Claiming Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit is changing

From 7 April 2008 the way Housing Benefit is calculated and paid to new claimants in private rented accomodation is changing. For more information visit our Local Housing Allowance pages

You can make a claim for Housing Benefit if:

• You pay rent to Ashford Borough Council.
• You pay rent to a private landlord.
• You pay rent to a Housing Association.
• You are a boarder whose rent includes meals.
• You live in a Hostel.
• You live in a mobile home or houseboat.
• You pay a mortgage and rent for your home under a shared ownership arrangement.  Please note, housing benefit can only be calculated in respect of the rent you pay.

If you are a joint tenant with one or more others we can help pay your share of the rent. 

When I will not be entitled to claim Housing Benefit?

You will not be entitled to any Housing Benefit if:

• You are not responsible for paying the rent. (However, in certain specific circumstances, you can be treated as the person who is responsible for paying the rent, even if your name is not on the Tenancy Agreement.  Contact us on 01233 331111 if you think your circumstances may mean you should be getting housing benefit). 
• Either you, or your partner, or both of you together, have more than £16,000 in savings (unless you get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit).  
• You pay rent to a close relative, who lives in the same property as you.
• You live in a care home, such as a nursing home or elderly person's home.
• You rent from your ex-partner and you both used to live there.
• You are the parent or guardian of your landlord's child.
• You live in the home as part of your job.
• You are an asylum seeker, unless you've been given refugee status or indefinite or exceptional leave (also called discretionary or humanitarian leave) to remain in the United Kingdom.
• You have been admitted to the United Kingdom on the condition that you have no recourse to public funds.  Housing benefit is a public fund, so you may not claim it if this condition was applied to you.
• You are a sponsored immigrant and have lived here for less than five years.
• You are in the United Kingdom illegally or your permission to stay has run out.

You can find out more about this on the page People from Abroad.

Are there any other circumstances that might affect my eligibility to Housing Benefit?

You may not get Housing Benefit if any of the following apply:

• You used to live with your landlord as a family member, relative or friend, and now pay that person rent.
• You live in a property run by a religious order and you are a member of that religious order.
• You rent from a trust and you are also a trustee or beneficiary.
• You rent the property from a company and you are a director or employee of the company.
• You used to own the property which you now rent.
• You are a student (most full-time students don't qualify, but some do).  
• You are temporarily living away from your usual home.

Download a Benefits Application Form

You must send us your contact details, by using the form below, before downloading an application form.