Claiming Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax support

Help with housing costs

Most people of working age will claim for help with their housing costs as part of a claim for Universal Credit. For more details see our Universal Credit page.

Universal Credit (UC) is a new simpler single monthly payment for people of working age in or out of work and will replace:

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  
• Working Tax Credit
  
• Child Tax Credit
  
• Income Support
  
• Housing benefit

There are a few exceptions to people who will claim help with housing costs through UC, and who will claim Housing Benefit (HB) instead to have their housing costs paid by the local authority. If the answer to any of the following questions is YES then you will need to claim HB not UC:

• Do you live in supported accommodation and receive care support or supervision from your landlord or by an organisation on your landlord’s behalf?
  
• Have you been placed in temporary accommodation by the Housing Team as part of their duties under homelessness legislation?
• Are you a single person who has reached the qualifying age for pension credit, or are you a couple both of whom have reached the qualifying age for pension credit? (From 15 May 2019, both members of a couple need to have reached the qualifying age for pension credit in order to be able to claim housing benefit. Couples where the youngest partner is of working age will need to claim Universal Credit for help with their housing costs.)
  

If you have answered YES to any of the above, then you should claim for Housing Benefit not Universal Credit for help with your housing costs. If you have not answered YES to any of the above questions please see our Universal Credit page.

Check your entitlement

Before you make an application for housing benefit, you should check that you will be entitled. Free to use benefit calculators can be found on the Gov UK website.

Claim for Housing Benefit/Council Tax support

Claim housing benefit/council tax support

If you have not answered YES to any of the above questions you should claim Universal Credit for help with your housing costs but you should still make a claim for help with your council tax by completing the online claim form above.

If you are unable to claim using the online application send a message to the benefits team.

Benefit applications for people who are self employed

If you are currently self-employed, you will also need to complete the self-employed application form to accompany your claim for Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit. Please note, that most people of working age will claim Universal Credit for help with their housing cost unless they meet a few exceptions. See Universal Credit page form more information.

Please complete, sign and return the form(s) and supporting documents to:

Freepost RTGG-URTL-BZLK
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Civic Offices
London Road
Basingstoke
RG21 4AH

Remember to enclose all supporting documents. If you don't have your supporting documents, return your form first, as this may affect the date benefits become payable.

If you need to see a member of the benefits team, you will need to make an appointment.

Self Employed Application form(PDF) [76 kb]

What happens next?

When we receive your application form(s) and documents, we'll assess your entitlement. We will then write to you to confirm your entitlement. Should we require any further information we will contact you direct.

If you think your Housing Benefit is wrong

If you think the amount or calculation of your Housing Benefit is wrong, we can look at it again. You should contact us in writing, or complete the form below, within one month of the date of the decision notice that you have received. You will need to give us full reasons why you think the decision is wrong. You should also provide any additional evidence to support your appeal.

If we are unable to change our decision, you may have a further right of appeal to the Tribunal Service. This is an independent tribunal that hears housing benefit and social security appeals. We will advise you in our reply whether you have a further right of appeal, and how to do so.

Request a written explanation, reconsideration or appeal

If you think your Council Tax support is wrong

If you think the amount or calculation of your Council Tax support is wrong, we can look at it again. You should write to us within one month of the date of the decision notice. You will need to give us full reasons why you think the decision is wrong. You will need to provide any additional evidence to support your appeal.

You can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal if we are unable to change our decision. If you have not heard from us within two months of your appeal, you can write to the Valuation Tribunal.

Backdating your Housing Benefit/Council Tax support

If you are over pensionable age your claim for housing benefit and/or council tax support can be backdated for up to three months.

If you are under pensionable age you may ask for your claim to be backdated:

• by one month prior to your application for housing benefit
• for up to six months for council tax support.

You must prove that you had a good reason for failing to apply at the correct time. This is called "good cause". You will be asked to provide supporting evidence, for example a letter from your doctor to support an illness.

Jobseekers allowance and tax credits

For details of jobseekers allowance and other benefits, visit the Job Centre Plus website or call 0800 055 6688.

For information on tax credit visit the GOV.UK website.

View my benefit claim online

You can now access information about your claim at a time and place that suits you, saving you time and money on phone calls to the council. Once you have registered you will be able to:

• check the status of your claim
  
• see your current entitlement and how this has been calculated
  
• find out about your next and previous payments of housing benefit
  
• receive your benefit notifications electronically to view or print at home
  
• view any outstanding overpayments, and invoices
  
• tell us about a change in your circumstances

View my benefit claim