is worried that they are going to delay being able to make a claim and therefore miss out on some HB entitlement, they can 'log' the claim over the phone.
- If a working age claimant has been on HB and it has ended, it can be beneficial to argue that the HB award is continuous - i.e. get it reinstated - rather than having to claim UC (or starting a new claim where this is possible).
Many things can go wrong when making a claim for HB meaning that the claimant misses out on HB that they are entitled to - click on the links below for more information to help minimise these problems.