How to claim benefit
Make a new claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Before claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, we recommend that you check whether you are entitled by using our benefit calculator. If you are entitled, you will be directed to our online application form.
Alternatively, if you already know that you are eligible to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, you can proceed straight to our online application form.
Please ensure you have the following information to hand:
• National Insurance number for you and your partner
• Your rent details including amount of rent, your landlord and any charges included in your rent, eg water or electricity. This information should be on your tenancy agreement
• Your household income, savings, investments and expenses, eg childcare costs, private pension contributions
• The full names and date of birth for all household members
• You will need to know your annual council tax liability if you are also claiming for Council Tax Support
Once you start you will be guided through a series of questions. Please have all the information listed above to hand. You can save your claim and continue with it at a later date if you are unable to complete it in one go. You must complete all the questions, you can check this as you work on each page by clicking the ‘Show Errors’ button (at the top of the page). This will show you if you have missed any questions.
You will be given a unique reference number and asked for a password which you must remember. You will not be able to access your claim if you do not have your unique reference number and password. If you forget or lose them you will have to start a new claim from the beginning.
You will be given an online calculation of benefit. This is an estimated calculation based on the information you have provided.
Simply complete and submit the online form and provide evidence as requested. Please allow 14 days before contacting us regarding the progress of your claim.