Tenants and Housing Benefit Claims

Housing benefit is a means-tested benefit that helps towards the cost of rent for people who are on a low income. Housing benefit is paid by the local council.

As a landlord, you are important to us. We aim to work with you to ensure you receive payment of benefit promptly and that overpayments are minimised.

Who can claim?

Anyone who has to pay rent for their home can claim. It does not matter whether their landlord is the council, a housing association or a private individual or company, they can still claim.

Boarders, lodgers and people in hostels and bed-and-breakfast accommodation can also claim.

However, we do not normally pay housing benefit to a tenant who is living with a member of their immediate family and paying them rent.

When should the tenant claim?

Your tenant should claim as soon as possible.  If they delay in claiming they may lose benefit. We will need to see evidence to support their claim.

Please download a leaflet telling the tenant what information they need to provide below:

If they cannot provide us with the evidence we need at the time they make their claim, they should send the form back to us straight away and send the evidence later to avoid losing benefit.

Forms are available at our Customer Service Centres.

Other Benefits

Your tenant may be eligible for other financial support. Other types of benefits are dealt with by various other organisations. For information on how to find out about other benefits available, visit our Other Benefits page.

What evidence must the tenant give when making a claim?

We must see original documents, not copies, to support a claim for benefit. For the claimant and any partner we will need to see proof of identity, National Insurance number, income, capital, benefits and rent.

The claim cannot be paid until we have proof of your tenant's rent and tenancy start date. We will need to see the original rent book or tenancy agreement, which must be completed in full. We need to know what services are included in the rent. Photocopies are not acceptable.

If they cannot give us the evidence we need at the time they make their claim, we ask them to send the form to us straight away and send the evidence later. We can start to process a claim as soon as we get the form, but we will not be able to pay any benefit until we have all the evidence we need.

Claim reviews 

During the period that your tenant is claiming housing benefit we may need to carry out a review to check that their circumstances have not changed. To do this we will either visit the tenant or send them a review form.

Page last reviewed 7 Apr 2011