Housing & Council Benefit
Housing Benefit is a benefit for people on a low income to help them pay their rent. You may be able to get Housing Benefit if you are on other benefits, work part-time or work full-time on a low income. You cannot get Housing Benefit to help with the costs of a mortgage or home loan. If you are an owner-occupier, you may be able to get help with your mortgage interest through Income Support, income-based Job seeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit.
To get Housing Benefit you must be a tenant and pay rent. It does not matter if your landlord is the council, a registered social landlord or a private landlord. You can also claim Housing Benefit if you rent a room in a hostel, or are a boarder. You can claim it if you share a flat or a house and can get Housing Benefit as a joint tenant. You cannot get Housing Benefit if you rent your home from the Crown (if you are a Crown tenant you may be able to get help with your rent from Income Support, income-based Job seeker's Allowance (JSA) or Pension Credit.), or you are 16 or 17 and have been in care (see under If you have been in care, below). You can only get Housing Benefit if you are responsible for paying the rent for your home, or live with your partner who is responsible for the rent. Only one member of a couple who live together can claim Housing Benefit. You must also live in the accommodation for which you are claiming Housing Benefit. Students may be able to claim Housing Benefit, but special rules apply to you if you are a student If you are a student in full-time higher education (degree level or equivalent), you cannot usually claim Housing Benefit. However, you can claim it if you are studying part-time. If you are under 19 and on a course below degree level, you can also claim Housing Benefit (unless you have recently left care). You can also claim Housing Benefit if you get Income Support or income-based Job seeker's Allowance, you are a single parent or you are disabled, regardless of whether you are studying full-time, or what level of education you are in. You can also claim if you are a member of a couple, you are both full-time students and you have dependent children. If you are a full-time student but your partner is not, check if your partner could make the Housing Benefit claim instead of you. If you have two homes or you are temporarily away from home, you may be able to get Housing Benefit, depending on the circumstances If you live in a residential care home or a nursing home you cannot usually claim Housing Benefit. You may be able to get help with care home fees. If you are living in a care home and you need financial help, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.