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- Housing and Council Tax Benefit - An Overview
Housing and Council Tax Benefit - An Overview
If you are renting from a private landlord
Housing Benefit for private tenants claiming after April 2008 is based on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates and your income and savings.
LHA applies to everybody whose landlord is not Enfield Homes or a Housing Association.
The Rent Officer will set the maximum amount of Housing Benefit you can receive. It will not depend on the amount of rent you pay. The maximum amount you could receive will be the same for every household of the same size in the area in which you live, whatever the rent is.
What happens if something changes, like my rent increases?
Your LHA rate will be reviewed every year on the anniversary of the day you claimed, even if your rent hasn't changed.
If someone moves in or out of your household, you must tell us straight away. We will change your maximum Housing Benefit to the correct LHA rate for your new household size.
You cannot appeal against the LHA rate. This is because the level is set for the whole BRMA and any appeal would affect everyone else at that same rate.
Please remember this is the maximum Housing Benefit you will be entitled to. Your income, capital, savings and personal circumstances will still be taken into account, so you may get less.
You can view the LHA rates online by clicking here.
The current room rates will also be on display at each of our three Reception areas. For a list of our offices, click here.
Housing Benefit has recently changed and the amount that you get may be going down, however if you need an extra bedroom for overnight carers you may be entitled to more housing benefit, for further information see our Housing Benefit Changes pages.
Pages in Housing and Council Tax Benefit - An Overview
- 1. Housing and Council Tax - New claims
- 2. Who can claim Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit?
- 3. If you are renting from a private landlord
- 4. Estimate your Housing Benefit
- 5. How Housing Benefit is paid
- 6. How to apply for Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit
- 7. Processing your claim for Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit
- 8. Extra bedroom for overnight carers
- 9. Appeal against a decision
- 10. Benefit fraud - avoiding fraudulent claims
- 11. Help and advice with your Mortgage
- 12. Other welfare benefits
- 13. Discretionary Housing Payments
- 14. External links
