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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Housing benefit

Housing benefit is a social security benefit which helps people on low income with their housing costs. It can cover rent, rates and some service charges.  There are different systems for working out housing benefit for social tenants, who rent from the Housing Executive or housing associations, and for private tenants, who rent from a private landlord or agent.  

Please note, housing benefit is currently in the process of being replaced by Universal Credit. If you're making a fresh claim, you may need to apply for Universal Credit instead.

Who can claim housing benefit

Most people who normally live in Northern Ireland, have a low income and have to pay rent or rates can claim housing benefit. If you have savings or own property the amount you get may be reduced. People who have recently moved to the UK and full time students will not normally get housing benefit.

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Housing benefit for Housing Executive and housing association tenants

Housing benefit is a social security benefit which helps people with their housing costs. You can apply for housing benefit if you have to pay rent and you’re not working or you don’t earn much. Housing benefit can be used to help with rent, rates and some service charges but won’t cover things like heating, lighting, fuel, food, laundry.

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Housing benefit & LHA for private tenants

If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit to help you pay your rent. Most people who rent privately have their entitlement to housing benefit worked out under a system called Local Housing Allowance.

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Rate relief and housing benefit for rates

You can apply for housing benefit and rate relief to help with rates. Tenants who are applying for housing benefit should mark on the form that they have to pay rates. The Housing Executive will manage the claim for rates and rent together.

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Housing benefit for students

Every tenant has a right to apply for housing benefit. However, most students at university or college are not entitled to it, unless they fall into certain categories.

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Working out your housing benefit

The amount of housing benefit you’ll get to help with your rent depends on your personal circumstances. There are different systems for calculating housing benefit for private tenants and for housing association or Housing Executive tenants.

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Housing benefit if you can't live in your home

You normally have to be living in a property in order to claim and receive housing benefit. However, in certain circumstances you may be able to claim for a property that you're not actually living in. The length of time that you can claim for depends on why you can't live in the property.

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Problems with housing benefit

Things can go wrong with your housing benefit claim. If you were getting Housing Benefit when you shouldn’t have been, you’ll have to pay this money back. You could also have problems if you have to pay rent on two homes for a while or have to leave your home temporarily.

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Challenging a housing benefit decision

You may be able to challenge or appeal a housing benefit decision if you think it is wrong or unfair. This can be a complicated process so it's best to get help from an advice agency.

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Bedroom tax

Some people who rent their homes from the Housing Executive or a housing association and who receive Housing Benefit may be subject to the “social sector size criteria” or “bedroom tax”. This is a cut to your Housing Benefit if your home has more bedrooms than the Government says you need. This change to Housing Benefit will take effect in Northern Ireland from 20 February 2017. This information explains how this new system works, who is and who is not affected, and what help is available if your Housing Benefit is cut because your home is too large.

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