How To Claim Housing Benefits

What is housing benefit and how do I claim?

Housing benefit is for people who rent and it's a means-tested benefit, which means that your income and your capital, or savings, matter so they can affect the amount of benefit that you are entitled to. The other key thing that affects the amount of housing benefit that you may be able to claim is what is called your liable rent. So that the local authority, your local borough or district city or city council, they may actually restrict the amount of rent that they consider counts towards the benefits. So, if they think that you are paying an exceptionally high rent or if you are renting somewhere that is accommodation in excess of your needs, they could restrict your rent. The other main group that has their rent restricted is the under 25's who have their housing benefit restricted to a single room. So it's your local borough council that you need to fill out the claim form from.