Housing Benefit is a national scheme administered by local councils, and helps people on a low income pay rent for their home. All tenants on a low income, including those who work, are entitled to claim Housing Benefit.
Download a
Proof of Rent form (PDF 193 KB)Link opens in a new window
Housing Benefit can pay for part or all of a tenant’s rent. How much is paid depends on the tenant’s household, income and other circumstances.
Benefit is normally based on the
Local Housing Allowance rate that applies to the tenant or the actual rent if it is lower.
Some tenants who have been receiving Housing Benefit at the same property since April 2008 may have their benefit based on a valuation of their property by the Rent Officer. These tenants can choose to have their benefit paid to their landlord.
Payment of benefit
Housing Benefit is normally paid to the tenant. Tenants cannot decide to have the payment made to the landlord.
Information and advice
We cannot normally give information to a landlord about a tenant’s claim unless Housing Benefit is being paid directly to a landlord or the tenant has signed a Sharing Information form.
If Housing Benefit is paid directly to the landlord we will give an update on the progress of a claim or details of payments made.
We can share more information about a tenant’s claim with a landlord if the tenant has signed a
Sharing Information form (PDF 137 KB)Link opens in a new window
This form is also included in the benefit application form. Personal information about the tenant will still not be disclosed.
Dealing with urgent cases
We deal with all claims as quickly as possible. Where there is a risk of legal action due to rent arrears, we will prioritise these cases and do all we can to prevent unnecessary evictions. We will do everything we can to make sure tenants receive their full benefit entitlement.
Safeguard Scheme
We know that making payments directly to a tenant may not always be in their best interest so we’ve developed a Safeguard Scheme to protect these tenants. Benefit can be paid to the landlord if:
- the tenant has rent arrears of eight weeks or more,
- there is evidence the tenant is unlikely to pay their rent,
- the tenant has difficulty managing their money, or
- the landlord has helped the tenant to secure or retain their tenancy.
Landlords should contact us immediately if a tenant has not paid their rent.
We will withhold further payment, even if only one rent payment has been missed, while we look into the situation. We will normally need proof, such as a rent statement, to consider making further payments to the landlord.
Overpayment
Overpayments can happen when a tenant’s benefits are reduced due to a change in circumstances. An overpayment is usually recovered from the tenant.
In some circumstances we can recover an overpayment from the landlord, but only if we consider the landlord knew about the change and did not tell us.
We will not recover an overpayment from a landlord if the landlord has told us about the change. Find out
more about benefit overpayments.
If you are aware your tenant’s circumstances have changed, or you suspect your tenant is committing benefit fraud you must tell us straight away.
Failure to do so may result in overpayments being recovered from you.
Appealing against a decision
Tenants can appeal any decision the council makes to do with their claim.
Landlords can appeal against decisions on who benefit is paid to, and who an overpayment is recovered from.
Find out
more about appealing a decision.
Contact us
benefits@cardiff.gov.uk