Your location: Housing and council tax benefit
This content applies to Scotland only.
Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England
If you rent your home and have a low income, or receive welfare benefits, you may be entitled to housing benefit to help pay your rent, and council tax benefit to help with council tax. Council tax benefit can be paid to both tenants and home owners who have a low income or get welfare benefits.
You can find out what benefits you maybe entitled to by using the benefit adviser, then use the online calculators at the EntitledTo website to work out how much you're likely to get.
Housing benefit
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. Read more 
Local housing allowance
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. Read more
How housing benefit is calculated
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. Read more
Council tax benefit
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. Read more
Making a claim
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. Read more
Waiting for a decision
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. Read more
Getting a decision
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. Read more
Backdated benefit
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. Read more
Changes in your circumstances
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. Read more
Discretionary housing payments
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. Read more
Challenging a decision
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. Read more
Housing benefit for young people
If you are between the age of 16 and 25 and thinking about claiming housing benefit, find out more about how your age will affect your claim. Read more
Housing benefit for students
Most full-time students are not entitled to housing benefit, however there are some exceptions. Read more
HB before you move in
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. Read more
HB for two homes
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. Read more
HB while you are away from home
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. Read more
HB for your notice period
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. Read more
HB if you rent from a family member
You may not be able to claim housing benefit if you pay rent to a family member or partner. Read more
Benefit jargon
Fed up looking at letters from the housing or council tax benefit department and not knowing what they mean? Read this page to see if it can help you understand the jargon. Read more
