Housing benefit and council tax reduction

Housing benefit provides help with paying rent and council tax reduction provides help with your council tax, if you are on a low income.

	Benefit changes - Welfare Reform Act 2012 >> On 8 March 2012 the Welfare Reforms Act 2012 was approved. This government change to welfare will affect many people across the country and from April 2013 if you are in receipt of benefit then it will affect you too.
	Housing benefit and council tax reduction- new claims >> If you are not already receiving housing benefit and/or council tax reduction and wish to submit a claim you can do this online.
	Housing benefit and council tax reduction - changes you need to tell us about >> If you are already receiving housing benefit and/or council tax reduction then we are relying on you to tell us when things change. You can do this online.
	Housing benefit and council tax reduction - sharing information >> Before we can share information about your claim with your landlord or discuss your claim with a third such as a relative or friend, we must first have your written consent.
	Local Housing Allowance (LHA) >> The new Local Housing Allowance (LHA) helps with the cost of rent and takes the place of housing benefit for some private tenants.
	Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) >> DHPs are additional payments towards rent, council tax, or both and are usually paid to customers already getting housing benefit and/or council tax reduction who need more help with their housing costs over and above their benefit award.
	Housing benefit and council tax reduction - appeals >> What to do if you think we have made the wrong decision about your benefits.
	Benefit overpayments >> Information about how we recover benefits that may have been overpaid to you and methods for paying it back.
	Benefit fraud >> What we are doing to tackle benefit fraud and how you can go about reporting suspected benefit fraud to us.
	Housing benefit reviews >> Information about the review process and what to expect if you are selected for a review.