Housing Benefit
Housing benefit is a means tested benefit which is paid to people who pay rent for their home. They may have a low income, or receive Job Seeker's Allowance or Income Support.
On 7 April 2008, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was introduced. This new way of working out housing benefit affects private tenants only. It uses a flat rate based on the size of your household, where you live and how much income and savings you have. In most cases Housing Benefit will be paid to you, not your landlord.
Housing benefit information
New claims
If you are on a low income and paying rent, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit.
If you get Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support, you may get your full eligible rent paid. If you do not get Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support the amount of Housing Benefit you get depends on:
- the amount of eligible rent you pay
- how many people live with you
- your personal circumstances
- how much money you have coming in
- how much you have in savings.
To apply, please download, print and complete the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Claim Form
For further information on what proof you will need to provide to support your claim, please see the Correct Proof leaflet
If you are unable to download and print the Claim Form you can request a paper copy:
By telephone
020 7649 9311 (lines are open between 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday)
In person
At any local Housing Office, or at:
Lambeth Benefits Service
Brixton Customer Centre
18 Brixton Hill
London SW2 1RL
Multimap location map for Brixton Customer Centre
Opening hours: 8am to 4.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, 8am to 1pm on Wednesdays and 8am to 7pm on Thursdays.
Nearest Tube: Brixton (Victoria line).
Buses: 2, 3, 35, 37, 45, 59, 109, 118, 133, 159, 196, 250, 322, 345, 355, P4, P5.
In writing
Lambeth Benefits Service
Brixton Customer Centre
18 Brixton Hill
London SW2 1RL.
Completed claim forms must be returned to Lambeth Benefits Service at the address above. Any delay may result in loss of benefit.
Current claims
If you currently receive Housing Benefit and there is a change in any of your personal circumstances, you must let us know as soon as possible
Changes in your personal circumstances include:
- your Income Support or Job Seeker's Allowance stopping
- changes in your income or savings
- changes to the amount of rent you pay
- changes to the people living with you.
This is not a full list. If you are not sure, contact us for advice. You must tell us about any changes in writing – a phone call is not enough.
You can tell us about any change in your circumstances (except for changes in your address) by completing the Change of Circumstances Form
If you have changed address or moved home you will need to complete the Change of Address Form
Please return your completed form(s) to:
Lambeth Benefits Service
Brixton Customer Centre
18 Brixton Hill
London SW2 1RL.
If you are unable to download and print the forms please call 020 7649 9311 (lines are open between 8.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday) and we will arrange for a copy to be sent to you. Alternatively you can pick up a printed copy from Customer Services Reception at Brixton Customer Centre.
If you do not tell us about any changes, you may lose money you are entitled to, or you may get too much benefit. Do not rely on someone else to pass the message on.
It is an offence not to tell us about any changes that may affect your benefit. We may take court action against you, and if we pay you too much benefit you will probably have to pay it back.
Disputes
If you have received a decision about Housing Benefit and think it is wrong you can:
- ask us for the decision to be looked at again.
- ask for a statement of reasons.
- appeal to an independent tribunal administered by the Appeals Service.
If you want us to look at the decision again or if you want to appeal against it, you must do so in writing within one month of the date on the decision letter. You can use the disputes form to do this.
For further advice on appealing against a decision contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau
Overpayments
An overpayment is an amount of Housing Benefit that has been paid to you, to which you are not entitled. This usually happens when your circumstances have changed but you have not told us.
We will always ask for the money to be returned. If the overpayments were made directly to your landlord we may recover the overpayment from them. You will be notified of the overpayment and the way it is being recovered
If you can not afford to repay the overpayment in one lump sum you can contact us to discuss repayment by instalments. A Housing Benefit overpayment can be recovered from your ongoing Housing Benefit entitlement or from some other benefits such as Income Support or Job Seeker's Allowance.
If you do not repay the overpayment using any of the above methods we can take you to court. The court allows us to:
- use an attachment on earnings. This means your employer gives us some of your wages to repay the overpayment
- use bailiffs; or
- use a charging order.
If we need to use the court then costs will be added to the outstanding debt. You will have to repay the costs as well as the original overpayment.
If the overpayment is a result of fraud, the council will usually seek to prosecute.
You can use our online payments system to pay back your Housing Benefit overpayment.
Reviews
Lambeth Benefits Service has introduced a Verification Framework Reviews Module. The Verification Framework is a Department for Work and Pensions initiative which sets the standard of information that the council must request from claimants. This will help the council to identify a claimant’s change in circumstances early on, and so ensure benefit is paid correctly.
If you are currently receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you may be sent a Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Review Form. This will help us to confirm your current circumstances and make sure that you are receiving the correct rate of benefit.
If you receive a Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Review Form you must complete and return it immediately to Lambeth Benefits Service. You will be required to provide original documents as evidence of any change in your circumstances since you last made a claim. Full instructions on how to complete the form and which documents to send are included on the form itself.
Do not delay in returning the review form because you may lose benefit if you do. If you are not sure what proof we need to see, return the form and we will write to you explaining which original documents we require.
If you need help completing the form, or need any further advice, please call Lambeth Benefits Service on 020 7649 9311, or visit Customer Services at Brixton Customer Centre, 18 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RL.
Reporting Changes
Remember that if you receive Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit and any details of your claim change, you must tell Lambeth Benefits Service immediately. Do not wait until we send you a Review Form.
Discretionary Housing Payments
The Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme provides claimants with further financial assistance with their housing costs and council tax. The council can pay DHP on top of the normal housing benefit and/or council tax benefit if it considers that a claimant needs extra help.
DHP is not a benefit. It is separate payment made at the council's discretion.
If you are not already getting full housing and/or council tax benefit and need extra help with your rent and or council tax please complete a Discretionary Housing Payment Form and return it to: Lambeth Benefits Service, Brixton Customer Centre, 18 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RL.
For further advice about DHP contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
The Rent Service (TRS)
The Rent Service (TRS) is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions. TRS provides valuations for local authorities in England, for use in the assessment of claims for Housing Benefit where the tenant is renting from a private landlord.