Who can claim?

(For the purposes of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, a pensioner is anyone aged 60 or more.)
If you wish to claim these benefits you must complete an application form. This is available from Gateway in the Civic Centre or from your local housing office. Alternatively a form can be requested from the call centre or be printed from the council website. If you apply for Pension Credit a claim form is available from the Pension Service.

If you would prefer to have a home visit by a Welfare Visiting Officer, this can be arranged for you by contacting Benefit Services on 023 8083 3006.

Your claim for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit will be considered from 3 months prior to the date it was received as long as you were of pensionable age at the beginning of this 3 month period and that proof of the income and savings you had during this 3 month period is provided.

Income e.g.
- State Retirement pension
- Occupational pension
- Rent proof if applicable (tenancy agreement or rent book or letter from landlord)
- Incapacity Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Rent received from lodgers
- Earnings

However, if you are in receipt of Pension Credit, either Savings Credit or Guarantee Credit, you will not need to provide the above details as this information will be provided by the Pension Service directly to Benefit Services.

Pension Credit is a payment made by the Pension Service if you have reached pensionable age and are on a low income. There are 2 types:

Guarantee Credit if you have reached pensionable age

Savings Credit if you are over 65. (However, you may still qualify for Guarantee Credit in addition to Savings Credit)

Pension Credit can be claimed by telephoning 0800 99 1234. More information on Pension Credit is available from the Pension Service by

Telephoning 0845 6060265; or

Visiting the Pension Service website at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

These are classed as savings:
- Bank accounts
- Building Society accounts
- Post Office accounts
- PEP, TESSA and ISA
- Stocks, shares and unit trusts
- National Savings Certificates
- Property or land, but not the home you live in
- Cash

If you have capital of less than £10,000 we may not need to see proof of this.

You will not qualify for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit if your savings are more than £16,000 unless you are in receipt of Guarantee Credit.

We need details of the composition and income of your household e.g.
- Names and dates of birth of everyone who lives with you and your partner if you have one
- Proof of their income and savings

Any Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit entitlement will be reduced by a non-dependant charge for each non-dependant that lives with you. The amount of the non-dependant charge depends on the amount of income that your non-dependant receives. However, no non-dependant charge will apply if you or your partner are:

In receipt of Attendance Allowance; or

In receipt of the care rate of Disability Living Allowance; or

Registered blind

For Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit purposes a student is someone who studies at a college of further education or a university. A full time student is someone who studies at a college or university for 16 hours a week. Most full time students are unable to claim Housing Benefit, but you may be able to claim if you:

are a part time student

are responsible for a child or young person

are a single foster parent

are aged 60 or more

are in receipt of Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related), Employment and Support Allowance (Contribution Related) or Employment and Support Allowance credits only.

are entitled to a Disability Premium or Severe Disability Premium

have been unable to work for 28 weeks

are entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance because of deafness

are aged under 21 and not in higher education (course must have commenced before age 19)

have a partner, who is not a student (the partner must make the claim for Housing Benefit)

have to interrupt your course because of illness or caring responsibilities that have been approved by the college or university

Student nurses - the rules above apply to students who are funded by the National Health Service.

The rules above apply to students who are from Europe. However, if you come from outside of Europe, your eligibility to claim Housing Benefit depends on the conditions under which you entered the UK and your immigration status.

You may be able to claim for Housing Benefit on 2 homes if you are

a student or trainee; or

part of a couple and have to live in separate rented accommodation because of your course of work

Any student grant income you receive may be taken into account. Any student loan that is available to you will be taken into account even if you do not apply for it.

If you are a student nurse your bursary income is taken into account.

Your student grant

Your student loan

The type of course you are studying

Your term dates

The year you are in of your course

Only expenses, which the local authority considers to be reasonable and are wholly for the running of the business can be deducted from the gross income figure. Allowable expenses include:
• Rent and rates on business premises
• Stocks and supplies
• Staff costs
• Protective clothing
• Stationary
• Advertising
• Accountancy fees

This is not an exhaustive list and any other expenses will be considered in relation to the nature of your self-employed business.

If you are self-employed in a partnership, the gross profit has to be split between the business partners. To confirm how the business is divided, the Deed of Partnership should be provided.

Couples who are Business Partners:
The above guidelines will also be used if the business partners are a couple. This will ensure that the deductions for notional tax and national insurance are correctly calculated.