Housing Benefit

You could get Housing Benefit if you need help to pay your rent. Depending on where you live, you may have to claim Universal Credit instead. Universal Credit is replacing Housing Benefit for working age households. Housing Benefit can pay for all or part of your rent. How much you get depends on your income and circumstances. You can apply for Housing Benefit whether you're unemployed or working.

The amount of Housing Benefit you get will depend on your circumstances. These include: -your eligible rent. -how many people live with you, or as part of your household. -your household's income, including benefits pensions and savings. -your circumstances, for example the age of the people in your home, or if someone has a disability.

You claim Housing Benefit through your local council. They can tell you if you're eligible and how to claim.

If you rent your home from a private landlord, Housing Benefit may also be called Local Housing Allowance (LHA). Housing Benefit can help towards the cost of rent, but it does not cover charges for: heating, hot water, lighting, laundry and cooking.

The maximum amount of Housing Benefit you can get depends on the area you live in, and the number of rooms you need. This is called the LHA rate. The rate means that people in the same circumstances as you, and who live in the same area, get the same amount of support.

If you're renting a home from a council, or housing association landlord, Housing Benefit can pay some or all of your rent. It can also cover some service charges, but not charges for: heating, hot water, lighting, laundry and cooking.

If you have one or more 'spare' rooms, your Housing Benefit may be reduced. This is called the bedroom tax.

You could get Housing Benefit if you need help to pay your rent. You can be a tenant of: -your local council or housing association -a private landlord