Find out how to make claiming housing benefit go as smoothly as possible.

What to expect while you are waiting for a housing benefit benefit decision. And what to do if you haven't heard anything from your council about your housing benefit or council benefit claim.

How to work out what your housing benefit decision letter means. What to do if you disagree with it or want to know how the council decided what benefit you will receive.

If your circumstances change, it may affect how much housing benefit you can claim. You might get extended housing benefit to help you if you're returning to work, for example.

Housing benefit can help you pay your rent if you're a council or housing association tenant. Find out what housing benefit is, and if you can claim housing benefit.

Local housing allowance (LHA) can pay your rent if you have a private landlord. Find out who can claim local housing allowance, and how you can claim local housing allowance.

Housing benefit (HB) is paid by the council to help you pay rent. Work out if you're eligible to apply for housing benefit and how much housing benefit you might be able to claim.

You can get your housing benefit backdated if you can show good cause. There are limits to how far back you can get your housing benefit backdated.

If you claim some housing 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 department that you disagree with, there are things you can do to get your benefits decision looked at again.

If you're under 35, claiming housing benefit and renting privately, how could your age affect your housing benefit claim?

Most full-time students are not entitled to housing benefit, however there are some exceptions, so check which students can claim housing benefit.

You may need to start paying rent on a new home before you move in. You may be able to get housing benefit to cover your rent.

You might be able to get housing benefit for more than one home. Normally you can only get housing benefit for one home. Find out when you can do this and how to apply.

You might get housing benefit if you are away from home, with certain conditions. Check if you're eligible and how long you might be able to claim housing benefit for.

You may be able to get housing benefit for up to four weeks after you move. Housing benefit usually stops the day you move out of your home but there are exceptions.

Find out if you can claim housing benefit if you pay rent to a family member.

The introduction of universal credit in October 2013 will eventually change the way you receive benefits.

From April 2013 there will be a cap on the amount of benefit you can receive. Find out if the cap will affect you.

If you have a spare bedroom and you’re renting from the council or a housing association and getting housing benefit, then the amount of benefit you receive may be reduced.

Rules relating to your local housing allowance (LHA) are changing. Check if the changes affect you.