Housing Benefit

Contents

Overview

There are few circumstances when a new claim for housing benefit can be made due to universal credit housing costs replacing most new housing cost claims. If your housing benefit claim ended & you think this is an error, it might be better to have the housing benefit housing decision revised before making a new universal credit claim. You will need to speak to a debt adviser to discuss whether you are able to request a revision.


Housing Benefit is paid by your local authority to help with your housing costs, whereas universal credit is paid by the Department for Work & Pensions. 

Eligibility criteria

Housing Benefit being replaced by Universal Credit and you will only be able to make a new claim for Housing Benefit if one of the following applies:



You will not be entitled to Housing Benefit if :



From 15 May 2019 -  If you are a couple you will only be eligible to start getting housing benefit if:


If you are in a couple and receiving Housing Benefit you’ll continue to get Housing Benefit after 15 May 2019. However if your entitlement ends for any reason, for example your circumstances change, you will not be allowed to get it again until you (or your partner) are eligible under the new rules.


If you are single, from 15 May 2019, you’ll stop getting Housing Benefit if you start living with a partner who is under State Pension age. You can start getting it again when your partner reaches State Pension age.

How to apply

Applying for Housing Benefit will be different depending  on whether you’re also making a new claim for any other benefits. You will also need to provide evidence to support your claim.


Application for Housing Benefit only 


Make your application at your local authority, if you are only making a new claim for Housing Benefit (claim even if you are already in receipt of other benefits).


Application for Housing Benefits and other benefits 


If you are claiming Housing benefit together with Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance you make your new claim via Jobcentre Plus. Jobcentre Plus will send the details of your claim for Housing Benefit direct to your local authority.

Jobcentre Plus - Telephone: 0800 055 6688 - Textphone: 0800 023 4888 - NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 055 6688 - Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm


Pension Credit 


To claim Housing Benefit alongside your Pension Credit you should contact the Pension Service. They will send details of your claim direct to your local authority. Telephone: 0800 99 1234 - Textphone: 0800 169 0133 - NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 99 1234 - Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.


Universal Credit 


You usually cannot get Universal Credit and Housing Benefit at the same time (unless you’re in certain kinds of supported or temporary housing). 


You can claim in advance by up to 13 weeks (or 17 weeks if you’re aged 60 or over), for example if you’re moving. You will not usually get any money before you move.

Deductions from Housing Benefit

What are Non-Dependant Deductions?


Your housing benefit might be reduced if another adult, like a friend or family member, lives with you. This is called a non-dependant deduction.


The council expects adults living with you to contribute towards your rent, even if they don’t actually give you money for it. Your housing benefit is reduced based on this expectation.


This only applies to housing benefit, not universal credit, which has different rules.


How Much is the Non-Dependant Deduction?


The amount taken from your housing benefit depends on how much your friend or family member earns before tax (gross income). If they’re not working, the deduction is £19.30 per week.


Here’s a breakdown of deductions based on income:


Weekly Income (Before Tax)


Less than £176 - deduction £19.30

£176 to £255.99 - deduction £44.40

£256 to £333.99 - deduction £60.95

£334 to £444.99 - deduction £99.65

£445 to £553.99 - deduction £113.50

£554 or more - deduction £124.55


When Your Housing Benefit Won’t Be Reduced


Your housing benefit shouldn’t be reduced if you or your partner receive any of the following benefits:



Who Doesn’t Count as a Non-Dependant?


Some people living with you won’t count as non-dependants, including:


There won’t be any deductions for non-dependants under 25 who receive:



Full-Time Students

No deductions are made for full-time students, whether it’s during term time or holidays. However, if they work more than 16 hours per week during the summer holidays, you’ll need to inform the council.


When a Family Member is Away

Your housing benefit shouldn’t be reduced if a family member is away from home, for example, if they’re in prison or serving in the armed forces.


Asking the Adult You Live with to Contribute

If your housing benefit is reduced because someone lives with you, it’s a good idea to ask them to help with rent. They might not know that your benefits have been reduced due to their presence.


Explain to them:


Non-dependants can’t claim housing benefit to help pay your rent, so it’s important to have a clear conversation to avoid falling behind on rent.

Change in circumstances

It is essential to report a change of circumstances for you and anyone else in your home. Otherwise your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change of circumstances straight away. For example:


Overpayments

An overpayment of housing benefit can occur if the local authority made a mistake on your claim or you did not tell them about a change in your circumstances. If you are paid too much you may have to repay the money. However you cannot normally be required to repay an overpayment if it was caused by ‘official error’ of which you could not reasonably be expected to have known that you were being overpaid at the time.


If your local authority can recover overpaid housing benefit, they will have discretion about doing so. You may feel that discretion should be considered in your case in situations, for example, where it would impact on your health, if you have ill health, or if you will experience financial hardship. You should approach them to see if they will use their discretion not to recover the overpayment if you feel this applies to you.


If you are asked to repay an overpayment, you should check whether the overpayment is calculated correctly and whether you should have to repay it. You have a right to appeal if you dispute the amount of an overpayment and the decision to recover it. If a housing benefit overpayment has to be repaid, it can be recovered from you, your partner or the person who received it, such as, your landlord. 


Housing benefit overpayments are usually recovered by reducing your future housing benefit entitlement. It may be possible to negotiate the amount of the reduction and how quickly the debt is recovered. It is important to evidence (by providing a budget sheet) how the proposed rate of recovery will cause you financial hardship.

Further help

To check benefit entitlement Visit www.gov.uk or try our benefit calculator.