Frequently Asked Questions

Question:

Who is entitled to claim housing and council tax benefit?

Answer:

The basic eligibility rules are very simple. You must be liable to pay rent (for housing benefit) and/or council tax (for council tax rebates) for a property which you occupy as your home.

However, there are many complicated exceptions, which cover issues such as:

• Most full-time students are not entitled as they are treated as not paying any rent, even if they do.
• People who pay rent to close relatives or family members and/or do not have proper commercial agreements are also not entitled to any help with rent.
• People regarded as "Persons from Abroad" for benefit rule purposes are not entitled.
• People who just pay a mortgage cannot claim rent help - but they may be able to get help with their council tax bill.
• People with savings of over £16,000 (who are not on Pension Credit) cannot get rent or council tax help.

If you want more information on your possible entitlement, you should contact us.