Housing Benefit

How can I claim Housing Benefit?

To claim Housing Benefit you must complete an application form.  The form is quite long and asks for a lot of information.  Please take the time to read ALL the notes on the form to make sure you complete it correctly.  You will also need to provide sight of all original documents to support your claim in respect of you and your partners (if applicable) Identity and National Insurance number as well as all other entries made on your application . 

If you don’t complete it correctly it can delay the processing of your claim.  Claims will normally start from the Monday after we receive them.  Therefore do not delay in handing in your application just because you cannot provide all the supporting evidence. 

If you have recently applied for Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Pension Credits or Employment Support Allowance  the Department of Work and Pensions should have already helped you make an application for Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit.  If this is the case you do not need to complete another application with the Council as they should forward this on to us. 

If you want to claim both Housing and Council Tax Benefit you only need to complete one application form. You can request / obtain an application form by

1. Telephoning our Customer Services on 01664 502502
2. Emailing our Customer Services on customerservices@melton.gov.uk

If you are unable to complete the application form yourself we can arrange for someone to help you in your home. 

Who can claim Housing Benefit?

You or your partner can claim if you are on a low income and have to pay rent to one of the following

1. A private landlord (including board and lodging)
2. A Housing Association
3. The Council

For example if you or your partner work full time, part time or are self-employed and get a low wage or if you or your partner receive any other State Benefits.

You cannot make a claim if you or your partner has savings of more than £16,000.  However if you or your partner are age  60  or over and receive Pension Credit (Guarantee element) you will still be eligible to make a claim.

Who cannot / may not claim Housing Benefits?

You cannot get Housing Benefit if

1. You are not liable to pay rent
2. You or your partner have savings of more than £16,000.  However if you or your partner are age  60  or over and receive Pension Credit (Guarantee element) you will still be eligible to make a claim.
3. You pay rent to a close relative if you live with them
4. You live in a care home, such as a nursing or elderly person's home
5. You occupy the home as part of your job
6. You rent a former joint home from your ex-partner

A partner is someone you are married to, or someone you live with as if you are married to him or her, with the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act this also now includes same sex couples.

You may not get Housing Benefit if

1. You used to live with your landlord as a family member, relative or friend and now pay that person rent
2. You live in a property run by a religious order and you are a member of that same religious order
3. You rent from a trust and you are the trustee or a beneficiary
4. You rent the property from a company and you are a director or an employee of the company
5. You used to own the property which you now rent
6. You are a student – most students don't qualify but some do
7. You were a non-dependant of a tenant and the tenancy has now been changed into both your names
8. You have recently come to live in the United Kingdom
9. You are temporarily living away from your usual home

How will Housing Benefit be paid?

Once you have supplied all the necessary information to support your Housing Benefit claim and your application has been processed we will write to let you know how much you have been awarded and how we have worked that amount out. 

We will pay your Housing Benefit in the following way

1. If you are a private tenant and do not rent from a registered social landlord eg Housing association payments will be sent direct to you by crossed cheque every 2 weeks in arrears.
2. If you are a private tenant and do rent from a registered social landlord eg Housing association you can choose to have payments made to either yourself or your landlord/landlady subject to your landlord/landlady being in agreement.  If you choose to have the payments made direct to yourself you will be paid by crossed cheque every 2 weeks in arrears.  If you choose to have the payments made direct to landlord/landlady they will be paid by crossed cheque every 4 weeks in arrears.
3. If you are a Council tenant we will automatically credit your rent account.