Rent might eat up a significant portion of your monthly income, especially if you’re a pensioner who is trying to meet other living expenses. To help solve some major difficulties around rent-related issues, you need to understand how to apply for a housing benefit, particularly if you are living in Scotland or Birmingham. Continue reading to find out how to apply for a housing benefit for private rent and online too.
To Apply for Housing Benefit
You can be a tenant of your local council, housing association or private rent, the amount of a housing benefit you will apply depends on your circumstances. Let’s consider some of the things you need before applying for housing benefits.
- Your eligible rent.
- How many people live with you, or as part of your household?
- It depends on Your household’s income, including benefits, pensions and savings.
- The circumstances in which you may find yourself, forexample,e the age of the people in your home or if someone has a disability.
The Information You Need Before You Apply Both in Scotland and Birmingham
The kinds of information you need before you can apply for a housing benefit are listed below:
- Evidence of your identity.
- Your national insurance number.
- Details of all your income should be on your receipt.
- Indication of all capital and savings.
- Proof of your rent (lease agreement and current rent for a Housing Benefit )
Who Can Apply for Housing Benefit in Birmingham?
Anyone can apply for a housing benefit if he or she qualifies and also meets the terms required. Most people do not know how to apply and sometimes find it difficult to get the right documents.
To apply for a housing benefit, whether online or for private rent, you need to:
- Have a low income or be claiming other benefit.
- Be at least 16 years old And if you are in care you’ll need to be at least 18.
- Either have less than £16,000 in savings.
When Do I Apply for Housing Benefit?
You can apply for a housing benefit if you find yourself in the following situations, and you:
- Are a housing Executive tenant.
- A housing association tenant.
- Are a private tenant.
- live in a hostel.
- live in bed and breakfast accommodations.
- Are a boarder or lodger.
What You Can Apply Housing Benefit For
You can apply for a housing benefit in Scotland for:
- Rent
- Rates
- Some service charges
What You Can’t Apply Housing Benefit For
You can’t apply for a housing benefit for:
- Meals
- Fuel charges
- Cleaning your home
How to Get Housing Benefit
If you’re a tenant in a housing Executive property, they’ll reduce your rent. Also If you’re a tenant in a housing association or private rented accommodation, the housing Executive can also pay a housing benefit to you or your landlord.
How to Apply for Housing Benefit Scotland
To apply for a housing benefit in Scotland, you need to fill out an application form in Scotland, Also, this can be done for you at Jobcentre Plus, the pension service, or your local authority. You must submit proof of your identity, all income, savings, or other assets, and your national insurance number. If you have a partner, there is a need for the information too. You must also include information about anyone else who lives in your home.
If you provide all of the necessary information, your claim should be handled within 23 days, or as soon as possible. After that, you also have one month from the date of receipt in your application to submit all requested documentation evidence before you apply for a housing benefit. You may forfeit the benefit if you do not present supporting evidence.
How to Apply for Housing Benefit Birmingham
To apply for a housing benefit in Birmingham there are necessary requirements you need which include:
- Proof of identity for all family members who would be residing in the property.
(such as a passport, driving license, birth certificate). - Proof that you live at your current address (such as a council tax/utility bill).
- A reference from your current landlord to confirm how your tenancy has been.
- Proof of right to remainin the benefit.
- Ensue you are resident in Bimnghm to apply for housing benefit
- You are not subject to immigration control or your leave to stay in the UK is not subject to any limitation or condition.
- Ensue you are over 18 and live, work or study in Birmingham.
- Have social or economic reasons for wanting to move to Birmingham.
- You do not own property elsewhere.
Birmingham housing form, need you to generate and customized electronic signature within a couple of fast actions. However, this streamlines your workflow without the need of leaving your browser.
How to Apply for Housing Benefit Online
How to apply for a housing benefit online both in Scotland and Birmingham speeds things up things, save money and time to attain to those who were not able to apply online. Check the online claim portal once logged ‘view your claims and letters’ and choose ‘register for the online letter. However, you’ll need to check if you are eligible for a housing benefit before you can apply through your local council also provide evidence to support your housing benefit like
- Marriage certificate.
- Acknowledgment letter.
- National insurance number card.
- Birth certificate (full or short).
- Passport (must also be current and valid).
- Scotland or Birmingham residence permit.
- Recent award letter for DWP medical card.
- Wage slips from your current.
- Email address.
- You’ll also need to provide details about yourself and anyone living with you including. income and benefit.
