How much Housing Benefit will my tenant be entitled to?
This will depend on:
- the level of income and capital the tenant and their partner have
- the number of people who live with them
- the level of Local Housing Allowance applicable to them
How is Benefit paid and how often?
Benefit is normally paid 4 weekly in arrears directly to a tenant’s bank account It is the tenant’s responsibility to pay you their rent. They can ask for payment to be made to their landlord, if this is the case payment will be made by BACS.
Click here for the scheduled payment dates for 2023.
In addition to the above scheduled payments, weekly payments are made where new claims or changes in circumstances result in underpayments for past periods.
All payments are made by BACS and will be paid direct to your acccount 2 days after the payment date.
When will Housing Benefit start?
Benefit will normally start from the Monday after your tenant makes their claim to us, to Jobcentre Plus or to the The Pension Service. If they are not sure whether to claim they should send us the claim for straight away, even if they are waiting for supporting documents, or they may lose money.
How long does it take to sort out a claim for Housing Benefit?
Claims are normally paid within 14 days of getting all the information we need to work out benefit. However, benefit is often delayed because we are waiting for information.
What can I do if my tenant has rent arrears?
The Housing Benefit regulations say that if a tenant owes rent for eight weeks or more, we must pay you direct, unless we consider it in the tenant’s best interest not to pay you direct. If your tenant is in arrears please complete form LHA1 and return it to us immediately so we can decide what action to take.
