Housing benefit
Changes to Housing Benefit from April 2011:
Changes to Housing Benefit from April 2012 - find out
more (.doc 37.5kb)
Changes to Working Tax Credit from April 2012 - further
information (.doc 22kb)
Change to Housing Benefit:
Housing benefit
Housing benefit is a social security benefit that can help
people on a low income with their rent. The amount of housing
benefit awarded varies according to the income, savings, rent and
personal circumstances of the claimant and anyone else living in
his/her household.
Although the scheme is administered by local
councils the rules used to work out entitlement are decided by
central government. Tower Hamlets benefits service has no
discretion to make changes to those rules.
How to claim
To make a new claim for housing benefit you
need to complete a Tower Hamlets full claim form. To request a
form:
- Telephone 020 7364 5001 or email the Benefits Service. If the
claim form is completed and returned within one calendar month of
the date it was requested then the date it was requested will be
treated as the claim date.
- Visit one of the council's One Stop Shops. If the form is
completed and returned within one calendar month of being handed
out then the date it was requested will be treated as the date of
claim.
- Download a
claim form (pdf, 589k), complete it and either post to the
Benefits Service or take it to your nearest One Stop
Shop.
The claim form must include full details of
the claimant’s family, household composition, income and savings.
We must see original evidence to support this.
After a claim has been made and an award
started it is not normally necessary to complete another full form
unless there is a break in your entitlement.
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Claiming through the Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP)
If you make a claim for one of the following
benefits you can claim housing benefit at the same time through the
Department for Work and Pensions:
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Pension Credit
By claiming at the same time you may not have
to provide the same information to different offices and can avoid
completing a Tower Hamlets claim form.
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Who can claim?
Generally only people who are liable to pay
rent or their partner can claim housing benefit. They must be
occupying the property at which they are claiming as their
home.
Where someone is unable to act for themselves
and has an appointee the appointee can make the claim instead.
Some examples of people who can claim housing
benefit are:
- council tenants and tenants of Poplar HARCA, Tower Hamlets
Community Housing and East End Homes
- housing association tenants (also called registered social
landlord tenants)
- people living in hostels and other types of supported
accommodation (but not where the cost of the accommodation is
covered by Tower Hamlets Social Services or the Department for Work
and Pensions)
- tenants living in privately-rent accommodation (for example,
accommodation let through an estate agent)
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Exclusions
The benefit rules exclude some people from
entitlement to housing benefit, even when they have a low income
and are liable for rent. If you are excluded we will write to you
and tell you why.
Information and evidence needed
Because housing benefit is a means tested
benefit, Tower Hamlets Benefits Service needs to know about all
your income and savings, and the income and savings of your
partner, (and in some cases the income and savings of other people
who live in your household). Examples of the information and
evidence needed are provided on the claim form.
We can get evidence of some benefits directly
from the Department for Work and Pensions - and you will not have
to provide this yourself unless there is a problem. In
addition, anyone already getting Income Support, Employment and
Support Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Guarantee
Credit will not have to provide evidence of any other income and
savings they have.
We need evidence of your income, savings and
rent in order to deal with your claim correctly and promptly. You
should aim to provide the evidence within a few days of making your
claim whenever possible.
The easiest way to provide the evidence is to
take your original documents to your nearest One Stop Shop where
they can be photocopied and verified by council officers. We cannot
accept photocopies of original documents taken by claimants or
anyone who is not authorised to do so.
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Further information
Download a Tower Hamlets claim form for housing
benefit and council tax benefit (pdf 200k)
Department for work and pensions
website
How to contact us
Tower Hamlets operates a centralised benefit claims processing
service and a dedicated benefits call centre both based at the Town
Hall where all postal, email and telephone enquiries should be
directed. Home visits can be arranged if you are housebound and do
not have anyone who can help you.
Postal:
Benefits Service
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Telephone: 020 7364
5001
Fax: 020 7364 7048
Email: benefits@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Personal callers should visit their nearest
One Stop Shop to
hand in claim forms, obtain receipts and have original evidence
photocopied.
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