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Council Rent Arrears
Contact Us
E-mail:
Benefits@thanet.gov.uk
Phone:
from 9am to 5.30pm. If your family name begins:
A-Don call (01843) 577554
Doo-Ker call
(01843) 577555
Kes-Ric call
(01843) 577556
Rid-Z call (01843) 577551
Fax: 01843 577532
or Visit our
offices
Help with your rent
The information below applies to claims received
before 7th April 2008, if you are renting
from a private landlord or are a Council tenant.
If you are claiming on or after 7th April 2008,
and rent your property from a private landlord, most claims will
fall under the new Local Housing Allowance Scheme. For further
information please see 'Local
Housing Allowance' .
This information is only a general guide, and is not a full and
authoritative statement of the law. Contact us for more
information.
What is Housing Benefit?
Housing Benefit is help towards rent for people on low income. It
is paid by Thanet District Council.
Who can claim Housing Benefit?
- Anyone who has to pay rent for their home can
claim.
- If your landlord is the Council, a housing
association, a private individual or company, you can still
claim.
- Boarders, lodgers, and people in hostels and
bed & breakfast accommodation can also claim.
- You do not have to be out of work to
claim.
However, you will not normally receive Housing
Benefit if you are living with a close relative and paying them
rent.
Who can’t claim Housing Benefit?
You can’t claim Housing Benefit if you:
- Are not the householder
- Have more than £16,000 in capital (unless you
receive guaranteed pension credit)
- Are excluded from receiving public funds, due
to your status in the UK
- Are a full-time student – unless you are also
one of the following:
- a lone parent
- a disabled person
- under 19 years-old and
following a further education
course
- aged 60 or more
What can’t I claim Housing Benefit for?
You cannot claim help towards things
like mortgage costs, meals, fuel charges, washing, and nursing
care.
How can I claim Housing Benefit?
By filling in Thanet District Council’s Housing Benefit
application form online or you can get one by visiting your
local Council office or by contacting us.
It is very important that your application
form is handed in as soon as possible – if you delay you may lose
benefit.
Do you need anything else with my application form?
Yes. You must provide:
- Proof of identity for you and your
partner
- National Insurance number for you and your
partner
- Proof of all household income
- Proof of all capital for you and your
partner
- Proof of your rent
You must provide original documents – we can
not accept copies.
How is Housing Benefit paid?
If you are a private tenant, we will normally
pay your benefit every 2 weeks, or you can ask us to pay it
directly to your landlord every 4 weeks. Council tenants have their
Housing Benefit paid direct to their rent account.
Will I get all my rent paid?
Housing Benefit does not guarantee to pay a
person’s full rent.
If you are renting from a private landlord, we
need to know if the rent is reasonable. To do this we will send
your claim to The Rent Service – an agency specialising in valuing
rented properties. The Rent Officer will examine your rent and
decide if it is reasonable compared to local market levels. The
Rent Officer may give a lower valuation if you are living in
property that is too large for your needs.
Also, your benefit may be reduced if you have
a non-dependant living with you (see Housing
Benefit and The Rent Service).
If I’m under 25 years-old and single with no dependants, will I
get Housing Benefit?
Yes, although your benefit may be restricted to the rent level for
a single room with shared facilities.
Can my claim be backdated?
It may be possible to backdate your Housing
Benefit for up to 52 weeks, if you can provide proof of an earlier
claim, or you can show continuous good cause for not applying
earlier. If you want to request backdating you must do it in
writing.
If I am overpaid benefit, will I have to pay it back?
You may be asked to repay an overpayment where
it is your fault, or where you could have known that you were being
overpaid benefit (see Benefit
overpayment)
Unhappy with the final decision?
If you would like more information about how
your benefit is worked out, you must write to the Benefits Service
asking for full details.
If you are unhappy with how we have worked out your
benefit, you have the right to appeal. You should do this in
writing, within one month of receiving notification of your benefit
entitlement (see Reviews and Appeals).