Housing benefit is a benefit to help people pay their rent. This page explains more about what it is, what it covers and who can claim it.

Local housing allowance is to help people pay their rent if they rent their home from a private landlord. This page explains more about what it is, what it covers and who can claim it.

The rules relating to local housing allowance are changing, with some changes coming into force on 1 April 2011. This page summarises these changes.

Housing benefit is paid by the council to help people pay their rent. The rules about how much housing benefit you may get are complicated, but this page may be able to help.

Council tax benefit is paid to help people pay their council tax. This page explains more about what it is, what it covers and who can claim it.

If you think you might be entitled to help to pay your rent or your council tax, read this page to find out how to make a claim, the information you will need to provide and how to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Once you have handed in your form, you will have to wait for your claim to be processed. This page tells you what to expect while you are waiting and what to do if you haven't heard anything.

Once your claim for housing or council tax benefit has been processed, you will receive a decision letter. This page tells you how to work out what the letter says and what you can do if you disagree with it.

If you think that you may have been entitled to housing or council tax benefit at any time during the last year and have a really good reason for not having claimed before, you may be able to get backdated benefit.

If you are getting housing or council tax benefit and circumstances change, it may affect the amount of benefit you're entitled to. If you are going back to work or working more hours, you may be able to get extended housing benefit to help you pay your rent when other benefits stop.

If you get some housing benefit or council tax benefit but are having difficulty paying the rest of your rent yourself, you may be able to get a discretionary housing payment.

If you receive a letter or an explanation from the housing benefit or council tax benefit department that you do not agree with, there are things you can do. This page tells you what you have to do to get the decision looked at again.

If you are between the age of 16 and 35 and thinking about claiming housing benefit, find out more about how your age will affect your claim.

Most full-time students are not entitled to housing benefit, however there are some exceptions.

You may need to start paying rent on a new home before you can actually move in. In some situations, you may be able to get housing benefit.

Normally you can only get housing benefit for one home at a time. However there are special circumstances where it may be possible to have housing benefit paid for more than one home. Find out what these circumstances are and how to apply.

You can get housing benefit while you are away from home for up to 13 weeks, so long as you intend to come back to your home and you are not likely to be away any longer. In special circumstances you may be able to get housing benefit for longer.

Housing benefit usually stops the day you move out of your home. If you have to move out immediately, but still have to give your landlord notice that you are leaving, it may be possible to get housing benefit for up to four weeks after you move out.

You may not be able to claim housing benefit if you pay rent to a family member or partner.