If you are on a low income and having difficulties affording your rent, you might be entitled to Housing Benefit. Housing Benefit is financial support to help you pay your rent. It is paid by your local authority.

Working out how much benefit you are entitled to is quite complicated, because it is based on your individual circumstances. This page should just be used as a guide. To get a full housing benefit assessment, you should contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or your local authority benefits department.

Can I get housing benefit?

Visit the Adviceguide Scotland website or the DirectGov ‘Benefits for Young People’ section for further information.

Housing benefit is only available for people who pay rent. You cannot get it if you are looking for support for your mortgage payments. It is based on your income, so you may qualify if you are unemployed or if you’re working but not earning very much.

You may not qualify for Housing Benefit if:

• you have savings of over £16,000, unless you are getting the 'guarantee credit' of Pension Credit.
• you live in the home of a close relative.
• you're a full-time student (unless you're disabled or have children).
• you're an asylum seeker or are sponsored to be in the UK.

How much Housing Benefit can I get?

The amount of Housing Benefit you can get depends on your personal and family circumstances, where you live, what your rent is, and what is included in your rent. The amount paid is called your eligible rent. Your eligible rent may not always be the same as your full rent. The eligible rent is the amount that the government thinks is reasonable to pay rent on a suitably sized property in the area you live.

The benefits department of your local council will be able to work out how much you will be entitled to based on your circumstances. If you are refused Housing Benefit, or disagree with the amount you will receive, then double check with your local Citizen's Advice Bureau to make sure this decision is correct. You can find your local Citizens Advice Bureau at http://www.cas.org.uk/

You may also be able to get your Housing Benefit claim backdated. Backdating your claim is when you receive benefit for a time in the past that you would have been entitled to Housing Benefit, but did not make a claim or receive the money. You may need to explain in the backdate form why you did not make the claim earlier. Claims can only be backdated for a maximum of 6 months.

How do I apply for Housing Benefit?

If you make a claim for Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support or Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, you should have the option to apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit on your application form. If you are renting and do not have enough money to pay your rent, make sure you apply for Housing Benefit at the same time.

You can get a Housing Benefit form from a customer services office of your local council, or you can download a form from the Direct Gov website.

You can claim up to 13 weeks before you become entitled to Housing Benefit. So if you know you are moving to a new address, you can claim Housing Benefit. You will not usually receive any money before you move in.

You should always inform your local authority if your circumstances change, as this could affect your housing benefit claim.

More information

Visit the Adviceguide Scotland website or the DirectGov ‘Benefits for Young People’ section for further information.