Care and support

Housing benefit - help with rent

If you have to pay rent, you may get housing benefit. If you get income support, pension credit (guarantee credit) or income-based jobseeker’s allowance, you may get maximum housing benefit – up to 100% of your rent. You may get some housing benefit if your income is low enough and your savings are less than £16,000. However if you receive the guarantee credit part of the pension credit, the £16,000 capital limit does not apply and you will get full housing benefit. You can get housing benefit whether or not you are in work.

From 7 April 2008 there will be a new way of working out new claims for housing benefit for tenants renting accommodation from a private landlord. This is called local housing allowance. However, if you live in council accommodation or other social housing these changes should not affect you.

Claim housing benefit on a form from your district or borough council.

Council tax benefit – help with the council tax

If you have a low income you may get council tax benefit to help pay the council tax. You can claim council tax benefit if you have savings of £16,000 or less. However if you receive the guarantee credit part of pension credit, the £16,000 capital limit does not apply and you will get full council tax benefit. You will also get full council tax benefit, if you are on income support, or income-based jobseeker’s allowance. This means you may not have to pay anything towards the council tax.

Claim council tax benefit on a form from your district or borough council.

Council tax reductions

You may get a reduced council tax bill via a council tax discount or under the disability reduction scheme. Contact your local council for details.

For more information on help with rent and council tax, click on the link entitled help with housing costs on the right hand side of the page.