Housing Benefits - text version

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Housing Benefits

If you are on a low income or other benefits you may be entitled to some help with your housing costs. This is usually related to help with rent and/or council tax. If you are applying for Income Support(IS) or Jobseekers Allowance(JSA) you can apply for Housing and Council Tax Benefit at the same time. If you are working but have a very low income you may be able to get some help from your local district council.
For more information about Housing Benefit Click Here. There are special rules for under 25s relating to the amount a single under 25 can get. Basically it means that you can only get enough to pay for a room in a shared house.

The Government are in the process of changing the way that help with rent is paid and South Norfolk and Norwich City Councils are taking part in the pilot project. For more information about the scheme called Local Housing Allowance have a look at the following websites.

City Council
Local Housing Allowance

If you are paying a mortgage secured on your house then there are different arrangements to help but only if you’re on income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA) can include an element for certain housing costs, for example mortgage interest, some service charges and ground rent. If you have to apply for either of these benefits you will have to wait for up to 39 weeks before you will get any help with your housing costs and even then it will only cover some of the costs and not all of them.

The following are the costs that can be covered by IS and JSA:-

interest payments on a loan to purchase a home. This includes buying an 'additional interest' in a home, for example, buying the freehold, or buying a former partner's share in the property

interest payments on a loan to repay a previous home purchase loan. Only the amount equal to the first mortgage is covered

interest on loans for major repairs and improvements

service charges for leaseholders, including buildings insurance paid under the terms of the lease, and charges for minor repairs and improvements. Some service charges are excluded, for example, service charges for major repairs and improvements

It may sometimes be possible to get some help with money borrowed to do essential repairs to your house. For more information about this contact your local CAB.
The Government determines the interest rate they will use to calculate the help they will give and this could be less than the rate you are being charged. If this is the case you will need to contact your lender to make arrangement regarding this shortfall again use the link above to contact your local CAB.

Disclaimer, Target Audience, Jurisdiction Last updated & checked: 24/03/2006