Website of the UK government

Who is eligible?

You may get Housing Benefit if you pay rent and your income and capital (savings and investments) are below a certain level.

If you rent from a private landlord there's a new way of working out Housing Benefit - known as Local Housing Allowance.

• Local Housing Allowance - rent help

Who isn't eligible?

You can't usually get Housing Benefit if:

Other restrictions

If you live with a partner or civil partner only one of you can get Housing Benefit.

If you're single and aged under 25 you can only get Housing Benefit for bed-sit accommodation or one room in shared accommodation.

How to check eligibility

If you think you may be eligible for Housing Benefit, the following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

• Check your eligibility for Housing Benefit with your local council Opens new window

How much do you get?

The most Housing Benefit you can get is the same as your ' eligible' rent.

This is the amount used to work out your benefit but may not be the same as your full rent.

What is 'eligible' rent?

Eligible rent includes:

Even if it's included in your rent, you won't get any Housing Benefit for:

The amount of Housing Benefit you may get also depends on:

1. Your personal and financial circumstances

Your local council will look at:

2. The particulars of your home and the rent you pay

Your council will also look at whether:

Your 'eligible' rent may be limited to an amount that's reasonable for a suitably sized property in the area you live.

How it's paid

If you are a council tenant, your council will pay any Housing Benefit straight into your rent account.

If you're not a council tenant and not living in an area covered by the Local Housing Allowance, you can choose to have your Housing Benefit paid:

Contact your council if you're worried about how Housing Benefit is paid.

• Find your local council

Effect on benefits

Housing Benefit won't affect any other benefits you get.

How to claim

You're assessed for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit at the same time.

If you're already claiming other benefits

You'll get a form to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate) with your claim pack if you're claiming any of the following benefits:

You should complete and return your Housing Benefit claim form to your local council.

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker's Allowance

If you're not claiming other benefits

If you don't claim Pension Credit, Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance you can get a form for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate) from your local council.

• Find your local council
• Council Tax Benefit

Download a claim form

Or you can download a claim form, below, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website.

• Download Housing Benefit claim form (PDF document 179 K) Opens new window
• Help with PDF files

Claiming in advance

If you know you're moving to a new address, you can claim Housing Benefit up to 13 weeks (17 weeks if you're aged 60 or over) before you move.

You won't usually get any money before you move in.

Backdating your claim

You may be eligible to get your claim backdated. Your local authority can advise you on this.

The following links will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

• Find out about backdating of Housing Benefit claims Opens new window
• Apply for backdating of Housing Benefit Opens new window

What to do if your circumstances change

You must tell your local council if:

This is not a full list. Follow the links below to your local authority website to find out more.

• Find out about changes in circumstances which affect Housing Benefit claims Opens new window
• Report a change in circumstances affecting Housing Benefit Opens new window

How to appeal

If you're refused Housing Benefit or aren't happy with your council's decision you can ask them to reconsider.

If you're still unhappy with the outcome, you can appeal to an independent Unified Appeal Tribunal

• Find out about appeals relating to Housing Benefit decisions Opens new window
• Appeal against a Housing Benefit decision Opens new window
• How to appeal against a benefits decision

More useful links

• On a low income benefits information
• Extended Payment of Housing Benefit
• Energy efficiency grants - home improvement money
• Renting - what to do when things go wrong (home and community section)
• Bailiffs and debt collectors
• Inheritance Tax