Lewes District Council

Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit helps people on low income pay their rent. You can claim Housing Benefit if you are working but your earnings are low or if you are receiving state benefits.

Housing Benefit is a means tested benefit – your income is measured against your needs and your rent costs. Housing Benefit can only help people who pay rent – we cannot help people who have mortgages. Sometimes the Department of Work and Pensions can help with mortgage interest if you are claiming a means tested benefit.

The Housing Benefit scheme operates in three different ways:

Rent Rebate:

This provides help for those renting Council properties. If you are entitled to any Housing Benefit, it is credited directly to your rent account and you will then pay less rent.

Rent Allowance:

This provides help for those renting from Housing Associations and some who rent from private landlords. For those renting from private landlords it applies to people who have lived in the same property since before 1989 and those who have been claiming Housing Benefit at the same address since 6 April 2008. Entitlement under this scheme is paid either into the customer’s bank account to help them pay their rent or directly to the landlord’s bank account – the choice is with the tenant.

Local Housing Allowance:

This was a new scheme introduced in April 2008 for tenants who rent from a private landlord. It affects those people moving to a new address or making a new claim after 7 April 2008. Entitlement under this scheme is calculated on the Local Housing Allowance rates and any benefit is normally paid into the customer’s bank account to help them pay their rent. It can be paid directly to the landlord in exceptional circumstances.

Benefit Calculator

As every case is slightly different, we suggest you use the ‘Benefits Adviser’ calculator to find out if you are entitled.

Benefits Adviser >>

Please have this information to hand:

The amount of rent that you pay
The LHA rate if you fall under that scheme*
All the income coming into your household
All the capital of you and your partner.

* Remember, you do not fall under the LHA scheme if your landlord is Lewes District Council, any Housing Association or if you have been continuously claiming at your present address since before 7 April 2008.

Making a claim

If you think you might be entitled to Housing or Council Tax Benefit, then you can make a claim by completing this form. Download it, print it out, complete it and return it along with the evidence to us:

PDF
PDF Council Tax Benefit & Housing Benefit Claim Form (0.39mb)

Returning the form

Post

Lewes District Council
PO Box 128
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 2DQ

Email

Return a signed form by e-mail
benefit@lewes.gov.uk

Offices

You can visit any of the locations below and collect a claim form or leave a completed form and have your documents verified. If you want to speak to somebody for specific advice then you will need to visit the Lewes office.

Lewes District Council 4 Fisher Street Lewes BN7 2DQ Mon-Thu 9am – 4:45pm Fri 9am – 4:15pm	Lewes District Council Fort Road Newhaven BN9 9QF Mon-Thu 9am – 4:45pm Fri 9am – 4:15pm
Tourist Information Office 37 Church Street Seaford East Sussex BN25 1HG Mon 10am -12pm and 2pm – 4pm Tues, Wed and Fri 10am – 12pm	Peacehaven Town Council Meridian Centre Peacehaven East Sussex BN10 8NF Mon-Fri 10am – 3pm

Telephone Enquiries

Our staff will be happy to answer your questions and send you a claim form.

Call 01273 471600
Monday to Thursday: 8.30am - 4.45pm
Fridays: 8.30am to 4.15pm

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