Making a claim for housing or 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 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.

Claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit are dealt with by the same department. You can claim both benefits on the same form.

When can I make a claim?

You can make a claim up to 13 weeks before you need to start getting housing or council tax benefit. So, for example, if you are starting a new tenancy in a month's time, you can put in a claim now. You won't usually get any benefit before you move in, although you may do in some specific situations.

How do I make a claim?

When you want to make a claim, you should phone the housing and council tax benefit department at your local council to let them know that you want to make a claim. You can find the contact number in the phone book or on your council's website. They will then send you a claim form.

Make a note of this date and the name of the person you spoke to at the council. This is important because, if you are entitled to housing or council tax benefit, it will be paid from the Monday after the date you told the council you wanted to make a claim, not the date you actually handed your form in.

Where can I get a form?

There are two different types of housing benefit and council tax benefit claim forms:

• HCTB1 - provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP, formerly the Benefits Agency or DSS)
• council claim forms.
• from the 3 November you will be able to make a claim for housing benefit and council tax benefit via the phone, if you are also claiming pension credit. Call the Jobcentre plus on 0800 0 55 66 88 or 0800 0 23 48 88 if you are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech difficulties. Eventually, this service will also be available if you are claiming income support, jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance.
  

You will find a HCTB1 included with some claim packs for other benefits such as income based jobseeker's allowance or income support. You can also download a copy from the DWP website.

You will be able to get a council form by phoning or popping into your local council office.

You should only have to fill in a HCTB1 or a council form, it should not be necessary for you to fill in both.

How do I fill in the form?

When you are filling in the form, try to give as much information as possible. Be honest - if you lie or withhold information you could end up being paid too much benefit and having to pay it back at a later date. You could even be prosecuted.

If you are having problems completing a form, get help. Help is available from a Citizens Advice Bureau, your local council or other local advice centre. Use the Advice Services Directory to find help in your area.

Why do they ask so many questions?

Everyone's circumstances are different. It is difficult to have one form that will ask each person the right questions for their situation.

The housing/council tax benefit department also wants to get as big a picture as possible of your income and outgoings so they can work out how much benefit you will be entitled to.

Remember to answer every question or the department will send the form back to you, which will cause delay.

What information do I need to provide?

When you answer a question on the claim form it will tell you if you need to back this up with information. You can download a checklist of things that housing/council tax benefit department might want to see.

If you cannot find all the information required, hand the form into the council anyway. You have 28 days to get all your information in. If you are having difficulty getting information, you can get help from a Citizens Advice Bureau or a welfare rights officer, or you can speak to someone at the council.

If the housing/council tax benefit department do not receive the information within 28 days, they will cancel your claim, unless you let them know that you are having difficulties and that you are trying to get the information.

Where do I send the form?

The form should go to your local council office. If you have a council claim form it will tell you the address on the form. Otherwise you will find this information in the phone book or on the council's website.

Can I post the form?

You can post the form BUT:

• if you post your form you will not have a record that you posted it and you will have to send your original documents through the mail (things like passports and birth certificates are expensive to replace)
• if your form and your information do make it through the mail they could still get lost in the council offices.

If possible, you should hand the form in to the council offices yourself. If this is not possible, you may want to send it by recorded delivery. You should keep a record of the date that you sent the form and details of any information you included.

Remember, housing benefit is usually paid from the Monday after your claim gets there. If your form goes missing, you could end up having to pay the rent yourself, as it is will be your word against the council's that you posted your form.

Can I hand the form in myself?

Yes. This is the safest way to deliver your form. If you cannot go yourself, someone else can go for you. Even if there is a queue, you should wait and get a receipt for the form and any information you have provided. Ask for your documents to be photocopied there and then, so you can take the originals home with you.

Keep your receipt in a safe place. If the council misplaces your form after you have handed it in, you will need your receipt as evidence that you handed it in in the first place.

What is 'rapid reclaim'?

You can use the 'rapid reclaim' process if:

• you were claiming housing benefit but then stopped your claim within the last 26 weeks, and
• you now need to start claiming again, and
• your circumstances haven't changed since your last claim.

The rapid reclaim process is faster, and only requires you to fill in a short form. Ask the housing benefit department for further details when you make your claim.