Housing benefit is a rebate scheme that provides help with your rent. This can be up to a maximum of 100 per cent.
For an instant benefits estimate please use our online benefits calculator.
You may be entitled to claim housing benefit if you meet the following four conditions:
- Your permanent home is in the North Lincolnshire Council area
- You occupy the rented property as your home
- You are responsible for paying the rent for your home
- You are entitled to income support, jobseeker's allowance or have a low income
If you are entitled to benefit, the amount you receive will depend on four things:
- The amount of money you have coming in
- The amount of savings you have
- Your personal circumstances (for example, if you have any children, if you are disabled, who else lives in your home)
- The amount of 'eligible' rent you pay
Note: You may not be entitled to housing benefit for all of the rent you pay. The council will decide how much of your rent is 'eligible' for benefit. This will be less than the actual rent you pay if:
- your rent includes charges for things like fuel, water or meals;
- the rent officer decides your rent is too high or your home is too large;
- the rent officer decides that your rent is higher than rents for similar homes in the area; or
- you are single and under 25-years-old. The rent officer will then find out the average cost of a room with shared use of a kitchen, bathroom or living room in the area.
The money taken into account to work out your benefit is usually net of tax. If you are not self-employed but still have to complete Tax Self Assessment form, please let us know when you fill in your Housing benefit claim form.
There is another type of Benefit called Second Adult Rebate. You may be entitled to this if you pay council tax and have a ‘second adult’, other than a partner, in your home who is on a low income. It does not take into account your income or capital.
Get your benefit claim off to a good start
We want to pay your benefit as soon as possible. To enable us to pay your claim, you must supply a number of original documents as well as the necessary claim forms.
Once your claim is in payment
When your claim has been assessed, benefit will continue to be paid until your circumstances change and you no longer qualify. This means that you will not have to renew your claim every year. However, we will look at your case once every three years and you will either be visited or have a form sent out to you.
If your circumstances change you must notify the council's Benefits section in writing.
Links to more information
Further information about housing benefit can be found on the Department for Work and Pensions website.