Housing Benefit

What is Housing Benefit?

Housing Benefit is a government scheme administered by Wyre Forest District Council to help you pay for your rent and council tax to a private landlord or landlady, including housing associations and sheltered homes.

You can claim Housing Benefit if:

• you are on Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance or
• you are on a low income

You cannot get Housing Benefit if:

• you, or your partner between you, have more than £16,000 in savings. A partner is someone you are married to, or someone you live with as if you are married to them.
• you pay rent to a close relative who lives in the same home as you.
• you own the place where you live.

How do I claim?

If you claim Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance the Department for Work and Pensions will give you form HCTB1 (available in our downloads area) for you to claim Housing Benefit.

If you have not claimed, or do not receive Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance you can claim Benefit if you are on a low income. You need to fill in an application form for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit (available in our downloads area). You can claim Council Tax Benefit on the same form. We also have Guidance notes in the downloads area.

After you have filled in the form, you will need to send it to Wyre Forest District Council as soon as you can. Their address is on the form. If you do not send it quickly, you could lose benefit.