If you or your partner are of working age, you may not be able to make a new claim for Housing benefit. Instead, you will need to apply for Universal Credit to help pay your rent.
You can find out whether you need to claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.
If you are applying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax support at the same time, you only need to fill in the application form once.
You can apply for Housing Benefit if you:
- are pension age; or
- are living in temporary or supported accommodation. You can contact us to confirm your accommodation is under this category
If you are working age and none of the above applies to you, you will need to make a claim for Universal Credit.
Apply online
You can apply for Housing benefit using our online form. This is for new claimants only.
If you are applying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax support at the same time, you only need to fill in the application form once.
To make a claim you will need:
- your name, address and contact details
- the full names and dates of birth of everyone who lives with you, and what their relationship is to you
- your National Insurance number
- the amount of rent you pay, including a breakdown of any service charges
- the name and address of your landlord
- the date you moved in to your property
- the account number and sort code of all your bank accounts
- the amount of savings, capital and investments you have
- the name of your employer
- how much you earn
- to tell us if you get any other benefits or tax credits, including what they are and how much you get
- how much child maintenance you get, and how often you get it
- to tell us if you get child care costs, how much you get, how often you get it and which child it's for
- to tell us if you have any other income, and how much you get
If you live with your partner or have any non-dependents living with you, you will also need the same information for them.
Where we ask you for documents to support your application, you must supply:
- original documents
- the latest copies
- the same proof for you, your partner (if you have one) and any other adults living in your home
You may find it easier to complete the Housing benefit claim form on a desktop computer rather than on a smartphone or tablet.
You can save the form as you fill it in and come back and complete it later.
How we pay Council Tax support
We apply your Council Tax support to your Council Tax account. This means that your Council Tax bill will show the reduced amount that you have to pay.
After we receive your application
Once we have received your application, we will decide:
- if you should receive Housing benefit. We will write to yo to tell you what Housing benefit we will pay you
- or tell you why you won't receive Housing benefit and write to you to explain why
False information
When you submit your application for Housing Benefit, you declare that the information you have given is true to the best of your knowledge.
We will take action where we believe that you have knowingly supplied false information to obtain a financial benefit to which a person is not entitled.
Change in circumstance
You should contact us immediately if your circumstances change in a way that may alter your entitlement to this benefit.
