Q. What is Housing Benefit?
A. Housing Benefit helps you to pay your rent if
you are in receipt of certain welfare benefits such as
Income Support, or if you are on a low
income, perhaps because you only work part-time or you are a
pensioner.
More information on Housing
Benefit
Q. What is Council Tax Benefit?
A. Council Tax Benefit helps you to pay your Council Tax
if you are in receipt of certain welfare benefits such as
Job Seekers Allowance, or if you are on a
low income.
More information on Council Tax Benefit
Q. What is Second Adult Rebate?
A. Second Adult Rebate is another way you can get
help to pay less Council
Tax. It is not based on the money you have, but the money other
people who live with you have.
You may be able to get Second Adult Rebate if there are
other people living in your home who are on a low income or on
Income Support.
You will need to make a claim for Second Adult Rebate, unless
you have already made a claim for Council Tax Benefit. Please
contact our Customer Contact Centre for further advice about Second
Adult Rebate, and to obtain a claim form. The telephone number is
01952 202020.
More information on Second Adult Rebate
Q. What do I do if I need to speak to someone about my
Council Tax or Benefits?
A. The Customer Contact Centre is open at the
following times:
Telephone enquiries - 01952 383838
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8.00am to 6.00pm
Thursday: 9.30am to 6.00pm
Friday: 8.00am to 5.00pm
Personal callers - Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 5.15pm
Civic Offices, PO Box 215, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4LF
Appointment Service - The enquiry desk at Civic Offices is often
very busy and you may have to wait to be seen. To avoid waiting we
do offer an appointment facility for Council Tax and Benefits
enquiries. If you would like to make an appointment - please
contact the Customer Contact Centre on 01952 383838.
Or:
Home visits are available if you are unable to leave your house.
Please arrange a home visit with the Customer Contact Centre.
Q. Will my child be entitled to free school meals, and
if so, how do I claim?
A. Your child, or children, may qualify for Free
School Meals if you meet the following criteria:
And
- Have an annual taxable income of less than £15,575
- Do not work more than 16 hrs per week
- Do not receive Working Tax Credit
Or
- Receive support under Part VI of the Immigration & Asylum
Act 1999
- You can obtain an application form by telephoning us on 01952
383983. Alternatively you can speak to the administrator at your
child's school.
Click here fore more information on Free School
Meals
Q. Is there any additional assistance I can get for help
with my rent or Council Tax?
A. If you are in receipt of some Housing Benefit
or Council Tax Benefit, but are still finding it difficult to pay
the remainder of your rent or Council Tax, you may be entitled to
receive an additional payment to help you with the shortfall. This
is known as a Discretionary Housing Payment.
Each application for a Discretionary Housing Payment is
considered on the individual merits of the case. Payments will
typically be awarded if you can show that you are experiencing
financial hardship, or you have some other special circumstance
which is causing you difficulty to pay your rent or Council Tax. If
you wish to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, you must
complete an application form giving details of your financial
situation and any other information you feel is relevant.
For further information, or to request an application form,
please telephone our Customer Contact Centre on 01952 383838.
More information Discretionary Housing
Payments
Q. What should I do if I suspect someone of committing
fraud?
A. If you suspect someone of claiming either Housing
Benefit or Council Tax Benefit dishonestly, contact the 24 hour
Fraud Line on 01952 383839. You can leave information without
having to give us your name. The council will follow up all
information received
Click here for more information about
Fraud
Q. From October 2008 you will no longer be able to make a
new claim for Incapacity Benefit, what does this mean?
A.
Employment and Support Allowance is a new
way of helping people with an illness or disability to move into
work, if they are able.
It replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support, paid because of
an illness or disability, for new claims from 27th October 2008. If
you are currently receiving these benefits you will continue to
receive them, so long as you continue to satisfy the entitlement
conditions.
Click here for more information about
Employment and Support
Allowance |