If you are of working age and living in rented accommodation without support provided by your landlord you will need to claim Universal Credit unless you are in one of the groups mentioned below.
Find out more about Universal Credit
Housing Benefit helps you pay your rent if you are on a low income. Only certain groups of people can make a claim.
Who can make a claim?
The following people are still able to apply for Housing Benefit:
- pensioners of State Pension Age
- people living in accommodation where care, support or supervision is provided by their landlord, and that landlord is a not for profit registered provider, charity or voluntary organisation.
- people who are placed in temporary accommodation by the local authority
If you have made a claim for Universal Credit or are already receiving Universal Credit you can still apply for help with your Council Tax, the information on your Universal Credit award notice we use to work out your entitlement to Council Tax Support.
If you have school aged children who are not foster children you may also be entitled for free school meals. Further information for disabled students.
The amount you will get is worked out by looking at:
- you and your partner’s income
- the amount of rent you pay
- how much the government say you need to live on
- you and your partner’s personal circumstances and those of your household
- if anyone is sick or disabled or if anyone is a full-time carer
- the amount of savings and capital you and your partner have - more than £16,000 will normally mean you don’t qualify; however if you have reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit we will ignore the first £10,000
Benefit calculators
You can use the benefit calculator for an estimation of how much you may be entitled to.
Use the room calculator to work out how many bedrooms you may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit for.