Applying for help with housing costs or council tax reduction

Check if you need to apply for universal credit to get help with housing costs

Universal credit is being introduced and will replace housing benefit. To find out if you should apply for universal credit instead, check if your postcode is in the universal credit full-service area.

Apply for universal credit now.

Find out more information about universal credit.

If you are applying for universal credit you no longer have to call the DWP as part of the application. You will be called by the DWP if they need to check any of the information provided as part of the claim.

Council tax reduction

Universal credit does not cover council tax reduction, so you still need to apply for a council tax reduction through us.

Housing benefit

You can only claim housing benefit if one of these apply:

• you are of state pension age
• you live in supported accommodation
• you live in temporary accommodation provided by Lewisham Council

Apply for housing benefit or council tax reduction

Create an online benefit account before you apply. If you do not have an online benefit account, please just fill out the form using the link below.

If you live in supported, exempt or temporary accommodation

If you live in supported, exempt or temporary accommodation provided by the council you need to:

• apply for universal credit for living costs

• applying for housing benefit for your housing costs.

Check your entitlement to housing benefit

Documents we need to see

See a list of documents we need to see when we process your application.

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