Most working age customers will need to claim Universal Credit for help with their rent from 14 November 2018. View more information about eligibility.

Universal Credit will not cover Council Tax, so if you need help to pay your Council Tax you will need to start a claim for Council Tax Support.

The quickest way to make an intention to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support is to complete our online form.

You will be asked questions about your personal circumstances and be told what evidence you will need to provide.

At the end of the form, you'll be able to book an appointment to see a Benefits Assessor at our First Point office at Southwater One to hand in your evidence (see supporting documents below). If you are not able to visit the office due to an illness or disability, please contact us on 01952 383838 to request a home visit.

There are separate forms for customers of working age and those who have reached pensionable age (check your pensionable age).

Intention to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support (working age)

Intention to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support (pensionable age)

Make sure you have all your personal details ready when you complete the form, including:

• your National Insurance number and that of your partner, if you have one
• the full address that you want to claim for, including its postcode
• the income source and amount received by you, your partner and any non-dependants who live with you
• if you or your partner are working, the name of your employer, date you started work, number of hours you normally work and how often you are paid
• the full name(s) and date(s) of birth of everyone who lives with you
• if you rent your home, the full name and address of your landlord, the start date of your tenancy, and the amount and frequency of rent charged
• if you or your partner is not a British Citizen, the details of yours or their work history for the last 2 years.

At the appointment you will be able to: 

• show the documents we need to support your claim - we will take a scanned copy (it is important that you bring these documents with you as we won’t be able to pay any benefit without them)
• sign your claim form
• find out how much Housing Benefit you are entitled to
• receive your Housing Benefit award letter.

Supporting documents

The documents you need to bring with you to your appointment are:

National Insurance number	National Insurance card, National Insurance confirmation letter, payslip, benefit award letter.
Identity	Passport, driving licence, medical card, birth certificate, utility bill for your current address, marriage or adoption certificate, divorce document.
Residency	You must have moved into the property you intend to claim for.
Tenancy and rent	Tenancy agreement, rent book, licence to occupy, proof of rent payments made/rent receipts.
Earnings	Last two monthly payslips or last five weekly payslips. If you have just started work, we will accept your Contract of Employment and the number of hours you are contracted-for to work out an estimate of your pay. You will still have to provide your first two months or five weeks payslips when you receive them.
Benefits and pensions	Benefit award/entitlement letter, pension advice/pay slip, bank statement showing regular payment.
Bank accounts other capital and properties	Last three monthly statements for each account, Post Office/savings book, premium bond certificate, stocks and shares certificates. Proof of ownership, mortgage, property valuation. If you rent out a property, you need to provide proof of the rent you receive from your tenant.
Dependant children	Name, date of birth and child benefit proof for each child.
Child care costs	Statement from provider, invoice/receipts from provider.
Non-dependants	Name, date of birth, National Insurance number and income details.
Housing Benefit payments	Your bank sort code, account number and name on the account. For payments to your landlord* - your landlord’s bank sort code, account number and name on the account *Payment can only be made to landlords if the claimant satisfies certain criteria.

Already receiving benefits?

If you are already receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, and wish to report a change in your circumstances, make sure that you use our change in circumstances form instead.

Need to apply for Universal Credit?

For more information and to make a claim for Universal Credit, please visit the Universal Credit website.