Council and housing association tenants

You can claim Housing benefit if you pay rent to live in your Council or housing association home:

• If you have a low income whether from benefits or low-paid work, including if you are self-employed
• If you are moving from benefits into work
• If you have savings of less than £16,000 (you may have more savings than this and still get Housing benefit if you or your partner get the guaranteed part of Pension Credit).

If you have a partner we will include their income and savings as well when we work out any benefit entitlement. We may also take into account the income of any non-dependants living with you in certain circumstances.

If you are entitled to Housing benefit we will usually pay it from the Monday after we receive your claim. You only need to claim Housing benefit once, after that we will contact you to check your information. We will also check our information against information held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and employers.

You can apply, re-apply or report a change in your circumstances by using our Benefits online service.