Housing benefit

Housing benefit is a scheme to help people pay their rent to us, a housing association or a private landlord.

Use the calculator to find out what extra help you are entitled to, and apply. Get advice on debt, budgeting, jobs and childcare.

Find out how to apply, and whether you have to claim universal credit instead.

You must tell us about any change in your circumstance that may affect your housing benefit entitlement.

You can keep track of your benefit payments online.

See how savings, earnings and the people you live with may affect how much housing benefit you receive.

What to do if you disagree with our decisions.

Claimants who have more bedrooms than they need will have a percentage restriction applied to their eligible rent.

The local housing allowance (LHA) provides housing benefit for private tenants.

Apply for a discretionary housing payment if you need extra help to cover your housing costs.

For your claim to be backdated we must be satisfied that you have a good reason for failing to claim earlier.

What you can expect from us and what you can do if we do not deliver the standard of service we have agreed to provide.

An overpayment is an amount of housing benefit that has been paid, but for which there was no entitlement under the regulations.

Information about how to send us the evidence we need concerning your housing benefit claim or a change in circumstances.