Do I Qualify?

If you are on a low or fixed income, you may be entitled to receive benefit to help pay your Council Tax liability and rent charges if you rent from a private landlord.

The amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefits you receive will depend on the following factors:

Your income
Your savings
Your ‘needs allowance’
Who else lives in your home

If you do not currently receive benefit and feel you may qualify, please visit our benefit calculator or apply for benefit online.

What is income?

Your income is any payment you receive on a regular bases. Examples of income would include earnings, benefits, pensions, student loans and maintenance.

If you are in work we only count wages after tax, National Insurance and half of any payments to personal pensions, as well as deducting a fixed amount based on your household circumstances known as an earnings disregard..

There are some types of income we do not include in the calculation, although you must still declare them on your claim form. Examples of the incomes we do include in the calculation are: Child Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and War Pensions.

What is capital?

The definition of capital is a one off payment or sum held which does not form a series of payments and is not toed to a particular period of time. Examples of capital are: Bank accounts, shares, National Savings Certificates and Property.

If you are below the age to claim pension credit the first £6,000 is disregarded and £1 per week is added to your income for every £250 or part there of over £6,000 you hold in capital.

From 2 November 2009, if you are over the age to claim pension credit the first £10,000 of savings is disregarded and £1 per week added to your income for every £500 or part thereof, you hold in capital.

If you hold over £16,000 in capital you will not qualify for Housing/Council Tax Benefit unless you are in receipt of Pension Credit (guaranteed element).

What is my needs allowance?

Your needs allowance is the amount of money the Department for Work and Pensions decides you and your dependent family need to live on.

This figured is determined by your household circumstances and takes the following into account:

A Personal Allowance based on you or your partner's age and whether you are single or living with your partner.
A Child Allowance awarded for each child in your household.
Additional Premiums awarded where members of the household are disabled or carers.

These elements are added together to determine your overall needs allowance.

What if other people live in my household?

A deduction will be made from your benefit entitlement for any non-dependants living in your home, not including your partner.

Non-dependents are classed as anyone living with you who are not financially dependent on you. Similarly, non-dependents are considered to be anyone not paying rent on a commercial-basis, but someone who is receiving meals and other services and sharing most of your accommodation.

Examples of non-dependents include grown-up children, elderly parents and other adult relatives and friends.

The amount deducted is based on the non-dependant's age, gross income and whether or not they are in paid employment for an average of at least 16 hours per week. A deduction applies for each non-dependant unless any of them are married to each other or living together as husband and wife, where they would attract only one deduction.

Please note that there will be no non-dependent deductions if the claimant or partner is receiving Attendance Allowance or the care component of Disability Living Allowance; or if the claimant or partner is registered or treated as blind.