Housing benefit - new claim

Housing Benefits are to help people on low incomes pay their rent and council tax. To make your application please call us on 01622 602557 or visit us at the Gateway, King Street, Maidstone. Our advisors will help you make your application.

Who can claim Housing Benefit?

There are six basic conditions:

• You must normally be resident;
• It must be your main home; 
• You must have a liability pay rent and/or council tax;
• You must either be entitled to Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Pension Credit, or have a low income.
• You must provide your National Insurance Number for yourself and your partner and evidence that it is correct and belongs to each of you.
• You also need to show us evidence of your identity and occupation of the accommodation that you are claiming benefit for.
• It doesn't matter whether you are in work or not;
• you can be employed or self employed;
• you can get Housing Benefit even if you do not receive any other benefits;
• you may be single or have a partner;
• you may be in a civil partnership or living together as if in a civil partnership;
• you may be a pensioner; and
• you do not need to have paid any National Insurance contributions.

However if you are a full time student, unless you are disabled, deaf or have dependent children, you may not qualify.

You will not be entitled to Housing Benefit if you live in the same household as and pay rent to a close relative.

How to claim

Call 01622 602557 to make a claim. We can take all the personal and financial details over the phone and let you know whether you qualify for help with your rent or council tax. If you do qualify, an appointment will be made for you to come in and see a Benefit Officer. Your benefit will be decided while you wait and you will be given letters confirming your entitlement.

If you are making a new claim for Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support or Employment and Support Allowance through the Job Centre, they will take all the details we need for Housing / Council Tax Benefit and pass these details on to us - you do not need to make a separate claim with us.

How long will it take?

We aim to process all new claims and change of circumstances within fourteen days of receiving all the information and documents needed to support your claim. Your claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit may take longer if you delay in providing this evidence. Our Supporting Document List gives examples of the documents you can provide to us.

We are currently processing 94.13% of new claims within fourteen days of receiving the information needed. The average time to process new claims is 12.63 days and change of circumstances is 7.10 days (based on claims during August  10 to September 14).