How Housing and Council Tax benefit is paid

How housing benefit is paid

Housing benefit is normally paid direct into your bank account by BACs, or if that is not possible, by cheque at the end of four weeks. If you rent from a private landlord, and not a Housing Association, Housing Benefit will be paid directly to you unless you are considered unable to manage your own financial affairs, or it is considered you are unlikely to pay your rent. Please see Local Housing Allowance Safeguard Policy (117.8 KB) .

If you are eight week weeks or more in arrears with your rent, your Housing Benefit will be paid direct to your landlord. If your Housing Benefit is paid directly to your landlord the payment will be made every four weeks. 

If you wish to have your Housing benefit paid into your bank account please complete the form on the right of the page and send it back to the Benefits Section Team using the address on the right.

Housing Benefit will only be paid for the actual time you occupy your home. If you move out but are due to pay rent to the end of a month for example you will be responsible for any rent due after you move out.

Overpayments

If you do not tell us about a change in your circumstances promptly or the information you provide on your claim form is wrong you may receive the wrong amount of benefit. If you are overpaid we will claim this money back from you. Recovery will be either by deductions from any ongoing Housing Benefit you are entitled to, or you will be sent an invoice to repay the overpayment.

For more information about what changes you need to inform us of and how to that please see what to do if your circumstances change.

How Council Tax benefit is paid

Council Tax benefit will be added to your Council Tax account and a new bill will be sent to you. For more information about your Council Tax bill, including how to find out how much it is, please see our Council Tax pages.

Overpayments

If you do not tell us about a change in your circumstances promptly or the information you provide on your claim form is wrong you may receive the wrong amount of benefit. If you are overpaid we will add the overpaid amount to your Council Tax bill. 

For more information about what changes you need to inform us of and how to that please see what to do if your circumstances change.