Homes and Technical Services

HOUSING OPTIONS GUIDE - APPENDIX A

The Housing Benefit scheme

Most people who rent their homes, are on incomes which are significantly below average, are entitled to receive the largely government-funded housing benefit which operates as a housing allowance for Council tenants and a housing rebate for all other tenants.

Experienced staff in the Housing Benefits Section administer the Housing Benefit scheme for all residents in East Ayrshire.

It is particularly important that anyone interested in claiming Housing Benefit entitlement should contact the relevant Housing Benefit staff as soon as possible, because there is a risk that the claimant may not be entitled to receive Housing Benefit for any rent paid before the Council (or Communities Scotland) was informed of the claim. Telephone 01563 576985.

The Housing Benefit claim procedure

Every Housing Benefit claimant must submit and sign a detailed application form. Council staff are happy to help applicants understand and complete the application form.

Verification of the applicant's financial resources is essential, so evidence of both income and capital will be required to support the answers given in the application form. This means that payslips, bank statements, benefit books and so on must be made available for inspection by Council staff. However, as long as the application form is submitted, the claim can be made payable in full from the submission date, even though the evidence on the applicant's resources may take some time to produce and be verified. It is also worth noting that a single application form is used to claim Council Tax Benefit as well as Housing Benefit, which means that the end result of the application process could result in the applicant receiving both benefits.

The Council staff then work out how much Housing Benefit is due according to the answers to the following four questions:

- how much money the applicant has coming in from his or her earnings and any
other income and from his or her partner's earnings and income;
- how much money the applicant and, where applicable, partner have saved or
invested (no Housing Benefit will be paid where savings amount to £16,000 or
more and it will usually be reduced on a sliding scale if savings are over £3,000);
- the applicant's personal circumstances e.g. the numbers of dependants living in
the same household, whether the applicant is disabled etc); and
- the maximum rent level which the Housing Benefit system will support (see below for explanation.

The maximum rent level

If the applicant is a Council, or housing association tenant then Housing Benefit can meet the rent in full. If, however, the applicant is a private tenant and the rent charged is considered by the Council to be too high, then the Housing Benefit paid out will be less than the rent charged.

Renting privately

It is particularly important, therefore, that those who are thinking of renting a private property should contact the Council's housing benefit staff to find out what level of rent is likely to be met by Housing Benefit. Staff can either make an informal calculation on the basis of their indicative rent levels for similar properties or they can give a precise 'pre tenancy determination' (PTD). However, the determination, which usually takes three days to reach, can only be given where the landlord has given written consent. Both the informal and formal advice given by Council staff will give the applicant a clear idea of whether he or she will be able to afford the rent asked, after any contribution from Housing Benefit has been allowed for.

Restrictions on housing benefit for single people under 25

It is important to note the restrictions that have been imposed by Government on the amount of housing benefit which can be given to single people under 25 years old renting privately. The housing benefit is restricted to the equivalent indicative rent in the area for a single room, which locally is assessed as £41.00 per week, irrespective of the actual rent charged.

Young single people on low incomes are therefore advised to speak to an advice agency or Housing Benefit staff before accepting any offer of rented accommodation.

Further information

Detailed information and advice on all the assessment procedures for Housing Benefit will be willingly given by the Council's trained staff at Housing Benefit Counter, at John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock, KA1 1BY Telephone 01563 576895 or from East Ayrshire's Citizens Advice Bureau;
Kilmarnock Tel: 01563 544 744 Cumnock Tel: 01290 429 500

Right to appeal

Any Housing Benefit applicant has a right to ask the Council to review their decision, if the applicant is not satisfied with it to Housing Benefit Section East Ayrshire Council, 2 The Cross, Kilmarnock, KA1 1LR

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