Once your application is received, you will send more information online before your claim is processed. When your claim has been processed, a letter will be sent to you to tell you if your claim is successful. A letter will be sent to you to explain how your entitlement to apply for a housing benefit is worked out.
How to Apply for Housing Benefit for Private Rent
If you’re eligible to apply for a housing benefit in Scotland you can get help to cover your private rent and some service charge. Key questions to ask before applying for a housing benefit for private rent are:
- Is the landlord trying to charge any fees?
- Are you entitle to housing benefit?
- Which area would you like to live in ?
- Do you have the right to rent property?
- How long do you want the tenancy for?
- Do you have your documents ready? You might also be able to get council tax reduction
There’s a maximum amount you can get to apply for a housing benefit and private rent. Also, This amount is based on where you live, your household size, income, and circumstances. if you are a private tenant on a low income you may be entitled to a local housing allowance (LHA). Private tenants receive the LHA rate based on the number of rooms their family needs.
The rate at which you apply for a housing benefit is based on the rate at which you make your claim. Your LHA rate will then be reanalyzed on 1 April each year and at that point, your rate may go up or down.
How to Qualify for Housing Benefit for Private Rent
You can also apply for a housing benefit whether you have a job or not. To be eligible to apply for housing benefit for private rent you must be liable for paying rent or rates on a property you live in as your main home.
To decide how much housing benefit you’re qualified to, the housing Executive will also, compare your income with the amount the government says you need before applying.
Are You Behind on Your Rent?
If you’re behind your private rent, you could have your housing benefit also sent directly to your landlord no need to apply. This is an alternative payment arrangement (APA).
You can apply for an APA through your work coach. however, your landlord can also make the application for you online or in written form. Also, apply for an advance or hardship payment from your main housing benefit payment. There is a chance you might also get extra help from your local council with your rent and other housing costs.
Tenants Who Aren’t Eligible to Apply for Housing Benefit
You can’t apply for a housing benefit for private rent online if:
Changes You Must Notify
There are certain changes you need to notify, examples are:
- When your rent changes.
- If someone moves into or out of your home.
- The circumstances of a member of your household change (for example, someone becomes a student or becomes registered blind).
- You or your partners income also change.
- The income of any member of your household also changes.
- Value of your money, savings or investments changes.
- Someone starts to get carers allowance for looking after you.
- Situation where someone in your household reaches the age of 18 or you also stop receiving child benefit for any children in your household.
- Amount of childcare costs you pay also changes.
To Notify Changes
For you to notice changes you can tell by downloading and completing a change of cases form and also, replacing it to the nearest center you applied to. Furthermore, telling the Pension Service or Jobcentre plus of a change does not mean they automatically tell us.
- If you do not tell about your changes You may lose money that belongs to you or you may also, get too much benefit.
- It is an offense not to tell about any change of circumstance that affects your benefit.
- Court action might be against you and if the benefit you are receiving is much, you may have to pay it back.
What is Discretionary Housing Payment
Discretionary housing payment (DHP) intends to help people who already receive a housing benefit or universal credit (housing element) but require further assistance to meet their housing costs.
DHP Can Be Used For
- Rent, excluding service charges.
- Removal charges where the claimant is moving to secure a more affordable tenancy or a property of a more appropriate size.
- The claimant must provide receipts or quotes with the application.
- Paying of Van hire and petrol costs.
The maximum payment to help with removal costs is up to £500 for moves within the Borders and £800 for moves between two local authority areas.
Private rent pledges where the claimant is moving to ensure a more cheap tenancy or a property of a more appropriate size and a deposit cannot be gotten from other means such as the rent deposit scheme.
DHP Cannot Be Used For
DHP does not cover additional services to the tenant or a rent element that would not be considered for housing benefit purposes.
To list all of the ineligible costs can be difficult, however, some examples are:
- Fuel charges
- Transport
- Meals
- Water and sewerage charges
- Medical expenses
- Cable and satellite, TV licence, TV rental
- Cleaning – unless it is for a communal area
- Counselling and support services
- Emergency alarm system
- Laundry
- Nursing, personal care and
- Sports facilities
FAQs
Do you get housing benefit on universal credit?
Yes, that’s when you make a new claim for universal credit your housing costs will usually be paid as part of your universal credit payment.
Can you claim benefits if you own a house?
Yes, you can claim benefit if you own a house and your house is owned outright. You may also still be able to claim other benefits such as income support, job seekers allowance, etc but you will not be able to claim any housing.
Can universal credit pay my rent?
If you’re eligible for universal credit you can get help to cover your rent and some service charges. You get the payment and you have to pay it to your landlord.
