Housing and Council Tax Benefit - An Overview

Once we have a claim form, we will check if any supporting information is missing and if necessary we will write to you, telling you what we still require. The quicker you supply this information, the quicker we can pay you benefit. If you do not supply the evidence requested within one month we will not be able to deal with your claim. Even if we have all the details we need, we may visit you to confirm your residency.

We cannot pay you benefit if we are still missing information that we need. We generally make the payment effective from the Monday following receipt of the claim form. You may, however, make a claim for backdated benefit on the form.

We pay Housing Benefit to private sector and Housing Association tenants, or their landlords, monthly in arrears by BACs transfer. We make direct credits to Enfield Homes tenants’ rent accounts.

LHA is usually paid direct to you. There are very few times when we will pay your benefit direct to your Landlord. We will only do this if we think you have difficulty managing your rent, or if you are eight or more weeks behind with your rent

We can make payments direct to your landlord if we believe it will help you get a new tenancy or keep your existing tenancy. 

We will make a decision on every case individually and may ask you to provide us with reasons and evidence for why we should pay your landlord. Please ask us or the Citizens Advice Bureau for further information.

Council Tax Benefit is paid directly to the taxpayers’ Council Tax accounts.