How much will I receive?
The amount of Housing Benefit you receive will depend on four basic things:
- The amount of money (income) you and your partner have coming in.
- The amount of any savings you and your partner have.
- Your personal circumstances, for example your marital status, age, how many children you have, whether you are disabled, who else lives in the household etc.
- The amount of rent that you pay.
We can pay up to a maximum of 100% of your eligible rent. However, your eligible rent may not be the same as the amount you pay your landlord because your rent may include some charges that are not eligible for Housing Benefit such as food and heating. Benefit is intended to help you with your rent not your living costs.
If you are renting from a private landlord,
The Valuation Office Agency advise the Council of the level of rent on which Housing Benefit should be assessed and in some cases this will be less than the rent charged. Please refer to the
Local Housing Allowance section for further details.
If you receive Income Support, Job Seekers (IB), Income Related Employment Support Allowance or Pension Credit Guarantee, you will get the maximum amount of Housing Benefit subject to any deductions for ineligible items that are included in your rent.
If you are not receiving these benefits, we will look at your income, capital and household situation and compare these to figures called "premiums" and "allowances". These are figures set by Parliament each year and they tell us how much income you need to live on. The more your income rises above these figures, the less benefit you will be entitled to.
Your income
Most of the money you have coming in, will be taken into account as your income. This includes such things as state benefits, Tax Credits, occupational pensions, maintenance and earnings. When we are assessing earnings, we will take account of your gross pay, less tax, national insurance contributions and half of any pension contributions you make.
Further details can be found in the following leaflets:
We will not include certain types of income that you may be receiving such as Child Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, maintenance for a child. However, you should still tell us that you are receiving these because they may result in you receiving a higher rate of benefit.
Your savings / capital / investments
We need to know about all the savings, capital and investments you have. This includes savings accounts, premium bonds, National Savings Certificates, stocks and shares, property you own.
If you are below pension age:
- we will ignore the first £6,000 of your capital.
- if you have capital over £6,000 but less than £16,000, we will take into account as income, £1.00 per week for every £250 (or part £250) that you have above £6,000.
- if you have savings of more than £16,000 you will not be entitled to get any Council Tax Benefit.
If you have reached pension age:
- we will ignore the first £10,000 of your capital.
- if you have capital over £10,000 but less than £16,000, we will take into account as income, £1.00 per week for every £500 (or part £500) that you have above £10,000.
- if you have savings of more than £16,000 you will not be entitled to get any Council Tax Benefit.
People who live with you
A flat rate deduction will be made from your Council Tax Benefit if you have another person living with you such as an adult son or daughter or an elderly relative. These people are termed "non-dependants." The deduction made will depend on the age and circumstances of the non-dependant. Deductions are not made:
- If you are blind or in receipt of the care component of Disability Living or Attendance Allowance.
- If the non-dependant is aged 16 or 17.
- If the non-dependant is on Youth Training, a student, a long-term hospital in-patient, in legal custody or aged under 25 and on Income Support.
You should include everyone who lives with you on your benefit claim form.
You should always tell the Council if anybody leaves or joins the household or has a change in their financial circumstances.
Further details can be found in the
non-dependant deductions leaflet.
Online benefits calculator
For an instant online estimate of entitlement to Council Tax Benefit please use the
benefits calculator.
Please note when using the calculator, that there is currently a fault with the “auto-estimate” facility for Tax Credits. Please skip this step when you are using the calculator. The fault will be fixed shortly.
When will my benefit start from?
Entitlement to benefit generally starts from either:
- the Monday following the date that you tell us you are going to make a claim or
- the Monday following the date that your claim form is received by the Council.
However, different rules apply if you are claiming Income Support, Job Seekers (IB), Income Related Employment Support Allowance or Pension Credit Guarantee or if you are applying for benefit in respect of a new home. Further details can be found in the
when will your benefit start? leaflet.
How will my housing benefit be paid?
- If you are a council tenant we will credit your Housing Benefit direct to your rent account and this will reduce the amount you have to pay each week.
- If you pay rent to a private landlord, your Housing Benefit will be paid by BACS direct to your bank account.
In some circumstances we will make payments direct to your landlord. We will do this:
- If you are more than 8 weeks in arrears with your rent, unless it would not be in your best interest for us to do so.
- If we think that you will have difficulty in managing to pay the rent.
- If we think that it is unlikely that you will use your benefit to pay your rent.
- Where you are having deductions made from other benefits to pay off rent arrears.
- Where you vacate a property leaving rent arrears outstanding.
Housing Benefit is paid four weekly in arrears.