How to Claim
Claim straight away. If you delay you may lose benefit.
You have to make your claim for housing and council tax benefit by
completing a claim form. A telephone call to the office currently
does not count as a claim. Your claim will commence from the Monday
after you request your application form if returned with one
calendar month. You can claim up to 13 weeks before you
become entitled to Housing Benefit. So if you know you are moving
to a new address soon, you can claim Housing Benefit. You will not
usually receive any money before you move in.
Evidence required for Council's application form
Claimants must provide proof of their and their partner's
identity and National Insurance Numbers. claimants and their
partners must also provide proof of income, capital and rent. The
landlord may be asked to provide a detailed rent account statement.
Please note that all documentation must be originals. Copies are
not acceptable.
Proof of Rent
This can be one of the following:
- Rent account
- Tenancy agreement
- Letter from the landlord
Proof of Income
If employed, the claimant must provide wage slips covering five
consecutive weeks (if paid weekly), three payments (if paid
fortnightly), or two months (if paid monthly), OR the claimant can
provide a letter from their employer on official company paper
which must include the following:-
- The name and address of the employer.
- The number of hours worked and the period covered.
- Gross income in year to date.
- Gross income for the pay period.
- Income Tax deducted.
- National Insurance contributions deducted.
- Occupational pension or personal pension payments.
- Method of payment, e.g. cheque, cash, direct to bank
account.
If self-employed, the claimant must provide some form of
accounts. If they have only just commenced self-employment, or no
acceptable accounts are available, they can contact our offices for
a self employed application form. If the tenant is on any
form of benefit, we will need to see their benefit notification to
confirm the amount payable from the Benefits Agency.
Proof of Savings/Capital
The Council will need to see two months bank statements for all
accounts, together with statements showing amounts of capital and
how it is invested.