Waiting for a housing or council tax benefit claim to be processed

This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England

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.

What happens once I have handed the form in?

Someone will look at your form and all the information that you have supplied. If there is enough information, your claim will be assessed and you will receive a letter telling you whether you are entitled to housing and/or council tax benefit.

If there is not enough information, you may receive a letter or a phone call asking you to provide more documents.

The council have asked me to provide more information - do I have to?

If the council has asked you to provide more information, it means that they do not have enough information to process your claim. You will have to provide the information that they ask for within one month, or your claim could be cancelled. Make sure you get a receipt and keep this in a safe place with the receipt that confirms that you handed in your claim form.

If you are having difficulty providing the information, contact the housing and council tax benefit department and explain the problem. They may be able to request information from the benefits agency, your employer, or other relevant organisation. If they do not help you, contact an adviser at Shelter, a Citizens Advice Bureau, or other local advice agency. You can find contact details in the Advice Services Directory

How long will I have to wait for a decision?

This varies for each council. Unfortunately, it can take a long time for your claim to be processed - up to several months. However, you may be able to get a payment on account (see 'can I get a payment before my claim is processed?' below).

You may not be entitled to housing/council tax benefit or you might only get help with part of the rent or council tax, leaving you to make up the rest. If possible, try to find out approximately how much help you might be entitled to. If you rent from a council or a housing association, you should ask if they have a welfare rights officer who would be able to help you. If not, you could contact a Citizens Advice Bureau or local advice service.

Can I stop paying my rent?

Don't stop paying your rent unless you are confident that you will receive full housing benefit. If your landlord thinks that you are just not paying the rent, they could take legal action against you and you could lose your tenancy.

If you are having difficulty paying your rent and you are not sure if you will be entitled to full housing benefit, try to keep making payments at a level you can afford, but be sure to keep your landlord informed. You may be able to get a payment on account to tide you over until your claim has been processed (see 'can I get a payment before my claim is processed?' below).

I handed my form in a while ago and I haven't heard anything - what should I do?

You should phone or pop in to the housing/council tax benefit department and check that they have got your form and all the information that they require to process your claim.

Ask for the name of the person that you are speaking to. You should take a note of their name, the date that you spoke to them, and what they said. Keep this in a safe place with the receipts for your form and your information.

The council say they have lost my form and my documents - what can I do?

Unfortunately, forms do get lost in the post and in council offices. If this happens, you will have to fill in another form and try to provide the information required again. If you have receipts for the form or the information you handed in already, include these with the form. Your benefit should be paid from the Monday after you handed in your first form, or from the day you moved in, if you pay rent on a daily basis (for example, if you live in a hostel or boarding house) or are staying in temporary accommodation provided by the council because you are homeless.

If you don't have a receipt, tell the housing/council tax benefit department that you handed a form in already. If you cannot prove that you handed your first form in, you may not get benefit until the date you handed the second form in. If they do not believe you, contact an adviser.

Can I get a payment before my claim is processed?

If you have not received a payment within 14 days of handing in your form and providing all the information required, you are entitled to a stop gap payment while you are waiting for your claim to be processed. This is called a payment on account.

You should get a payment on account automatically, however this does not always happen, so you may have to ask your council to make a payment. It's a good idea to do this as soon as possible after the 14 days, to avoid building up rent arrears. If your council does not make a payment on account, you can ask to make a complaint using the council's formal complaints process - there may be information about this on your council's website, or you can ask the council for further details. If you're not satisfied by the council's response, you may be able to take your complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

The amount you are paid in a payment on account may be less than the amount of rent you have to pay. Once your claim is assessed, any difference between your housing benefit entitlement and the amount of housing benefit paid on account will either be refunded or reclaimed from you.

What if the council tells me my claim has been dropped?

In some cases, the council may tell you that your claim has been dropped or 'dead-filed'. This may be the case if, for example, you've been asked to provide some extra information and you haven't been able to do so.

The council are not supposed to drop your case - they have to make a decision on your claim, even if all they say is that you're not entitled to housing or council tax benefit. If they tell you that your claim has been dropped, you should complain and demand a decision. If the decision is then negative, you can ask for a review or appeal.

Talk to an adviser at a housing aid centre or Citizens Advice Bureau if you're in this situation, as they will be able to help you deal with the council. Use the Advice Services Directory to find help near you.